Family therapy in Lisbon, in English
When one person in a family struggles, the whole system feels it. We help international families in Lisbon understand what is happening between them — and find a way back to each other.
Living abroad puts family bonds to the test
Relocation is rarely equally easy for everyone. One partner may thrive at a new job while the other feels isolated. Adult siblings drift apart across borders. Parents who stayed behind grow older at a distance, and visits home carry more tension than warmth. Old family patterns that a familiar routine used to absorb come to the surface — often as conflict, guilt, or silence.
We work with adults. Our family sessions involve adult family members (18+) — partners, adult children and their parents, adult siblings, or other grown members of a family. We do not provide therapy for children or adolescents.
Family therapy looks at these difficulties the way they actually exist: not as one person’s problem, but as a pattern the whole family is caught in. In sessions, we slow those patterns down, make the feelings underneath them visible, and help each family member say what has been hard to say.
Situations we work with
Constant conflict
Arguments that repeat in the same loop — about screens, chores, money, respect — and never actually resolve anything.
Relocation strain
The move to Portugal has landed differently on each family member, and the gaps between you keep widening.
Distance and silence
Fewer fights, but also fewer conversations. Family members live side by side rather than with each other.
Adult children and parents
Grown children and their parents caught in old roles — guilt, control, distance — that neither side knows how to leave.
Blended and changing families
New partners, step-siblings, separation or divorce — transitions that need renegotiating everyone’s place.
Loss and life events
Illness, bereavement, or a crisis that the family hasn’t been able to face together.
Feelings first, patterns second
Our work is experiential and emotionally focused. Rather than only talking about problems, we pay attention to what happens between family members in the room, in the present moment — the sigh, the interruption, the look away.
We understand protective behaviours — attacking, going quiet, keeping the peace at any cost — as strategies people once needed to stay connected, not as flaws. When a family sees its patterns this way, blame tends to soften, and honest conversation becomes possible.
This thinking comes from our background in experiential dynamic therapy. You can read more about it on our ISTDP page, or see how we work with two-person relationships in couples therapy.
- Initial consultationWe meet — usually with the adults first — to understand what is happening and agree who should take part.
- Sessions togetherThe family meets with the therapist. Some sessions may involve everyone; others just two of you — for example one parent and one adult child — depending on what the work needs.
- In Lisbon or onlineSessions take place at our Lisbon office or online — useful when a family member travels or lives elsewhere.
- Review as we goWe regularly check together whether the work is helping and adjust the format if needed.
Your therapists
Piotr Szmyt
IEDTA-Certified ISTDP PsychotherapistWorks experientially with emotion as it appears in the here and now. Certified by the International Experiential Dynamic Therapy Association. Learn more about his approach on the English-speaking therapist page. Sessions in English and Polish, in Lisbon and online.
Sylwia Latacz
Licensed Psychologist & PsychotherapistLicensed psychologist and psychotherapist (OPP No. 31224). Learn more about her work on the psychologist in Lisbon page. Sessions in English and Polish.
Family therapy FAQ
Do you offer family therapy in English?
Yes. We work with international families in English, and also in Polish. Working in a language every family member is comfortable in matters — feelings rarely translate well.
How is family therapy different from couples therapy?
Couples therapy focuses on the relationship between two partners. Family therapy widens the frame: it can include adult children, parents or other adult family members, and looks at the patterns of the whole family system. If your difficulty is mainly between you and your partner, couples therapy may be the better starting point — we can help you decide at the initial consultation.
Does everyone have to attend every session?
No. We agree on the format together at the start. Some phases of the work involve everyone; others may involve just two family members — for example an adult child and a parent. The format can change as the work develops.
Do you work with children or teenagers?
No. We work exclusively with adults (18+). Family therapy in our practice means sessions with adult family members — partners, adult children and their parents, or adult siblings. If you are looking for help for a child or teenager, a child and adolescent specialist will be the right choice.
Can we do family therapy online?
Yes. Sessions can take place online, which many international families find practical — for example when one parent travels for work or a family member lives in another country. Read more on our online therapy page.
How long does family therapy take?
It depends on what your family is facing and what you want to change. Some families need a short series of sessions around a specific transition; others benefit from longer work. We review progress together regularly, so the length of therapy stays a joint decision rather than an open-ended commitment.
Reading for international families
Take the first step together
Book an initial consultation and tell us what your family is going through. We will suggest a format that fits — in Lisbon or online.
Contact us