Dr. Andreia Santo, HCPC
Psychologist specializing in attachment and ACT
- Stress and anxiety support
- Family and relationship work
- English and Portuguese therapy
About Dr. Andreia Santo
Dr. Andreia Santo is a psychologist with broad clinical experience and a long-standing interest in family systems, attachment and therapeutic innovation. She qualified as a psychologist in 2008 after completing a Licenciatura in Psychology of Education and Rehabilitation at the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences of Algarve University in Faro, Portugal, a qualification that the original training equates academically to advanced clinical training in the UK. She completed a full-time year placement at Projecto Integrado de Intervenção Precoçe in Coimbra, offering psychological assessment and intervention for children and their parents or carers and taking part in initiatives to promote social inclusion and emotional wellbeing.
Her early professional placements included work across age groups at the Health Centre of Faro within the National Health System and a council service at the Junta de Freguesia da Se. She also completed a one-year postgraduate training in Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy accredited by the Portuguese Association of Behavioural Therapy and the European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies. After relocating to the United Kingdom in 2010, she completed a two-year part-time postgraduate diploma in Family and Systemic Theory at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and worked in various Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services within the NHS until June 2024.
She holds HCPC registration - the Health and Care Professions Council - and combines clinical work with independent research into Unconditional Love Science. She currently works mostly remotely, offering services privately and via online practice. Her wide-ranging clinical interests include stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and family issues, trauma and abuse, grief, LGBT concerns, eating and sleeping difficulties, parenting challenges, ADHD and bipolar disorder, among others. She values the principle of unconditional self-love and supports clients in reconnecting with their innate capacity for wellbeing. Her availability is subject to her working schedule - she does not respond on her usual break days, typically Sunday and Monday - and this service is not intended for emergencies. She encourages enquiries and looks forward to meeting prospective clients.
Her early professional placements included work across age groups at the Health Centre of Faro within the National Health System and a council service at the Junta de Freguesia da Se. She also completed a one-year postgraduate training in Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy accredited by the Portuguese Association of Behavioural Therapy and the European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies. After relocating to the United Kingdom in 2010, she completed a two-year part-time postgraduate diploma in Family and Systemic Theory at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and worked in various Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services within the NHS until June 2024.
She holds HCPC registration - the Health and Care Professions Council - and combines clinical work with independent research into Unconditional Love Science. She currently works mostly remotely, offering services privately and via online practice. Her wide-ranging clinical interests include stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and family issues, trauma and abuse, grief, LGBT concerns, eating and sleeping difficulties, parenting challenges, ADHD and bipolar disorder, among others. She values the principle of unconditional self-love and supports clients in reconnecting with their innate capacity for wellbeing. Her availability is subject to her working schedule - she does not respond on her usual break days, typically Sunday and Monday - and this service is not intended for emergencies. She encourages enquiries and looks forward to meeting prospective clients.
Areas of Expertise
Primary Focus
Also Specializes In
LGBTTrauma and abuseGriefIntimacy-related issuesEating disordersSleeping disordersParenting issuesAnger managementSelf esteemCareer difficultiesBipolar disorderCoping with life changesCompassion fatigueADHD
Additional Focus Areas
AbandonmentAttachment issuesAutism and Asperger SyndromeAvoidant personalityBlended family issuesChronic pain, illness, and disabilityCo-morbidityCodependencyCommunication problemsControl issuesDisruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)DissociationDivorce and separationDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol addictionEmptinessFamily of origin issuesFamily problemsFatherhood issuesForgivenessGender dysphoriaGuilt and shameHoardingImmigration issuesImpulsivityInfidelityIntellectual disabilityIsolation / lonelinessJealousyLife purposeMen's issuesMidlife crisisMoney and financial issuesMood disordersMulticultural concernsObsessions, compulsions, and OCDPanic disorder and panic attacksParanoiaPostpartum depressionPost-traumatic stressPregnancy and childbirthPrejudice and discriminationSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Self-loveSexual assault and abuseSexual dysfunctionSexualitySocial anxiety and phobiaSomatizationWomen's issuesWorkplace issues
Therapeutic Approach
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Attachment-Based Therapy Client-Centered Therapy Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Existential Therapy Hypnotherapy Mindfulness Therapy Motivational Interviewing Narrative Therapy Solution-Focused Therapy Trauma-Focused Therapy Systemic Therapy
Frequently Asked Questions
How much experience does Dr. Andreia Santo have?
Dr. Andreia Santo has 16 years of experience.
Is Dr. Andreia Santo a licensed therapist?
Yes. She holds HCPC registration. The HCPC is the Health and Care Professions Council, the UK regulator for a range of health and care professionals.
In which languages does Dr. Andreia Santo provide therapy?
She provides therapy in English and Portuguese.
Where is Dr. Andreia Santo located?
She is based in the United Kingdom.
How can I work with Dr. Andreia Santo as my therapist?
You can work with Dr. Andreia Santo through video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging.
Does Dr. Andreia Santo work with international clients?
Yes, Dr. Andreia Santo works with international clients.
How much does therapy with Dr. Andreia Santo cost?
The cost of therapy can vary depending on factors such as your location and the therapist's availability. Sessions are billed through a subscription that can be canceled at any time, for any reason. For current details, click the "Start Therapy" button on this page.
How can I get started with therapy?
Getting started with therapy is quick and straightforward. Click the "Start Therapy" button and complete a short questionnaire that helps match you with your therapist. Depending on availability, you can then schedule your first session, which may take place by phone, video call, live chat, or in-app messaging.
Therapeutic Approaches and Remote Care
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people clarify their values and take actions that align with what matters most, while learning practical ways to live alongside difficult thoughts and feelings. It can be useful for stress, anxiety, depression and life transitions. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on understanding relational patterns that form early in life and how they affect present-day relationships - it supports work on intimacy, abandonment concerns and family dynamics. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) examines connections between thoughts, feelings and behaviors, teaching skills to reframe unhelpful thinking and develop coping strategies for issues like anxiety, low mood and behavioral changes.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. She will work together with each person to explore goals, preferences and life circumstances, adapting methods over time so therapy fits the individual rather than expecting the individual to fit a single model.
Online sessions by video call, phone, live chat or text-based messaging make it easier to arrange care around work, family and travel commitments. These options increase flexibility and accessibility, allowing clients and licensed professionals to maintain continuity of support even when in-person meetings are not possible.