Difficult or overwhelming experiences can stay with us long after they have happened, affecting how we feel, think and relate to others. As an English-speaking therapist in Lisbon, I offer a safe, supportive space where you can explore what you have been through at your own pace, without fear of judgement. Sessions are available in central Lisbon and online.
My approach combines talk therapy and brain-body approach to help you process painful experiences, better understand your reactions and develop new ways of coping.
Hi, I’m Alicja. I’m an English-speaking trauma therapist based in central Lisbon, specialising in helping expats, digital nomads and international residents process difficult life experiences, PTSD and complex trauma. I believe that therapy shouldn’t mean re-traumatising yourself by endlessly repeating painful stories. By combining person-centred counselling with body-brain approaches like Brainspotting, together we work with your nervous system to support safety, regulation and deep-level healing.
Read more about my background →
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Create a safe, supportive and non-judgemental space. In trauma counselling, the client and therapist create a safe, supportive and non-judgemental space where it feels safe to explore difficult experiences.
02
Process trauma without having to talk about every detail. When talking about trauma feels difficult, Brainspotting allows for deep brain-body processing without the need to discuss every detail, helping to minimise the risk of re-traumatising. You choose how much or how little you want to share.
03
Support nervous system regulation through dual attunement. The therapist holds a “dual attunement” frame, providing both relational and neurobiological attunement. This helps regulate the nervous system and promotes brain neuroplasticity.
04
Process difficult feelings and traumatic memories with Brainspotting. Brainspotting therapy supports the processing of difficult emotions and memories through the use of eye positions, along with attention to bodily sensations and emotional experiences.
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Explore how trauma has changed your perceptions and beliefs. Experiencing trauma can change your perceptions of yourself, the world around you and other people. Trauma therapy provides space to explore these new perceptions and beliefs and what they mean for you and your relationships.
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Find validation and a way to move forward. Validation and normalisation of your experience can help you become “un-stuck” and find ways to move forward.
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Develop resources for coping with trauma triggers. Together with your counsellor, you can identify and expand your resources for coping in challenging situations, such as when you are faced with a trigger.
08
Develop greater self-acceptance and self-compassion. Your therapist can support you by modelling compassion, acceptance and nurturing behaviours. This can help you enhance your self-acceptance and develop greater self-compassion.
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Create structure and a regular self-care routine. Weekly therapy sessions provide structure and can help you create a regular self-care routine.
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Understand trauma through psychoeducation. Your therapist can offer psychoeducation around trauma to enhance your understanding of what you have gone through..
Trauma is often defined as an emotional response to an event or series of events that are extremely threatening or overwhelming, or prolonged or repetitive distressing experiences from which escape is difficult or impossible. In a wider sense, trauma can refer to any distressing experience for which a person is unprepared and which feels psychologically overwhelming. Exposure to trauma can cause short-term effects such as anxiety, fear, anger, fatigue or helplessness. It may also lead to nightmares, intrusive thoughts or images and avoidance of situations or experiences that serve as reminders of what happened. For some people, the effects of trauma can persist and contribute to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Complex PTSD.
Trauma can affect people in many different ways, and you do not need to have a diagnosis of PTSD to seek support. A trauma-informed therapist can help you understand your responses and develop ways of relating to difficult thoughts, feelings, memories and triggers. If you are looking for an English-speaking trauma therapist in Lisbon, you can arrange a free initial consultation to talk about what you are experiencing and explore whether therapy may be helpful for you.
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.
