Magdalena

Mrs Magdalena The

Mental Health Counselor

Verified

“I am a body-minded neuro-science informed Mental Health Counselor and an attuned partner in your journey of change: to heal, grow and expand from trauma, unresolved material, and all forms of trauma expressions. I take a holistic approach, looking at inner, emotional, spiritual, physical, and behavioural health.”

About Me

As a body-minded, neuro-science informed Mental Health Counsellor, I help clients who seek deep release from blocked and unresolved traumatic experiences. My holistic approach considers your inner, emotional, spiritual, physical, and behavioural well-being. We gently explore past events and their impact, using modalities like Brainspotting and somatic work to process difficult memories, so you have greater capacity to live in the present moment. I aim to create an attuned space for your healing, growth and expansion.

Approach

We work together collaboratively and paced to your tolerance, with room for silence, breath and movement. In the sessions we slow the pace and follow your nervous-system cues, blending gentle tracking of bodily sensation with focused memory processing so you can meet and process difficult material without becoming overwhelmed. This is done within the safe container of attuned witnessing and presence. We also look at releasing old protective patterns and adaptive behaviors that once ensured your survival, but now hold you back. My approach to therapy is mostly based on attachment theory and interpersonal neurobiology: I see people developing through relationships. I look at what is happening in client’s relationships and I look at what is happening internally. I very much take my clients’ nervous systems into the sessions – based on Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory. I am optimistic about human potential and take a developmental view: building on people’s strengths and resources. If faith is a resource for you I can integrate spirituality into our work irrespective of your religious orientation or spiritual practice.
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Basic Information

In-person & Online

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Services

I offer in-person sessions in the Sintra area and in Lisbon —or online in English or Dutch. As a Brainspotting consultant I use Brainspotting that is not only effective for emotional and trauma healing, but it also expands your strength, resilience and resources that you have developed in your life or have been your intergenerational gifts. I have a passion for working with women, men, and teens from age 16 up who struggle with a wide variety of issues such as: Depression and other mood disorders; Anxiety disorders; PTSD; Developmental / complex trauma; Relationship struggles; Trust issues; Self-esteem issues, imposter syndrome; Grief and loss; Adjustment / Transition issues; Stress; Anger management; Existential issues, purpose; Fear of dying; Exploring spirituality; Unexplainable pains and aches in the body; Feeling chronically tired; General sense of malaise and anything that blocks you from thriving and living to your full potential.

Services Offered:

  • Advocacy

    Services that help individuals navigate healthcare, education, or social systems to ensure their mental health needs are recognised and met.

    Learn more about Advocacy
  • Brainspotting

    A therapy that uses fixed eye positions to access and process unresolved trauma stored in the brain and body.

    Learn more about Brainspotting
  • Counseling

    A form of talk therapy providing a safe, confidential space to explore feelings, thoughts, and behaviours with a trained professional.

    Learn more about Counseling
  • Trauma Counseling

    Counselling specifically for people affected by traumatic events, focused on processing what happened and reducing symptoms like flashbacks and hypervigilance.

    Learn more about Trauma Counseling
  • Mindfulness

    The practice of paying deliberate attention to the present moment without judgement, used to reduce stress and increase awareness of automatic reactions.

    Learn more about Mindfulness
  • Somatic Psychotherapy

    A form of therapy focused on the connection between mind and body, using body awareness and movement to release held tension, trauma, and emotion.

  • Stress Management

    Techniques and strategies for managing the body and mind's response to excessive demands, including relaxation, cognitive restructuring, and lifestyle changes.

    Learn more about Stress Management
  • Online Therapy

    Therapy sessions conducted over video call, phone, or secure messaging, using the same professional methods delivered remotely.

    Learn more about Online Therapy

Works With:

  • Adolescents
  • Adults
  • Individuals

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

  • Abuse

    Emotional, physical, or sexual mistreatment by another person that causes lasting psychological harm and disrupts a person's sense of safety.

  • Anxiety

    Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.

    Learn more about Anxiety
  • Relationship Issues

    Difficulties in romantic relationships, including communication problems, trust breakdowns, conflict patterns, or uncertainty about the relationship's future.

    Learn more about Relationship Issues
  • Grief & Loss

    The emotional, physical, and psychological response to the death of a loved one or another significant loss.

    Learn more about Grief & Loss
  • Mood Disorder

    A category of mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, in which a person's emotional state is significantly and persistently disrupted.

    Learn more about Mood Disorder
  • Trauma

    The lasting psychological impact of deeply distressing events, such as violence, abuse, accidents, or disasters, that overwhelm a person's ability to cope.

    Learn more about Trauma
  • Personal Development

    The ongoing process of self-awareness, self-improvement, and reaching one's potential, pursued not because something is wrong but to live more fully.

  • PTSD

    Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, a condition that develops after a traumatic event, causing flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, and emotional numbness.

    Learn more about PTSD
  • Spiritual or Faith-Based Counseling

    Counselling that integrates spiritual or religious beliefs into the therapeutic process for people who want faith to be part of their healing.

  • Trauma Therapy

    Therapeutic approaches specifically designed to help people process and recover from traumatic experiences.

    Learn more about Trauma Therapy

Professional Title:

  • Mental Health Counselor

    A counselor trained to assess and treat mental health conditions through talk therapy.

Credentials

Registrations

National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

Mental Health Counselor

Qualifications

University of Massachusetts Boston

Service Areas

The Living Tree

In-person & Online

Lisbon, Lisbon

Portugal

Saúde in the City

In-person & Online

Lisbon, Lisbon 1600-316

Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal