While I dedicate a significant amount of time studying scientific literature and working with patients, I also apply this knowledge to my own movement practice, testing it in real-life situations. My martial arts and movement practices, in turn, allow me to better connect with and understand my patients’ needs.
My approach is grounded in both evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence. I draw upon knowledge from psychology, neuroscience, and the methods of high-performing individuals.
My goal is to contribute to your psychological growth and development using whatever valid and valuable resources I can get my hands on.
I hold a Master’s degree in Psychology from the Portuguese Catholic University and a postgraduate degree in Sport Psychology from INSPSIC. I continuously deepen my knowledge by researching new scientific literature and studying classic psychology authors.
Early in my career, I worked with at-risk teenagers struggling with drug-related issues, laying a solid groundwork in addiction psychology. During this time, I discerned the transformative power of movement to heal and rehabilitate. This insight spurred me to launch an award-winning project using movement as a medium to catalyze both psychological and physical growth for these young individuals.
In 2021, my professional journey took a turn as I served as a psychologist for the Portuguese Red Cross, assisting refugee minors. This pivotal experience enriched my comprehension of trauma and introduced me to the resilience and antifragility inherent in the human spirit, broadening my understanding and refining my approach to therapy.
Simultaneously, I initiated my private practice in the same year, branching out to offer specialized consultations to athletes, aiming to leverage the symbiotic relationship between the mind and body for optimal performance. By 2023, my expertise found a new home at the Jungian Clinical Institute, where I continue to provide psychological services.
My passion for understanding human performance is further bolstered by a martial arts background encompassing practices like Karate, Taekwondo, Capoeira, Kickboxing and Jiu-jitsu. They have endowed me with a unique lens to view performance, discipline, and personal transformation. As I continue to delve deeper into the nexus of physical movement and psychological wholeness, I trained under renowned movement specialists such as Ido Portal and Marcello Palozzo. Their teachings have been instrumental in shaping and inspiring my holistic approach to psychological development.
My mission here is to assist you in unraveling your own psychological resources and share with you new tools that you may want to incorporate into your life/practice, in order for you to perform better or to break out from the shackles of addiction.
I’m interested in contributing to the process of your own self-discovery and identity creation (individuation). I regard performance as a “vehicle” towards individuation and addiciton as a “roadblock” that is interrupting and stalling the movement forward.
I consider myself an eternal beginner in the understanding of what moves human beings, constantly feeling the urge to research and learn, so you won’t ever see me faking authority with a façade of competence posing with an expensive set of wrist watches and eyeglass frames, giving off some modern guru vibes.
Count me as a serious, hard-working and committed partner in your self-development journey.
