Berta Ramos

In-clinic and online · English, Portuguese, Spanish · Same-day appointments

Berta Ramos is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist with strong academic and clinical training. She combines a medical approach (diagnosis and, where indicated, medication) with psychotherapeutic work across several frameworks: family and systemic therapy, mentalization-based therapy and narrative exposure therapy for trauma. She also has formal training in sexual medicine. English is her native language; she is also fluent in Portuguese and Spanish.

About the Doctor

Modern psychiatry isn't only about prescribing medication. It works at the intersection of medicine, psychology and an understanding of a person's life context — their relationships, history and cultural background. Dr. Ramos has built her training around this integrative principle, becoming both a physician who can make a precise diagnosis and prescribe treatment, and a therapist who walks alongside the patient through the work that follows.

This dual format is particularly valuable for patients who want to receive care in one place, from one specialist, without having to find a separate therapist on top of their psychiatric appointments. Dr. Ramos completed specialized training at the Anna Freud Centre (London), one of the world's leading institutions in mental health and psychotherapy. She is certified in family and systemic therapy, holds a postgraduate degree in narrative exposure therapy from the NET Institute, completed an internship in personality disorders at Hospital Clínico San Carlos (Madrid) and trained at the European Society of Sexual Medicine.

Her style is calm, attentive and never pressuring. She works with patients from diverse cultural backgrounds, which makes her a particularly suitable specialist for expats and international patients: living in a new country is challenging in itself, and having a clinician who understands the experience of migration and cultural transitions makes a significant difference.

Education

• Master's Degree in Medicine — ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto (2010–2016)
• Psychiatry Residency — Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto (2018–2023)
• Master's in Social and Cultural Psychiatry — Universidade de Coimbra (2020–2022)
• Family and Systemic Therapy Certification — Sociedade Portuguesa de Terapia Familiar (2018–2022)
• Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT) Certification — The Anna Freud Centre, London (2022)
• Postgraduate Training in Sexual Medicine — ESSM School of Sexual Medicine (2022)
• Postgraduate Master's in Narrative Exposure Therapy — NET Institute (2024–2025)

Additional training: European Society of Sexual Medicine School, internship in the Personality Disorders Unit at Hospital Clínico San Carlos (Madrid), volunteer work with Mundo a Sorrir — training medical students and mental health professionals in Guinea-Bissau.

Professional Experience

Since 2023, Dr. Ramos has worked as a psychiatrist at Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António (Porto), one of Portugal's largest university hospitals. Since 2024 she has also been in private practice at Pausa Para Sentir, a psychology and well-being center in Maia, Porto. Prior to that, she completed her five-year psychiatry residency at Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João.

Who She Treats

• adult patients aged 18 and over
• couples — through family and systemic therapy
• families — in crisis and with complex relational dynamics
• expats and international patients with cultural sensitivity

Common Reasons for Visit

• anxiety, panic attacks, persistent tension
• low mood, depressive states, loss of interest and energy
• insomnia and sleep disturbances linked to anxiety or emotional struggles
• burnout, chronic stress, inability to rest
• aftermath of traumatic experiences (war, migration, violence, loss)
• relationship difficulties — in couples, families, with children, at work
• eating concerns and disordered eating
• adaptation difficulties after relocating to a new country
• intrusive thoughts, phobias, fear of losing control
• mood swings, emotional instability
• sexual difficulties, loss of desire, sexual dysfunction
• need to review or adjust psychiatric medication

Conditions She Manages

• anxiety disorders, panic disorder, phobias
• depressive disorders of varying severity
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex trauma
• bipolar affective disorder
• obsessive-compulsive disorder
• adjustment disorders
• personality disorders
• eating disorders
• sexual disorders and their psychological dimensions
• psychological aspects of chronic illness and chronic pain
• family and couple conflicts, relationship crises

Approaches and Methods

Family and Systemic Therapy

An approach that views a person's struggles through the lens of their relationships and the system they live in. It's particularly suited for couples and families in crisis, complex parent-child dynamics, intergenerational conflicts and major family transitions. Dr. Ramos is a certified family and systemic therapist by the Sociedade Portuguesa de Terapia Familiar.

Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT)

A modern approach developed at the Anna Freud Centre (London). It helps patients better understand their own and others' emotions, states and intentions. It's especially effective in personality disorders, emotional instability and recurring relational difficulties. Dr. Ramos completed specialized certification in this method.

Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)

A method developed for patients who have experienced multiple traumatic events. It's particularly indicated for the aftermath of war, migration, prolonged violence and significant losses. It helps patients construct a coherent life narrative and process painful experiences. Dr. Ramos is a graduate of the NET Institute master's program.

Pharmacological Treatment

When indicated — prescription and management of psychiatric medication. Modern, evidence-based approaches, careful monitoring and regular reassessment. The goal is the minimal effective regimen that genuinely helps, without unnecessary medication or side effects.

Special Focus — Sexual Medicine

This is a sensitive and often-avoided topic, with patients sometimes going for years without proper care. Dr. Ramos has formal postgraduate training in this field (ESSM School of Sexual Medicine) and works with sexual dysfunction, loss of desire, painful conditions, the impact of trauma on sexual life, and difficulties within couples. Her approach is calm, non-judgmental, and combines medical and psychotherapeutic work.

Support for Expats and International Patients

Dr. Ramos's master's degree in social and cultural psychiatry, together with her work in international projects, has made the adaptation of people to a new country one of her central professional interests. Relocation, loss of familiar support networks, language and integration difficulties, culture shock, worry for family left behind — these challenges require an understanding of context, not standardized protocols. This is a particularly valuable resource for expats, who often feel that their experience is hard to explain to a clinician who has never encountered migration directly.

Languages

English (native), Portuguese and Spanish — fluent.

Appointment Formats

• in-clinic appointments at UMC Porto
• online consultations
• with or without insurance
• with or without a referral

Book an Appointment

Same-day appointments available subject to availability. Book online through the website, by phone or via WhatsApp. We'll find a convenient time and the right format — in clinic or online.