If anxiety, constant worry or overthinking is starting to affect your sleep, relationships, work or everyday life, therapy can give you a safe space to understand what is happening and develop new ways of coping. I’m Alicja Ligeza, an English-speaking psychotherapist in Lisbon. I offer compassionate, trauma-informed therapy for adults experiencing anxiety, panic, stress and overwhelm, with in-person sessions in central Lisbon and online therapy where appropriate.
Anxiety is a feeling of unease, worry or fear. Feelings of anxiety are common and everyone experiences them at times e.g. feeling anxious before taking an exam or job interview is perfectly normal. However, for some people those anxious emotions are more constant. You may be looking for an English-speaking therapist in Lisbon because:
• You can't switch off your thoughts or stop overthinking.
• You constantly worry about things that might go wrong.
• You feel tense, restless or on edge much of the time.
• Anxiety is affecting your sleep, concentration or relationships.You experience panic attacks or sudden waves of fear.
• You feel overwhelmed by work, relationships or life changes.
• You are living abroad and find yourself struggling more than you expected.You understand your anxiety intellectually, but still feel it in your body.
Anxious feelings can also be a symptom of other conditions e.g. panic disorder, social phobia, generalised anxiety disorder or PTSD but you don't need to have a diagnosis to ask for support. Therapy can be a place to slow things down, understand what is happening and explore what might help.
Hi, I’m Alicja. I’m an English-speaking anxiety psychotherapist based in central Lisbon, specialising in helping expats, digital nomads and international residents understand and work through anxiety, overwhelm and persistent worry. I believe that therapy shouldn’t mean endlessly analysing what’s wrong or repeatedly revisiting painful experiences. By combining person-centred counselling with body-brain approaches like Brainspotting, together we work with both your mind and nervous system to reduce anxiety and create meaningful change.
Read more about my background →
01
Create a supportive, non-judgemental space. Creating a warm and confidential environment where you can talk openly about your fears and worries.
02
Develop a deeper understanding of your anxiety. Offering empathic understanding, the counsellor aims to fully grasp what anxiety means for you. A “dual attunement” approach considers both relational and neurological attunement.
03
Process anxious feelings safely. Brain-body based processing of the anxious feelings through Brainspotting along talk therapy, acknowledging them in a safe space and with containment techniques in place.
04
Build acceptance and self-compassion. Internalising the counsellor’s unconditional positive regard can free inner resources tied up in pain and struggle. Receiving acceptance and validation can support the healing process.
05
Become more attuned to your needs. Incongruence is linked to feelings of anxiety. Perceived self-discrepancy can be a source of distress, so working with a counsellor to become more attuned to your needs can benefit your overall wellbeing.
06
Reduce harsh self-criticism. People who experience anxiety often engage in a critical inner narrative, which can further exacerbate their symptoms. A counsellor can help you find ways to minimise harsh self-criticism and develop more positive ways of talking to yourself.
07
Develop new ways of coping with anxiety. Together with your therapist, you can develop new ways of coping in challenging situations, such as when you feel overwhelmed by worries or fear.
08
Develop more positive and compassionate attitudes. Your counsellor can support you by modelling positive, accepting and compassionate attitudes, as well as nurturing behaviours.
09
Make regular space for your healing. Weekly therapy sessions can provide structure and help you prioritise your own healing process by committing to self-care on a regular basis.
10
Understand anxiety through psychoeducation. Your therapist can offer psychoeducation to enhance your understanding of anxiety and help normalise what you are experiencing.
Working with anxiety is not necessarily about getting rid of anxious feelings altogether. Anxiety can be a natural response to uncertainty, change and experiences that matter to us. Therapy can help you develop a different relationship with those feelings to become more aware of what they are telling you, recognise patterns that keep you stuck and finding greater freedom in how you respond. For people living in Lisbon, particularly those navigating life abroad, having a therapist who understands your experiences and can work with you in English can make therapy feel more accessible and meaningful. The aim is not simply to manage symptoms, but to help you feel more grounded, connected to yourself and better able to meet life's challenges.
I aim to respond within 24h, Mon to Fri. For urgent support, find public health helpline numbers here.
Rua Alexandre Herculano 19, 1250-008 Lisboa
Nearest Metro stations: Avenida and Marquês de Pombal.
