Online Therapy in English — for Expats in Portugal & Beyond

Whether you're navigating expat life, working through a relationship challenge, or seeking clinical support from abroad — our certified English-speaking therapists offer the same depth as in-person sessions, entirely online.

5+
Years of Online Practice
EN
Fully English Sessions
2000+
Online Sessions Conducted
4
Evidence-Based Methods

The therapeutic alliance — not the format — determines outcomes. A good therapist, present through a screen, is still a good therapist.

— Online Therapy Research, 2022
≈
Comparable Outcomes
Studies confirm online therapy produces results equivalent to in-person work for anxiety, depression, PTSD, and relationship difficulties.
∞
Continuity of Care
Your therapeutic relationship continues regardless of travel, relocation, or schedule changes — no interruptions, no starting over.
✓
Strong Alliance Online
Patients consistently report genuine connection and meaningful progress, even in fully remote sessions conducted via video.
Our Team

Your therapists, online since 2020

Both Piotr and Sylwia built their online practices from the ground up — developing methods specifically adapted to the digital format, without sacrificing clinical depth.

Piotr Szmyt — ISTDP online therapist at Psychotherapy Lisbon

Piotr Szmyt

ISTDP Psychotherapist · Online Couples Therapy

I have been providing online therapy since early 2020. Today I divide my work equally between in-person sessions at our Lisbon office and online sessions with clients across Portugal and internationally.

My approach centres on Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) — a rigorous, body-aware method that works with emotion, defenses, and unconscious patterns. In online sessions I apply the same directness, warmth, and clinical precision as face to face.

ISTDP Psychodynamic Couples Online IEDTA Member
Full profile →
Sylwia Latacz — licensed psychologist and EFT couples therapist in Lisbon

Sylwia Latacz

Licensed Psychologist · EFT Couples Therapist

I am a licensed psychologist and psychotherapist registered with the Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses. I provide individual and couples therapy online, working with clients across Portugal and internationally.

My approach is integrative — drawing on EFT, schema-based work, and psychodynamic principles. I am particularly experienced in supporting expats navigating identity transitions, attachment difficulties, and the emotional complexity of life abroad.

EFT Integrative Schema Therapy OPP Registered
Full profile →
The Process

How online therapy works with us

From first contact to an ongoing therapeutic relationship — a simple, thoughtful process built around your needs and timezone.

01

Initial Contact

Reach out via email or the booking form. We respond within 24 hours to arrange a convenient time — no waiting lists, no lengthy intake forms.

02

First Session via Google Meet

Your 70-minute initial consultation takes place on Google Meet — free, secure, available on any device. We'll explore your situation and determine whether this is the right fit.

03

Regular Weekly Sessions

Sessions typically occur weekly or bi-weekly at a consistent time. You'll always work with the same therapist — continuity is central to effective therapy.

Getting Ready

How to prepare for your first online session

A little preparation makes a real difference. These guidelines help ensure your first session is as productive and comfortable as possible.

Technical Check
Test your Google Meet connection in advance. Ensure your microphone and camera work, and that your internet connection is stable.
Camera Placement
Position your device so your full upper body and silhouette are visible. In our approach, monitoring somatic (bodily) responses is clinically important.
Private Space
Choose a room where you will not be interrupted and feel comfortable speaking freely. Sessions cannot take place in cafes or shared offices.
Reflect Before You Connect
Think about recent situations where your problem shows up. What would feeling better actually look like for you?
Allow Time After
Don't schedule a meeting immediately after the session. A brief period of quiet allows you to integrate what emerged.
Come as You Are
You don't need to prepare a summary of your life. Confusion and not knowing where to start are perfectly normal — and workable.
Areas of Support

What online therapy can address

Our online sessions address the same clinical range as our in-person practice — individual concerns and relational difficulties alike.

Anxiety & Panic

Generalised anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks, and chronic tension that stops you from engaging fully in your life. We work with the body as well as the mind.

Depression & Low Mood

Persistent sadness, loss of motivation, or the quiet exhaustion of a life that has slowly lost its meaning. We explore root causes, not just symptoms.

Relationship Difficulties

Communication breakdown, emotional distance, recurring conflict, infidelity, or the quiet drift between two people who once felt close.

Trauma & PTSD

Processing difficult past experiences — a single acute event or a lifetime of complex relational trauma — in a safe, paced environment.

Expat & Cultural Adjustment

The loneliness, identity confusion, and relationship strain that come with building a new life abroad — real challenges, rarely addressed in standard therapy.

Burnout & Life Direction

Career dissatisfaction, chronic overwork, loss of purpose, and the existential restlessness of a life that looks successful but feels hollow.

Built for Expats

Therapy designed for life abroad

Finding English-speaking therapy in Portugal is harder than it looks. Most practitioners advertise in Portuguese, fluency is inconsistent, and the public system wasn't built for non-native speakers. We were.

Both our therapists are fully comfortable in English, have lived outside their countries of origin, and understand expat life from professional and personal experience. We work regularly with clients from the UK, US, Germany, Netherlands, and beyond.

  • Cultural adjustment and persistent sense of not fitting in
  • Loneliness coexisting with an outwardly successful life
  • Relationship strain amplified by relocation stress
  • Loss of professional identity in a new country
  • Anxiety about visas, finances, family abroad
  • Grief for the person you were before you left
  • Multicultural couple dynamics and communication gaps
LisbonPortoAlgarveCascaisBragaInternationally

You don't need to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. The quiet difficulty of building a life in a place that isn't yours — without your network, without the language — that is enough.

— Piotr Szmyt, Psychotherapist
Online Couples Therapy also available

Both Piotr and Sylwia offer couples therapy via video — for couples in different cities or those who prefer the online format.

Couples Therapy Page →
Our Methods

Therapeutic approaches we draw upon

We are trained in multiple evidence-based frameworks and integrate them based on what each client actually needs.

EFT
Emotionally Focused Therapy

Developed by Dr. Sue Johnson. Works with attachment needs and emotional patterns that drive relational cycles. One of the most researched approaches for couples.

ISTDP
Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy

Body-aware, active approach working with emotional experience, unconscious defenses, and the somatic dimension of psychological pain.

CBT
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Structured, evidence-based method for identifying unhelpful thought patterns. Often includes practical tools and between-session exercises.

PDT
Psychodynamic Therapy

Explores unconscious processes, early relational experiences, and attachment patterns. We listen not just to what is said — but to what underlies it.

Fees

Clear, transparent pricing

No hidden fees, no intake charges. Official invoices provided for insurance reimbursement upon request.

Initial Consultation
€90
70-minute extended first session
  • Explore your goals and challenges
  • Assess therapeutic fit together
  • Establish a plan for ongoing work
  • Full clinical consultation depth
Book now
Individual Online Session
€70
50-minute weekly or bi-weekly
  • Consistent therapist every session
  • Flexible scheduling across timezones
  • Google Meet — secure & free
  • Hybrid option available
Book now
ISTDP Intensive Session
€120
90-minute extended intensive
  • Deep focus on core emotional patterns
  • Body-aware somatic approach
  • For complex or trauma presentations
  • With Piotr Szmyt (IEDTA certified)
Book now
We provide official invoices (recibos) for all sessions. Many private insurance policies in the EU, UK, and US offer partial or full reimbursement for psychotherapy. Please inform us of your fiscal number if required.
Questions

Frequently
asked
questions

Further questions? Email us at therapist@psychotherapylisbon.com

Yes. Research confirms online psychotherapy produces outcomes equivalent to in-person treatment for anxiety, depression, PTSD, and relationship difficulties. The most important factor is the quality of the therapeutic relationship — which translates well to video. Our therapists have worked online since 2020 and developed approaches specifically suited to the format.
We use Google Meet for all online sessions. It is free, requires no additional software, and works on any device. We recommend testing your connection before the first session. Google Meet uses end-to-end encryption to ensure confidentiality.
Yes. Our online sessions are available to English-speaking clients anywhere in Portugal — Lisbon, Porto, Cascais, the Algarve — and to clients living abroad who want therapists experienced in the expat experience. We regularly work with clients in the UK, US, Germany, Netherlands, and the Middle East.
Yes. Both Piotr and Sylwia provide couples therapy online. It works well for partners in different cities, couples where one partner travels frequently, or those who simply prefer the online format. Full details on our Couples Therapy page.
Yes. We offer a hybrid model — many clients begin online and transition to in-person sessions at our Lisbon office, or alternate between the two. Continuity of care is maintained throughout.
The first consultation is designed for exactly this. There is no obligation to continue. If after the first session the fit isn't right, we'll say so honestly and, if helpful, suggest other resources.
Yes. We provide official Portuguese receipts (recibos) for all sessions. Many private insurance plans in the EU, UK, and US offer partial or full reimbursement. Please inform us of your fiscal number if you require formal documentation.

You don't have to wait for the right moment.

The first session is exploratory, low-pressure, and designed to see whether this is the right fit. No waiting lists. No lengthy intake forms.

Schedule Your First Session Send Us a Question