Child & Teen Therapy · Lisbon · English-Speaking
English-Speaking Therapy for Children & Teenagers in Lisbon with Beatriz Carvalho
Beatriz works with children and teenagers (ages 6–17), in person in Lisbon. The work includes the young person, and — depending on age and need — their parents or caregivers, so that support at home and support in the therapy room move in the same direction.
Who this is for
This work is for children and teenagers (ages 6–17) who are struggling with something that is hard to name, hard to talk about at home, or hard to make sense of alone: anxiety, low mood, difficulties at school, friendship troubles, family changes, or the particular strain of adjusting to a new country as part of an expat or international family.
Beatriz brings a cultural and migration-aware perspective to this work, shaped by her background researching and practising with populations navigating displacement and cultural transition — relevant for the many international families in Lisbon whose children are growing up between languages, schools, and ways of life.
How we work together
First session: with the parents
Beatriz meets with the parents or caregivers first, to understand the child's history, current concerns, and the reasons for seeking support.
Initial assessment: three sessions with your child
Using age-appropriate clinical and play-based tools to understand their main emotional concerns, ways of relating, and areas of difficulty.
Sharing what emerged
Beatriz meets with the parents again to share her understanding of what has come up, and to discuss how the work should continue.
Ongoing individual sessions
Most of the ongoing work happens one-to-one with the young person, in a space that is theirs, at a pace that respects what they are ready to talk about.
The family returns when useful
Parents or caregivers join again later in the process, when it helps move things forward — not on a fixed schedule, but when it genuinely serves the work.
School contact, with permission
Where it is relevant and with the family's agreement, Beatriz may speak with a teacher to better understand how things are showing up at school.
At the end of each school term, Beatriz meets with parents or caregivers for a summary conversation — enough to keep them genuinely informed, while still protecting the confidentiality that lets a child or teenager speak honestly in their own sessions.
How therapy looks, in practice
With younger children (generally up to around 10–11 years old), the work happens largely through play and drawing, using specific toys and creative materials. These are not simply activities, but important ways of accessing and understanding a child's emotional experiences and inner world. Through play and creativity, experiences can be given meaning, made more understandable and manageable, and the child's inner world is gradually enriched, transformed, and organised.
Confidentiality, handled carefully
For therapy with a child or teenager to work, they need to feel that what they say in the room stays in the room. At the same time, parents need enough information to support their child well. Beatriz holds both of these at once: individual sessions are confidential, family sessions and the termly summary are where the family stays connected, and anything beyond that — such as a safety concern — is always discussed directly with the family first.
Beatriz's background
- MSc, Clinical Psychology (2018)
- Postgraduate qualification in psychoanalytic psychotherapy and psychoanalysis (2025)
- Clinical work with children, adolescents, and adults, in both private practice and social and clinical support settings
- Background in cultural, migration and decolonial perspectives, beginning at the Centro de Etnopsicologia Clínica, ISPA
- Full member of the Portuguese Psychologists' Association (Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses)
Read more about Beatriz and the rest of the team.
Practical details
Frequently asked questions
Does my child or teenager need to want to come?
It helps if they are at least willing to try. The first family session is partly about this: hearing how the young person feels about starting, and making sure it doesn't feel like something being done to them.
What if my teenager doesn't want us involved?
That's normal, and part of what gets discussed in the first family session. Individual sessions stay confidential; family involvement is about staying connected, not about parents having access to everything that's said.
How often do the family check-ins happen?
There's a summary conversation with parents at the end of each school term. Additional family sessions happen when they are useful to the work, not on a fixed schedule.
Will you contact my child's school?
Only with the family's permission, and only when it is relevant to understanding what's going on.
Is this available online?
No. This service is in person at the Lisbon office only.
What age range do you work with?
Beatriz works with children and teenagers (ages 6–17). For adults, see our team page.
Ready to take the first step?
Book a first family session with Beatriz, in person in Lisbon.