Mariana Miller

Psychologist

“…And what is it to work with love? It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth…”

Kahlil Gibran, the Prophet in “The seven spiritual laws of success”

I’m a Clinical Psychologist since 2017 and I work with adults and teenagers.

To me, choosing to be a psychologist is choosing to live in a constant state of self-discovery and change. It’s impossible to look at another without looking at ourselves first. So, I quickly understood that the knowledge I eagerly search in books and courses is not enough. We Psychologists need to deep dive into our wounds. We need to know them inside out. To tidy up our own home so that we can help someone else with theirs.

So that’s how I’ve been working to help whoever chooses my chair. And that’s how I can say with a full heart that I love what I do and each person I work with.

How I can help

Being human is no easy task.

I started my clinical practice with a very solid foundation right out of gate, but that same structure - at times too structured - eventually made me realize that there is no magic protocol that fits all… I realized that each person is unique and holds within themselves several worlds that deserve to be explored and recognized. Only then can the human being develop and break free from what no longer serves them.

But more importantly, I discovered that each person holds within themselves the potential to heal all wounds. The therapist is simply a guide to the journey within.

It was with this knowledge, which I also acquired through my own therapeutic process, that I began to look for different approaches to add to my 'therapist's toolkit.' Today I integrate into my practice different approaches that are more than just a set of techniques - they are tools to help facilitate the journey of everyone who walks through my door.

  • The challenges of the outside world often mirror an inner struggle that is not visible to the outside world. They stir an emotional discomfort that acts as a quiet alarm, signaling that something within us needs attention. Emotional well-being flourishes when we create space for these emotions - and the stories they carry - to be processed and integrated. Symptoms of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, difficulties in relationships or decision-making (...) or simply the nagging feeling that "something isn't quite right" are signs that a part of us is calling out to be heard. Individual therapy aims to help you understand your inner world and navigate the emotional discomfort that holds you back, within a safe and nurturing space.

  • Systemic-Focused Therapy is an integrative approach with humanist roots. It views individual experience through the wider lens of relationships, family dynamics, and life history. Over time, we each build our own way of seeing the world, ourselves, and others. Sometimes, however, these lens becomes rigid and begin to cause suffering -particularly when certain things that act as triggers happen. It can sometimes feel like we are "out of place" or “out of sorts” with our own life, as if something doesn't quite fit, or as if we keep repeating certain patterns despite our deepest desire to change. This work invites a broader gaze at our story, exploring not just individual experiences but the relational and family threads that, consciously or not, influence the way we feel, think, and position ourselves in the world today.

  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an approach originally developed to treat traumatic experiences and the emotional impact of difficult memories. It is based on the principle that, sometimes, our brain’s natural information processing gets "stuck," causing certain experiences to remain vivid in the present - as if they are being relived with the same intensity, even though they belong to the past. Through bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or other alternating stimuli), EMDR facilitates communication between the brain’s different processing systems, helping these experiences finally find their place in the past.

  • Third-generation therapies - including Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Compassion - are a different approach within Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). In this approach the focus shifts from the content of our thoughts to the way we relate to our inner experience. It embraces the idea that psychological suffering is a natural part of being human- and that the constant struggle to avoid or eliminate it can, paradoxically, make it stronger. Integrating mindfulness and compassion practices helps us create a safer inner space, where it becomes possible to stay with our experience - even when it’s difficult or painful.

  • Sleep is a natural and fundamental process for physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It is during sleep that the body recovers, regulates, and integrates what has been experienced throughout the day.

    When difficulties with sleep arise, they rarely have a single cause. They may be related to emotional, cognitive, or behavioral factors, or to periods of increased demand or transition in life.

    Insomnia is one of the most common difficulties in this area and, when it becomes persistent, it may cease to be merely a symptom and instead function as an independent disorder, maintained by a set of mechanisms that reinforce themselves over time.

    At times:

    • sleep becomes a space of tension rather than rest

    • increased worry or vigilance about sleep emerges

    • patterns are created that, unintentionally, end up perpetuating the difficulty

    In this context, it is important to understand not only how the problem manifests, but also how it developed and what is maintaining it.

    Sleep-focused therapy is based on a specialized psychological intervention (CBT-I), aimed at the regulatory processes of sleep and the factors that contribute to its dysregulation. This type of intervention is currently recommended internationally as the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia.

Consulta Presencial ou Online

In-Person Session

Available in Vila Nova de Gaia and Porto, in a calm setting that allows for greater closeness, comfort, and a safe space.

Online Session

Sessions conducted remotely, allowing for greater flexibility and convenience. Held via video call through platforms such as Whereby, WhatsApp (or another, if preferred).

You may schedule an appointment contact me using the form below or through the available contact details.

📍Clinica Dharma, Rua Dr. Ilídio Sardoeira 35, 4400-017 Vila Nova de Gaia

📞+351 925 268 951

📍UTERUS, Av. da Boavista n.º 1015, Sala 201, 2º andar, 4100-128 Porto

📞+351 93 433 8827

+351 968 351 351

📍Integrative Academy, Avenida do Bessa 344, 1ºEsq, 4100-012 Porto

📞+351 933 407 181

How can I help you?

Please use this space to ask any questions you may have.

If you would like to make an appointment, please get in touch with me using the available channels:

marianamillerpsi@gmail.com

+351 925 268 951

If you prefer, fill out the form and I will contact you as soon as possible.

If you would like to be contacted by phone, please leave your contact details.

Your feedback

  • I started seeing Dr Mariana on the advice of my pulmonologist, and it was undoubtedly a turning point in getting to know myself and realising that I was worse off than I thought. In years of counselling I went through various phases of focus: sleep, anxiety, despair, changing jobs, bereavement, obesity... It was fundamental for me to find myself as a woman and, despite the falls, to get up and face the challenges that arose, and even with fear, to go ahead.

    A.

  • When I went to see Dr Mariana, I confess that I felt that therapy wasn't going to help me because I thought there was no solution other than pills. The insomnia made my nights a nightmare, as I spent them counting the hours I would still be able to sleep and looking at the clock. During the day I had no energy and felt very tired. With Dr Mariana's help I was able to sleep well again and have energy for everyday life. Thank you so much.

    D.

  • When I came to see Dr Mariana I couldn't sleep, I slept three or four hours a night and when I did I couldn't rest my head. I always felt tired with low self-esteem, always very anxious and angry, but thanks to the sessions with the doctor everything changed. She helped me to accept what was bothering me, to see things and problems in a different way, to relieve my anxiety without having to resort to medication, to accept my relationship with sleep, to understand the process and to create essential routines to regain a relaxing, peaceful and restful sleep. The methodologies were simple, effective and effortless. The next thing I knew, I was someone else, not suffering from anxiety, without fears and sleeping peacefully.

    R.

  • Dr Mariana Miller helped me over a period of about a year while I was being followed for insomnia. Dr Mariana accompanied me and provided me with the necessary tools to overcome difficult moments in my life. For me, Dr Mariana was more than psychological help; she was a mentor, confidant and guide, without prejudice or judgement. She was able to help me overcome the stresses of my daily life and I now sleep more peacefully without the need for medication. It was a long road, but it paid off, and Dr Mariana taught me to value myself and to feel that before taking care of others, I had to take care of myself. She also helped me overcome feelings of guilt and focus on the positive things in my life. I appreciate all the help, empathy and professionalism that Dr Mariana gave me, because she helped me to be the best version of myself and that I deserved to be happy! Thank you so much.

    M.

  • Hello, just to let you know that the session we had yesterday was truly challenging and, at the same time, amazing. You have an incredible was of turning things around and guiding the cinversation toward themes that had never crossed my mind. Thank you for everything, I honestly never thought I would feel this safe with someone to go through this process. You're truly amazing.

    J.