José Pereira, BACP

José Pereira is a counsellor and psychotherapist with more than 22 years working in addiction and related areas. He holds an MSc in Counselling and has a background in addiction counselling. He speaks English, Portuguese, French and Spanish and practices from the United Kingdom.

He has spent much of his career in residential treatment settings. Roles have included counsellor, senior counsellor, head therapist and clinical manager where he supervised multidisciplinary teams. That work gave him long-term experience supporting people through sustained recovery and change.

José uses an integrative approach, drawing on several therapy models to meet each person's needs. He commonly uses cognitive behavioural ideas and acceptance and commitment principles alongside attachment-based and client-centred work. He also has experience with dialectical behaviour therapy tools for emotional regulation.

Sessions tend to be practical and goal-focused while also attending to relationships and early life patterns that shape behaviour. He helps people address addictions, compulsive behaviours, stress, anxiety and depression. He also works with concerns such as abandonment, attachment difficulties, codependency and family of origin issues.

Clients can expect a mix of skills training, reflective conversation and longer-term planning for relapse prevention and healthier habits. José also leads psychoeducational workshops and interpersonal groups in addition to individual therapy. He adapts methods to language and cultural needs when required.

Therapy approaches and online access

José commonly draws on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which helps people clarify what matters to them and take committed action even when difficult thoughts or feelings arise. ACT is useful for anxiety, stress and patterns that keep people stuck.

He also uses Attachment-Based Therapy to look at how early relationships influence current behaviour and connections. This approach helps when attachment issues, abandonment wounds or repeated relationship patterns are central concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will discuss goals, preferences and what has helped or not helped in the past, and then jointly decide which methods to try. That collaborative process often combines practical skills with reflection on relationship history.

Online therapy is offered using video calls, phone sessions, live chat or text-based messaging. Video sessions allow face-to-face conversation and visual cues while phone work can fit around busy days or use less bandwidth. Live chat and messaging suit quick check-ins, journalling between sessions or steady support when on the move. These options aim to make therapy more flexible and accessible for different routines and needs.