Dr Catarina Sacadura is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with training in specialist therapy approaches for depression, anxiety disorders and psychosis. She has over 20 years of clinical experience working in mental health, and has spent 17 years working within the NHS. Catarina has also accumulated considerable experience in leadership, consultancy, service development, supervision, teaching, research and management, and working with individuals and groups from various backgrounds in diverse settings.
Catarina currently works as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist in clinical research in the NHS. Her role involves supporting large scale, multi-site, randomised controlled trials, focusing on developing and refining psychological interventions for a variety of mental health difficulties, such as psychosis, PTSD and other complex needs. Catarina also co-chairs the psychological professions CBT network at her local NHS trust, and is a regular guest lecturer at the University of Oxford and University of Sussex. Previous roles have included senior positions in mental health services (e.g. IAPT) and NHS departments (e.g. Education and Training).
Catarina is particularly interested in therapeutic approaches that empower the people that she works with, encourage the development of a sense of agency and hope, foster a deep understanding of people’s inner worlds, and which provide effective skills and support to implement these in everyday life. Catarina’s therapeutic style can be defined as friendly, supportive and encouraging, while employing an integrative variety of evidence-based clinical approaches that combine the most useful elements to support people on the basis of their current needs. Catarina is predominantly specialised in therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Person-Centered Therapy and Mindfulness-Based approaches.
Catarina has a wealth of experience working with a range of difficulties including:
Catarina has a special interest in compassionate leadership and well-being at work, developing an honest and ethical management style that is best conducive to clinical excellence, whilst fairly and warmly supporting all staff.
Beyond ensuring the highest quality of evidence-based psychological interventions and service provision, Catarina is particularly interested in promoting research, addressing stigma and changing public perception of mental health.