Zaida Fontes , NCPS

Zaida Fontes is a UK-based counsellor with nine years of professional experience working with people facing addictions, trauma and abuse, low self-esteem, depression, bereavement and related life challenges. She holds the NCPS credential, a professional counselling qualification, and practices from a strengths-based perspective that recognizes each person as the expert on their own story. Zaida draws on that expertise to help clients identify resources within themselves and develop practical skills for coping, healing and rebuilding confidence.

Her work often addresses complex issues such as attachment and abandonment, family and parenthood concerns, caregiving stress, codependency and the emotional impact of illness or loss. She supports clients through periods of change including separation, grief and recovery from domestic violence, while also helping people manage anger, communication difficulties and feelings of emptiness. Zaida approaches therapy with empathy and patience, encouraging courageous first steps toward a more fulfilling life and offering steady guidance throughout the therapeutic journey.

She provides counseling in English and Portuguese and is experienced in tailoring her approach to each person’s values, goals and cultural background. Zaida aims to create a collaborative space where practical tools and emotional understanding come together to promote meaningful change.

Therapeutic Approaches and Online Support

Zaida works with approaches that emphasize relationships, personal meaning and practical coping skills. Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on how early relationships influence current patterns - it helps people understand attachment needs and build more secure ways of relating to others. Client-Centered Therapy emphasizes empathy and respect, offering a nonjudgmental space where clients explore their values and make their own choices with the therapist’s supportive presence. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) teaches concrete skills for managing intense emotions, reducing self-destructive behaviors and improving interpersonal effectiveness - it is often used when emotion regulation and distress tolerance are central concerns.

Finding the right approach is part of the therapeutic process. Zaida collaborates with each person to identify which methods fit their needs, goals and preferences, and she adjusts the plan as progress unfolds. This collaborative stance helps ensure therapy aligns with what matters most to the client.

Online therapy offers flexible access to licensed professionals through video calls, phone sessions, live chat and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to schedule sessions around work, caregiving and travel, and they allow clients to continue care across locations. For many people, remote sessions provide a practical, consistent way to engage in meaningful therapeutic work.