Counsellor profile
Dr. Andreia Santo, HCPC
Counsellor and psychologist - stress and relationships
See online counselling options- ACT
- CBT
- Attachment work
About Andreia
Counsellor and psychologist, HCPC, with 16 years' experience. Dr. Andreia Santo works with people in the United Kingdom on stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and family concerns, depression, trauma and related areas. She offers help in English and Portuguese and accepts international clients.
Andreia trained in Portugal and moved to the UK in 2010. Her early work included placements in an early intervention service and NHS settings, where she carried out assessments and interventions across age groups. She later completed a two-year part-time diploma in Family and Systemic Theory at the Tavistock and Portman in London.
Her clinical work draws on a mix of practical approaches, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, attachment-based ideas and client-centred methods. Sessions aim to look at thoughts, behaviours and relationships, and to develop skills people can use between meetings.
Andreia has worked in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services within the NHS and has additional postgraduate training in behavioural therapies from Portugal. She now focuses on remote practice and on an independent research project into aspects of unconditional love.
Clients are encouraged to bring current concerns such as grief, parenting strain, eating and sleeping problems, ADHD, mood conditions, or difficulties with intimacy and communication. Andreia also works with issues linked to trauma, domestic violence, addiction and chronic illness.
She asks people to use the service booking flow to complete a short matching questionnaire and to schedule a first session. Sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time, and exact session options should be confirmed before booking.
How Andreia uses therapeutic approaches online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them. It focuses on values and practical actions and can be helpful for anxiety, stress and coping with life changes. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and teaches skills to manage distressing thinking and unhelpful patterns. It is often used for anxiety, depression and sleep or eating problems. Attachment-based therapy concentrates on relationship patterns and early bonds and can help with intimacy, abandonment concerns and communication problems.Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss options with the client and decide together what fits best for the person's needs, goals and preferences. This is an ongoing conversation and can change as progress is made.
Session formats are not listed in the original biography, so please confirm current options before booking. Online sessions can make it easier to fit meetings into work or family life, reduce travel time and allow shorter check-ins when needed. Many people find remote sessions useful for continuing therapy across locations, including international clients, but confirm the exact session types when you arrange your first appointment.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Also works with
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
16+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English, Portuguese
Frequently asked questions
What concerns does she commonly help with?
She helps people with stress, anxiety, depression, addictions, trauma, grief, relationship and family concerns, and related issues such as eating, sleeping and parenting difficulties.
What style of therapy does she use?
Her practice combines approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, attachment-based work and client-centred methods.
How long has she been practising?
She has 16 years of professional experience, including roles in early intervention services and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
Which professional registration does she hold?
She is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, shown as HCPC.
Which languages are supported in sessions?
Sessions are offered in English and Portuguese.
Can people outside the UK work with her?
She accepts international clients, so people outside the UK can enquire about working together.
How much do sessions cost?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription that can be cancelled at any time; exact pricing depends on the chosen subscription.
How do I start a first session?
Use the See online counselling options button, complete the short matching questionnaire and then schedule your first session through the system.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A membership or registration can be checked on the professional body's own register.
Online counselling is not emergency care. In an emergency call 999, or see the help numbers.