Zaida Fontes, NCPS

Zaida Fontes is a counsellor who focuses on helping people manage life when they feel stuck, overwhelmed or grieving. She works with people facing addictions, low self-esteem, depression and anger. She also supports those coping with bereavement, major life changes and cancer related worries. Zaida speaks English and Portuguese and practises in the United Kingdom. Zaida believes clients know their own stories and brings a respectful, down-to-earth style to sessions. She listens for strengths and practical ways to move forward. Conversations tend to be straightforward and paced to each person's needs rather than rushed. Her approach draws on attachment ideas and emotion-focused work that look at how relationships and feelings shape day-to-day life. She also uses client-centred methods to keep the work focused on what matters to the person in front of her. For people needing tools to manage intense emotions, she incorporates aspects of dialectical behaviour therapy techniques. With nine years of experience and the NCPS credential, Zaida combines professional experience with a reassuring manner. She aims to help people find manageable steps through grief, family strain, parenting stress and other hard problems. Sessions concentrate on what the client wants to change and practical ways to get there. If someone is considering therapy after a loss, a breakup, or during a health challenge, she offers steady support and clear discussion about next steps. Prospective clients can share their situation and goals at an initial appointment to see if her style feels right.

How Zaida’s approaches translate to online work

Zaida commonly draws on attachment-based ideas and emotionally-focused work to help people understand how relationships and emotions affect daily life. Attachment-based work looks at patterns in relationships and aims to change unhelpful cycles, which can be useful for people with abandonment or family origin issues. Emotionally-focused work concentrates on identifying and processing difficult feelings, which often helps with grief, depression and relationship distress.

She also uses client-centred principles that keep the client's priorities at the centre of the sessions. Finding the right approach is a joint process - the therapist will discuss goals and preferences and help decide which methods suit the person best. This collaborative way makes room for adjustments as work progresses.

If you are considering online therapy, check the session format options before booking since formats were not specified in the original biography. Online work can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, reduce travel time and allow for a shorter check-in when needed. It can also support continuing care when coping with health challenges or caregiving responsibilities. Confirm current session options to match practical needs and scheduling.