Counsellor profile
José Pereira, BACP
Counsellor - addiction and emotional issues
See online counselling options- Addiction counselling
- CBT and ACT
- Attachment focus
About José
Counsellor José Pereira is a BACP member with 22 years' experience in addiction and related mental health concerns. He works in the United Kingdom and offers therapy in English, Portuguese, French and Spanish. He focuses on stress, anxiety, addiction, relationship and family issues, and depression.
José began working in addiction services in 2003. He has worked in residential treatment settings and held roles including counsellor, senior counsellor, head therapist and clinical manager. That background means he is used to supporting people with long-term recovery and complex, co-occurring problems.
He describes himself as an integrative counsellor who draws on several approaches. José uses cognitive behavioural ideas to look at thinking patterns and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people live with difficult feelings while taking practical steps. He also uses attachment-based and dialectical ideas when relationships and emotional regulation are central concerns.
In practice he offers individual work and has run psycho-educational workshops and interpersonal groups. Sessions can include structured exercises, talking through patterns from family of origin, and planning for relapse prevention when addictions are a concern. The focus is on practical steps and clearer ways of handling setbacks.
He has particular experience with issues such as abandonment, attachment problems, codependency, control issues, guilt and shame, hoarding and drug and alcohol addiction. José adapts methods to the problem presented and the person in front of him.
How his approaches fit with online counselling
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps people notice painful thoughts and feelings without letting them dictate actions. It aims to build small, values-driven steps so someone can keep moving towards what matters, even when feelings are hard to bear. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, CBT, focuses on the links between thoughts, feelings and behaviours. It uses practical exercises to test and change unhelpful thinking patterns and to try out new behaviours. Attachment-Based Therapy looks at how early relationship patterns affect current connections and emotion regulation. It helps people understand relationship triggers and experiment with different ways of relating.Choosing the best approach is part of the work. José will discuss different methods and agree a plan with the person he sees. He checks what suits the individual's goals and preferences and adapts techniques as the work develops.
Session formats are not specified in the biography, so please confirm current options before booking. Online counselling can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy week, for example by removing travel and letting someone join from a quieter place. It can also allow shorter check-ins when time is limited, or avoid being on camera if that helps concentration. Registered or accredited professionals, including experienced therapists, use these practical advantages to keep therapy focused and workable for everyday life.
Areas of expertise
Primary focus
Additional focus areas
Therapeutic approaches
Experience
22+ years
Listed in
United Kingdom
Languages
English, Spanish, French, Portuguese
Frequently asked questions
What kinds of problems does he help with?
He works with stress, anxiety, addictions, relationship and family problems, and depression. He also focuses on issues like codependency, control problems, guilt and shame, and hoarding.
What is his therapeutic style?
He practises an integrative, client-centred style that uses practical methods. Expect work with CBT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, attachment-based ideas and DBT techniques where helpful.
How long has he been practising?
He has 22 years' experience in addiction and related mental health work, including roles in residential treatment and clinical management.
Which professional body is he a member of?
He is a member of BACP.
Can I have sessions in other languages?
Sessions are offered in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.
Are international clients accepted?
He accepts international clients.
How are sessions billed?
Cost varies with location and sessions use a subscription model that can be cancelled at any time.
How do I begin working with him?
Use the See online counselling options button, complete a short matching questionnaire, and schedule a first session.
Details come from information the counsellor supplied to BetterHelp. A membership or registration can be checked on the professional body's own register.
Online counselling is not emergency care. In an emergency call 999, or see the help numbers.