Juliana Tiemi Suguita

My personal history is marked by multiple layers of immigration: my grandparents, originally from Japan, settled in São Paulo, which introduced me early on to themes of non-belonging and the complex navigation of cultural identity as a woman of Japanese descent in Brazil. This initial experience fostered a visceral understanding of racial and gender oppression. More recently, my experience as an immigrant in Portugal added another critical dimension. Being a witness and target of the xenophobia that marks the daily lives of many expatriates here, particularly in Coimbra, reinforced my commitment to a sociopolitically informed professional stance. This entire personal journey—from São Paulo to Coimbra, dealing with racial, gender, and immigration oppressions—is the fundamental foundation of my work. My academic background is robust, as I am a graduate in Psychology from the University of Coimbra—an institution with a strong humanistic tradition. This formal education, combined with my lived experiences, allows me to move beyond mere technique. I integrate the efficacy of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with a critical and contextualized analysis of the factors that influence my patients' well-being, ensuring an intersectional listening where suffering is always validated within its social and structural context, allowing me to offer truly safe and non-judgmental support.