Sara

Sara Gomes da Silva

Psychotherapist

Verified

“UK trained psychotherapist holding a private practice in central Lisbon and online. My work includes supporting people who have experienced trauma, attachment difficulties, relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, grief, life transitions, low self-esteem and a loss of meaning or direction. When earlier experiences have affected our sense of safety, connection or trust, the therapeutic relationship can offer an opportunity to experience new ways of relating and to develop greater emotional security.”

About Me

I am an integrative, relational psychotherapist and art therapist with a strong psychodynamic orientation. I offer a space where you can feel seen, understood and supported in exploring what is happening in your life, at a pace that respects your individual experience. I believe that meaningful therapeutic change happens within a relationship characterised by safety, trust and deep attunement. Alongside what is happening in the present, I am interested in the experiences, relationships and unconscious patterns that may lie beneath our difficulties and shape the way we relate to ourselves and others. I work collaboratively and with curiosity, paying close attention to what emerges both within your experience and within the therapeutic relationship. My aim is not simply to help you manage symptoms, but to support a deeper process of understanding, integration and change. My background in art therapy also allows space for experiences that may be difficult to put into words. When appropriate, images, dreams, imagination and creative processes can offer another way of exploring and expressing what is happening within. My orientation is relational and intuitive, grounded in presence, attunement, and respect for the unfolding of each person’s unique process.

Approach

I work integratively, drawing from a range of therapeutic perspectives to respond to the unique needs of each client. My approach brings together Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Existential, Gestalt and Transpersonal perspectives, with a particular emphasis on the Analytic Psychology of C.G. Jung. My work with trauma and attachment is grounded in presence, attunement and attention to the felt sense of the body. I am interested not only in understanding our experiences, but in creating the conditions in which they can be emotionally experienced, processed and integrated. I have completed Level 1 training in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), which further informs my relational and experiential work with emotion, attachment and trauma. Creative imagination may be integrated into the therapeutic process, facilitating self-expression and insight. Dreams and visualisations can also integrate the work as they often hold important messages and guidance. I am also trained in The Work of Byron Katie, a method of self-inquiry that supports the exploration of thoughts and beliefs that may contribute to suffering, opening possibilities for a different and more authentic relationship with ourselves, others and the world. Before training as a psychotherapist, I studied History of Art. My Master's research focused on forms of art considered “outsider”, deepening my longstanding interest in creativity and the psyche.
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Basic Information

In-person & Online

Services

I work with adults experiencing a range of emotional and psychological difficulties, including: Trauma & attachment: Trauma, attachment difficulties, relational patterns, emotional regulation and the effects of difficult or overwhelming experiences. Relationships & self
Relationship difficulties, loneliness, shame, low self-esteem, self-worth and recurring interpersonal patterns. Life transitions & meaning: Grief, loss, major life transitions, identity, purpose, meaning and feeling disconnected or directionless. Emotional wellbeing: Anxiety, depression, stress, overwhelm and other forms of emotional distress. I also work with people who may not have a specific diagnosis or presenting problem, but who feel stuck, disconnected from themselves, or sense that something in their lives needs to change.

Services Offered:

Works With:

  • Adults
  • Individuals

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

  • 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
  • Dream Work

    The exploration of dream content (themes, symbols, and emotions) to gain insight into unconscious feelings, conflicts, and desires.

    Learn more about Dream Work
  • 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
  • Life Transitions

    Major life changes, such as relocation, retirement, parenthood, or career shifts, that disrupt routine and require psychological adjustment.

    Learn more about Life Transitions
  • Shame

    A deep, painful emotion involving the belief that one is fundamentally flawed or unworthy, which can affect self-perception and relationships.

    Learn more about Shame
  • 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.

  • 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
  • Family Issues

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

  • Guilt or Forgiveness

    Persistent feelings of guilt, shame, or difficulty forgiving oneself or others that weigh on emotional well-being and relationships.

  • Parenting Support

    Guidance for the psychological challenges of raising children, including discipline, communication, co-parenting, and managing the emotional demands of parenthood.

Professional Title:

  • Psychotherapist

    A professional trained to provide in-depth therapy that explores patterns in thoughts, emotions, and relationships to produce lasting change.

Credentials

Qualifications

Master of Arts in Transpersonal Counselling and Psychotherapy

University of Northampton

Postgraduate Diploma in Integrative Transpersonal Psychotherapy

Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education (CCPE), London

Art Therapy Training

Portuguese Society of Art Therapy (Sociedade Portuguesa de Arte Terapia, SPAT), Lisbon

Master's degree in History of Art

University of Lisbon

Bachelor of Arts in History of Art

New University of Lisbon

Memberships

UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

Membership: 2011168310

Service Areas

Sara Gomes da Silva, Private Practice

In-person & Online

Lisbon, Lisbon

Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal