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consultation topic

Emotional dependency

Transformable

attachment patterns are learned, and can be relearned with the right support.

Transformable

attachment patterns are learned, and can be relearned with the right support.

  • Confidential
  • Accepts insurance
  • Registered psychologists
  • ERS certified

What is it?

Emotional dependency is an excessive need for another person's presence, approval or affection, to the point where your own well-being depends on them. It appears mostly in romantic relationships, but also with parents, children or friends, and is often tied to unbalanced or toxic relationships.

Signs and symptoms

The signs of emotional dependency are a constant fear of being abandoned, difficulty being alone, jealousy, giving up what you want to avoid conflict, and staying in a relationship that hurts. It is common to feel you are nobody without the other person.

How we help

Overcoming emotional dependency starts with understanding where the pattern comes from. We work on self-esteem, the ability to be alone and setting boundaries, so that relationships become a choice rather than a need. Online therapy in English, by video call, with an English-speaking therapist: for people in Portugal and for expats, wherever you live in Europe.

our team

Specialist professionals

Catarina Moço
Catarina Moço
Psychologist · Licence 5069
Online Consultations
PortugueseEnglish
Learn more
Inês Santos
Inês Santos
Psychologist · Licence 29995
Online Consultations
PortugueseEnglish
Learn more
Sofia Rebelo
Sofia Rebelo
Psychologist · Licence 23449
Online Consultations
PortugueseEnglishSpanish
Learn more
Joana Geirinhas
Joana Geirinhas
Psychologist · Licence 32468
Online Consultations
PortugueseEnglish
Learn more
1–3 of 4
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What brings you here?
AI Assistant

Talk to Sofia

Describe how you feel, in your own words. Sofia takes care of the rest. No forms and no forced choices.

accepted insurers

Médis · Multicare · AdvanceCare · Fidelidade · Ageas · AXA · Allianz · Medicare · and others

The invoice for each consultation can be submitted to your health insurer for reimbursement, according to your plan. What you say in your sessions is confidential and never reaches the insurer.

faq

The clearest signs are a constant fear of losing the other person, difficulty being alone, giving up what you want to avoid conflict, and staying in a relationship that hurts. Loving someone deeply is not dependency; it becomes one when your well-being depends on that person alone.

It starts with recognising the pattern and where it comes from, almost always from how you learned to be in relationships. Therapy works on self-esteem, the ability to be alone and setting boundaries, so that staying in or leaving a relationship becomes a choice.

No. You can book directly on our website or with Sofia, our virtual assistant, without any referral from your GP.

Online only for now, while our clinic in Cascais is being refurbished. We reopen in December, and in-person sessions return with it.

MB Way, Multibanco, debit or credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Revolut Pay. You can also pay at the clinic itself, in cash or by card, leaving a card on file as a guarantee for the booking. Any credit on your account is applied automatically to your next session.

We have no direct billing agreement with insurers, but we work on a reimbursement basis with the main Portuguese insurers and with ADSE. The invoice for each consultation can be submitted for reimbursement, according to your plan.

Yes. The discount applies automatically, with no sign-ups and no cards: from 5 sessions on you always have a discount, up to 20%.

Yes. Up to 24 hours before the session you can cancel and choose between a full refund to your original payment method or keeping the amount as credit. With less than 24 hours notice there is no refund, but the amount stays as credit valid for 90 days. Rescheduling is possible up to 24 hours before, at no cost.

Yes, for online sessions too. After the session, ask the clinic team for it by chat, email or WhatsApp. The certificate is available in your client area and states only the day, the time and that it was a psychology session, without mentioning the reason. It has a code that lets your employer confirm it is genuine at suaclinica.pt/verificar.

Yes. All data is processed in accordance with GDPR and the professional confidentiality psychologists are bound by. Our data protection policy explains what we collect, what it is for and how you can exercise your rights.

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