Joana is a specialist Clinical Psychologist with over 10 years of clinical experience within the public and private sector in the UK, Netherlands and Portugal, treating clients with mild, moderate and severe mental health difficulties. Joana has extensive training in CBT, DBT and Mindfulness based CBT and have experience treating clients with depression, anxiety disorders, addiction, eating disorders, bipolar affective disorder, PTSD, OCD, sleep disorders, personality disorders, phobias and psychosis.

Joana uses Trauma Informed Care and strengths-based approaches in her clinical work and implements interventions tailored to each individual’s needs, background and circumstances. She has excellent engagement and clinical skills having worked in a variety of clinical settings such as NHS inpatient Acute Psychosis services, a Crisis team, Inpatient and outpatient CAMHS services, community learning disabilities and Autism services, a Priory Special Needs School and at private practices.

Through the therapeutic process she supports clients to feel more in control of their difficulties by providing information about coping strategies for their mental health difficulties, improving their communication skills, helping them learn how to resolve conflict, restore lost trust and intimacy as well as discussing ways to strengthen their support systems. Joana’s vision when working therapeutically with clients is to support them lead more fulfilling, meaningful and productive lives by becoming more aware of their difficulties and how they affect their lives and more importantly how to cope with them. She is fluent in both English and in Portuguese.