About Marina

My name is Marina O’Connor and I have a private psychotherapy practice working with clients in the UK, Portugal and across Europe. I am passionate about helping people to heal, grow and change in their unique ways!

After almost 15 years as a serial entrepreneur and corporate communications professional I’ve realised that all these years in my career I was driven by my desire to prove myself to other people and not by my own true passion. This is when I’ve decided to pursue my long-term interest in psychotherapy and started my studies at the Gestalt Centre in London. In 2019 my family and I relocated to the beautiful town of Cascais in Portugal. 

Having psychotherapy could be life-changing but also a very difficult process to start. I remember when I first started psychotherapy as a client at the age of 23 and how threatening it was for me. A lot of things were going through my mind including is it really going to make a difference, will it help to heal my traumas, am I going to be able to open up and trust to name a few.

I respect the courage of clients who decide to work with me and always focus on creating a safe, confidential space where we can co-create experience that will lead to change, healing and growth.

I put empathy in the centre of therapeutic process. I look past various mental health diagnosis, labels and trauma to see the authentic self that exists in all of us. I believe in a strong internal energy to grow all people have - called physis - and during therapy I support my clients in accessing that vital part.  

I have experience working with trauma - specifically developmental (childhood) and transgenerational, anxiety and relational difficulties.