René

Mr René Lonis

Relationship Therapist

verified by TherapyRoute

I believe that by enhancing the contact we have with ourselves, especially with parts that need healing, we are creating more fulfillment and happiness. This will have a significant effect on the people around us. Therefore principles as Knowing yourself and Contact, are important themes I focus on in therapy. An increase of those is a guarantee for improving our mental health, the quality of our relationships and the communities we live in.

About Me

After completing my studies in Social Work and Services in 2001 at Windesheim University of Applied Sciences in Zwolle, I worked in general social work for 14 years. I provided psychosocial support to children, young people and adults. From 2015 to 2022, I worked as a Youth and Family Social Worker for the Zwolle Social District Team, where I dealt with psychosocial issues and complex relationship and family problems. I believe it is important for everyone to continue to develop in life, and that includes me. After completing my training as an Experiential Psychosocial Therapist and Gestalt Therapist at the Kempler Institute Netherlands in 2022, I started that same year my own practice in Portugal. There I work in person and online as a Relationship Therapist and Gestalt Therapist in Foz do Ribeiro, (Faro district), Portugal People know me as an empathetic, committed and skilled therapist who listens to everyone involved without judgement. I work in an experience-oriented, solution-focused way.

Approach

Principles as Knowing yourself and Contact, are important themes I focus on in therapy. I help enhance awareness through focussing on your body, your thoughts, beliefs, behavior and the interaction between you and the people that are important to you. That´s why I often encourage important others to participate in the therapy. Focused attention and short experiments create movement over stuckness, in order to: support recovery from stress or trauma, strengthen self‑esteem, re-connecting and the new ability to make choices again. Complaints often refer to unprocessed events which can now be dealt with in a save and supporting environment. This way of working suits individuals and couples ready for active, collaborative change.
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Basic Information

Services


I am specialized in Gestalt Therapy, Couples Therapy and Brainspotting. Brainspotting is especially helpful to overcome: trauma, other unprocessed events or to unravel vague complaints. I can help you with several psychological complaints, for example: stress, burnout, depression, relationship problems, codependency, and low self-esteem. It is also possible to have therapy for your personal development.

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
  • Relationship Counseling

    Counselling for couples or partners focused on improving communication, rebuilding trust, and strengthening emotional connection.

  • Online Therapy

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

    Learn more about Online Therapy
  • Therapy

    Professional treatment for mental health concerns, providing a structured space for insight, emotional processing, and behavioural change.

    Learn more about Therapy
  • Individual Therapy

    One-on-one therapy sessions between a client and a therapist, focused on that person's specific concerns and goals.

    Learn more about Individual Therapy

Works With:

  • Adults
  • Couples
  • Individuals

Area of Expertise


Scope of Practice:

  • Stress / Burnout

    The body and mind's response to prolonged or excessive demands. When sustained, it can lead to emotional exhaustion, detachment, and reduced functioning (burnout).

    Learn more about Stress / Burnout
  • 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.

  • Online Therapy

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

    Learn more about Online Therapy
  • 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
  • Codependency

    A relational pattern in which a person's sense of identity and self-worth becomes excessively tied to caring for or controlling another person, often at their own expense.

  • Self-Esteem

    A person's overall sense of their own worth and value. When chronically low, it can drive self-doubt, avoidance, and difficulty in relationships.

    Learn more about Self-Esteem
  • 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
  • Anxiety

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

    Learn more about Anxiety
  • Control Issues

    A persistent need to control situations, people, or outcomes, typically driven by underlying anxiety, fear of uncertainty, or past experiences of helplessness.

  • Family Issues

    Difficulties within the family system, including conflict, communication breakdown, blended family tensions, or intergenerational patterns, that affect individual and collective well-being.

Professional Title:

  • Relationship Therapist

    A therapist specialising in couple and relationship difficulties, working to improve communication and emotional connection.

Qualifications


Windesheim University of Applied Sciences

Kempler Institute

Stichting Post Hoger Beroeps Onderwijs Nederland

Instituut voor Eclectische Psychologie

Brainspotting Nederland

Registrations


NVAGT

Gestalt Therapist

Service Area


My Practice

In-person & Online

Foz do Ribeiro

Silves, Faro

Portugal

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