João Francisco Rodrigues
Counsellor
I specialise in:
About me
I’m a clinical psychologist and certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner with a passion for helping people navigate the complex relationship between body, mind, and emotion. My work is grounded in trauma-informed care, integrating neuroscience, attachment theory, and body-oriented approaches to support clients in moving through difficult experiences and finding a sense of safety and vitality.
My background includes working with a wide range of clients facing anxiety, trauma, grief, relational difficulties, and identity exploration. I’m particularly interested in how early life experiences, physical trauma, and chronic stress shape our nervous system responses and relational patterns. Outside of the therapy room, I facilitate workshops in festival and creative settings, creating spaces for emotional safety, self-regulation, and community care. I believe healing doesn’t have to be heavy or clinical — it can be embodied, relational, and even playful.
I speak:
Location:
Approach
My therapeutic approach is integrative, combining somatic therapy, psychodynamic insight, and nervous system education to support sustainable, embodied healing. I pay close attention to the body’s signals and the nervous system’s rhythms, guiding clients to develop greater awareness of their internal states and relational patterns. This helps create a foundation of safety and self-regulation from which deeper emotional work can naturally unfold.
I often incorporate Somatic Experiencing techniques, grounding exercises, and experiential work, alongside thoughtful conversation and meaning-making. I also value collaborative, transparent relationships with my clients, offering a space where discomfort, humor, grief, and curiosity are equally welcome. My goal is to help people not just cope with symptoms, but reconnect with themselves and build a life that feels authentic, connected, and alive.
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