Diogo Carreiras

I’ve wanted to be a psychologist for as long as I can remember. From a young age, I struggled with emotional dysregulation and intense feelings that often felt overwhelming. Growing up as an LGBTQIA+ person deeply influenced the therapist I am today. Experiencing alienation, loneliness, and the complexities of visibility gave me a profound understanding of the importance of self-knowledge, emotional awareness and social belonging. These early experiences shaped not only my personal growth, but also my professional calling: supporting others as they work through emotional difficulties and rediscover their strength, identity, and capacity to thrive. I completed my PhD in 2023, focusing on personality disorders, an area I’ve always found deeply meaningful and complex. I’m particularly interested in the depth of human experience: identity, relationships, emotional (dys)regulation, and the ways we learn to cope. In the last 11 years, I have focused my academic and clinical work on third-wave cognitive behavioural therapies, particularly Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), as I believe these approaches offer essential tools for developing acceptance, self-compassion, and emotional regulation skills. I am currently a Professor of Clinical Psychology at Lusófona University (Porto, Portugal), where I teach and supervise future psychologists, striving to pass on the professional values and ethical principles that guide my own work as a clinician and researcher. My work is grounded in compassion, curiosity, and respect for each person’s unique story. I aim to create a space where people feel seen, affirmed, and genuinely safe to explore who they truly are.