How to find an English-speaking therapist in Portugal

Marta Vilela Guimarães · Jul 14, 2026 · 6 min read

Yes — you can find English-speaking therapists in Portugal, and more of them than you might expect. They are concentrated in Lisbon and Porto, with others working online across the country. The harder part is not finding a therapist who speaks English, but finding one who is properly qualified, whom you feel you can trust, and whose way of working fits what you need. This is a short, honest guide to doing exactly that.

Living in a country that is not your own is its own kind of work — a new language, new codes, distance from the people who knew you first. When you sit down to talk about any of it, doing so in your mother tongue matters. Language is the main tool of therapy, and the feelings that weigh most often live in the language you grew up in. Looking for someone who works fluently in English is not a luxury, then — it is part of the work itself.

Where to look

• The Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses (OPP) — the official register of psychologists in Portugal. Its public directory lets you confirm that anyone you contact is a licensed psychologist.
• Expat-focused directories — platforms built for internationals let you filter therapists by language, and are often the fastest way to see who works in English.
• Private practices directly — many psychologists keep an English page on their own website; a search for “English-speaking psychologist” plus your city usually surfaces them.
• Online therapy — working by video removes the location problem entirely: you can see a therapist based anywhere in Portugal, wherever you live.

Each route has a trade-off. Directories are quick but shallow; a practice’s own site tells you far more about how that person actually thinks and works. It is worth using both — the directory to build a shortlist, the websites to choose.

How to check they are properly qualified

In Portugal, the title “psicólogo” (psychologist) is protected: to use it legally, a professional must be registered with the Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses and hold a cédula profissional — a licence with a number, usually shown as “OPP nº” followed by digits. That number is not decoration. You can look it up on the OPP’s public register to confirm the person is who they say they are and in good standing. Any serious professional states their OPP number openly; if you cannot find one, ask.

What to look for beyond language

Fluent English gets you into the room; fit keeps you there. A few things worth weighing: the therapist’s approach (some work briefly and practically, others in more depth over time — neither is “better”, they suit different needs); whether you want online or in-person sessions; and, most of all, how you feel in a first conversation. Most therapists offer a first session precisely for this — fifty minutes to say what brings you, ask your questions, and sense whether this is someone you could open up to. Trust that feeling: the relationship is itself a large part of what makes therapy work.

Lisbon, Porto, or online

English-speaking therapists are easiest to find in Lisbon, with a smaller but real number in Porto and the Algarve. If you live outside those areas, or simply want more choice, online therapy widens the field considerably — you are no longer limited to whoever happens to practise nearby. For many internationals, that is the deciding factor: they would rather choose the right person and meet by video than settle for the nearest one.

Espaço Âncora is one option among these. We are two psychologists registered with the Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses — Marta Vilela Guimarães (OPP nº 5257) and Sofia Montenegro (OPP nº 3579) — offering therapy in English online, from anywhere in Portugal, with the same depth of care we offer in Portuguese. If that sounds close to what you are looking for, write to us with a line about what brings you here, or book a first session. And if you are in crisis or need immediate help, contact SNS 24 (808 24 24 24) or emergency services straight away.