About the Psychologist

Hello, my name is Ricardo Linhares. I’m a psychologist and full member of the Portuguese Order of Psychologists (no. 27338).

I started my career in Organizational Psychology — conducting recruitment interviews, building professional profiles, and studying how things like burnout quietly erode people's personal and professional lives. That work kept leading me to the same place: the individual behind the job title, and what they were actually going through.

That’s what pulled me into clinical work. I founded Ricardo Linhares Psychology Practice to work directly with people navigating the emotional difficulties that show up when life gets heavy — depression, anxiety, burnout, stress, obsessive patterns, and panic.

My approach is built on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) — a modern framework based on a simple idea: emotions aren't the enemy. Fighting against difficult thoughts and feelings often makes them louder. The real work is learning to carry what's hard while still moving toward what matters to you. I also draw from the Unified Protocol, which brings together the most effective tools from cognitive-behavioural therapy into a single, flexible approach.

I hold a degree in Psychology, a master’s in Work and Organizational Psychology, and an advanced specialisation in Clinical and Health Psychology.