Rita Fernandes
Psychologist
I specialise in:
About me
I am a neurodivergent and queer psychologist whose work is shaped by clinical training, lived experience, and several years of practice. I work with adults navigating identity, relationships, emotional regulation, and the ongoing impact of living in social contexts that frequently marginalise difference.
I am transparent about who I am because it matters in the therapeutic relationship. My perspective is informed by an understanding of masking, internalised pressure, and the cumulative toll of adapting to systems not designed with everyone in mind. I aim to offer a space where you are not required to perform, educate, or justify yourself in order to be taken seriously.
While I most often work with neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ people, I do not limit my practice to these identities. I value working with people who are reflective, curious, and open to considering both their inner world and the broader contexts shaping their experiences.
I speak:
Location:
Approach
My therapeutic approach is integrative, grounded in a humanistic and person-centered framework, and strongly informed by cultural-historical psychology. I understand psychological suffering not only as an individual experience, but as something that develops in constant interaction with social, cultural, relational, and historical contexts.
This means that therapy does not focus exclusively on what happens inside you but also attends to the outside: social expectations, power dynamics, structural inequalities, and the current socio-political moment. My work is explicitly informed by intersectionality, recognising how different aspects of identity and positioning shape identity.
In practice, I work collaboratively and flexibly, drawing from different therapeutic frameworks depending on your needs and goals. Sessions may include emotional processing, meaning-making, psychoeducation, and practical tools, always paying attention to capacity, pacing, and emotional safety.
I work frequently with neurodivergent adults and LGBTQIA+ people, particularly around themes of masking, burnout, relationships, self-worth, anxiety, among others. I am also comfortable working with topics such as kink and BDSM, polyamory, and open relationships. While these are not my areas of specialisation, I am informed, non-judgemental, and attentive to consent, power, and communication within these contexts.
Consent is central to how I work. I aim to be transparent, to regularly check in, and to ensure that what we are doing together feels understandable, respectful, and aligned with your needs. If something does not feel right, we pause and adjust.
I also hold a strong ethical commitment to reflexivity. If a topic arises that is outside my immediate knowledge, I am open about it and willing to take time to seek further information, supervision, or resources when appropriate.
Ultimately, I see therapy as a shared process rather than a set of techniques. My role is not to provide answers or impose interpretations, but to support you in making sense of your experiences, developing more supportive ways of relating to yourself and others, and building a life that feels more liveable, grounded, and aligned with who you are.
OPP CP 28991 | ERS 44999 ✉ | contact.ritapsy@gmail.com
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