Artigos A journey through life and career. Who I am!

I was born in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil, into a large family where relationships, shared stories, and human connections always played a central role. Interestingly, although Psychology was not yet part of my family’s professional path at that time, my first dog, when I was only two years old, was named Freud — a detail that, looking back, seems to have foreshadowed a journey that would only take shape many years later.

Psychology entered my family’s history more recently and gradually became a professional path shared by several generations. My brother, many of my cousins, and I chose this field, transforming a curiosity about human behavior into a profession and an ethical commitment to the care and well-being of others.

As a young adult, I left home to dedicate two years to humanitarian volunteer service. This experience broadened my understanding of the many ways people live, suffer, love, adapt, and create meaning in their lives.

Upon returning to Rio Grande do Sul, I began both my academic and professional journey. I earned my degree in Psychology through Brazil’s ProUni scholarship program, an opportunity that made possible a project built through perseverance and determination. Throughout my studies, I worked while attending university, as this was the only way to support my education. Balancing full-time work during the day with classes in the evening was a demanding experience, but it also became a profound source of personal and professional growth. It deepened my understanding of diverse life realities and strengthened values that continue to guide my clinical work today.

I soon directed my career toward clinical practice and specialized in Family and Couples Therapy, the field in which I found my primary professional focus and development. Alongside my clinical work, I became involved in institutional and professional activities within the Regional Council of Psychology of Rio Grande do Sul, an experience that expanded my understanding of the profession, its ethical foundations, and its social responsibilities.

About ten years ago, my personal journey led me beyond Brazil’s borders. Being married to a foreign partner, I began living between different countries, cultures, and languages. The experience of building a multicultural relationship and integrating into new social environments profoundly transformed my clinical perspective. It gave me a deeper understanding of the challenges involved in migration, cultural adaptation, intercultural relationships, and the ongoing negotiation of identity that often accompanies life between different worlds.

Since then, I have divided my professional life between Brazil and Switzerland, working with individuals, couples, and families across diverse cultural contexts. Throughout this journey, I have had the privilege of accompanying people from different regions of Brazil, North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. Each encounter has broadened my understanding of human diversity and reinforced a core systemic belief: no one exists in isolation. We are all part of interconnected networks of relationships that influence us and are, in turn, influenced by us.

My clinical practice integrates systemic and psychodynamic perspectives. I seek to understand each person not only through their individual history, but also through the family, cultural, social, and relational contexts that shape their experience. I believe that both psychological suffering and the possibilities for change emerge within the connections we establish throughout life and the meanings we construct together with others.

Today, when I reflect on my professional and personal journey, I see a vast network of relationships that began in southern Brazil and gradually expanded across continents. At each stage of this path, I have met people who entrusted me with their stories, challenges, and life projects. It is from this experience—built through cultures, languages, and meaningful human encounters—that my work as a psychologist continues to grow.