Zaida Fontes , NCPS

Zaida Fontes is a counsellor who focuses on helping people through hard life moments. She works with those struggling with addictions, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, depression, grief and parenting stress. Zaida speaks English and Portuguese and practises from the United Kingdom. She brings nine years of experience and uses a people-centred approach to make sessions straightforward and practical.

Zaida believes clients are the experts in their own lives. She listens closely and helps people spot strengths they already have. Sessions are aimed at small, doable steps rather than big promises, so progress feels manageable day to day.

Her approach draws on attachment-based ideas and client-centred practice to build stronger relationships with self and others. She also uses elements of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and Emotionally-Focused Therapy when helpful, so people learn skills for intense emotions and for repairing connections.

Clients can expect a calm, respectful space to talk things through and try new ways of coping. Zaida pays attention to practical concerns like caregiving stress, family problems, bereavement and the fallout from relationship breakdowns. She helps people make choices that fit their values and life situation.

Work with Zaida can include short-term skills work or longer talks about meaning and life changes. The focus is on what the person needs now - whether that is managing strong feelings, reducing harmful patterns, or finding steadier footing after a loss.

How therapeutic approaches translate to online work

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships shape how people connect now. Online sessions use this approach to look at patterns in close relationships and help people build safer ways of relating. Client-Centred Therapy puts the person’s experience at the centre of every session, offering non-judgemental listening and support so clients can find their own answers. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, or DBT, offers practical skills for managing intense emotions and reducing self-harm or impulsive behaviour; it is useful when someone needs clear tools alongside emotional support.

Finding the right approach is part of the work. The therapist will talk with the client about goals and preferences, and then adapt methods to fit those needs. This is a collaborative process so techniques can be introduced gradually and adjusted over time.

Online therapy by video, phone, live chat or text makes it easier to fit sessions into busy lives. Video calls allow face-to-face conversation; phone sessions can be quieter and use less bandwidth. Live chat and text messaging suit shorter check-ins or people who prefer writing. These options offer flexibility so therapy can continue during caregiving duties, travel or work breaks.