Target pathologies

  • Depression
  • Anxiety, panic attacks, phobias
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD)
  • Sleep disorders
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders
  • Neurocognitive disorders (dementia and others)
  • Dissociative disorders (dissociative amnesia, depersonalization, derealization)
  • Trauma and stressor related disorders
  • Substance related disorders in comorbidity with other mental disorders
  • Other mental health problems

Intervention areas

Integrated personalized approach

Psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatment, according to clinical indications.

Psychotherapies

  • Support psychotherapy
  • Cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy
  • Medical sophrology (with Schultz relaxation) and other interventions with modified state of consciousness
  • Adjuvant psychological therapy (APT), in physical conditions, namely cancer
  • Couple interventions

Other interventions

  • Symptom control in mental disorder and intellectual disability
  • Stress management and burnout prevention
  • Mental health and well-being promotion, healthy life Styles, within a perspective of coaching and counselling
  • RPsychosocial rehabilitation, and school, labour, social and family integration

Target ages

Adults, of all ages, after 18 years old.

Languages

  • Portuguese
  • English
  • Italian
  • French

Curriculum Vitae

Professional functions

  • Head of the Psychiatry and Mental Health Department and Director of the Psychiatric Service at Beatriz Ângelo Hospital (HBA), Loures, since 2012. Coordinator of Out-patient clinic, Psychiatric Ward and Day Hospital
  • President of the Ethical Commission of HBA
  • Psychiatrist at Casa de Saúde da Idanha – Instituto das Irmãs Hospitaleiras do Sagrado Coração de Jesus (a mental health NGO)
  • President of the Portuguese Society of Psychiatry and Mental Health (SPPSM), 2020-2022

Areas of interest

  • Clinical psychiatry, psychopharmacology, psychotherapies, psychosocial rehabilitation and community psychiatry, consultation-liaison psychiatry and psycho-oncology, mental health promotion, mental disorder prevention, mental health policies, services management, evaluation and quality, health inequalities and health impact assessment

Academic training

  • Medical Doctor (M.D.) by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon
  • Consultant psychiatrist at public hospitals and registered at the College of Psychiatry of College of Physicians
  • Senior Consultant psychiatrist (2002)
  • Training in cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy, Institute of Psychiatry, London (1989-1990); Medical sophrology (with Schultz relaxation) and other interventions with modified state of consciousness (since 1990)
  • Post-graduation course on Leadership in Healthcare, NOVA School of Business and Economics (NSBC), (2011)
  • Wide training (courses and scientific meetings) within her areas of interest
  • PhD in Medicine by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon (2019)

Professional career

  • Maria João Heitor dos Santos, Ordem dos Médicos nº 27348
  • Medical Doctor by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon (1983). Senior consultant psychiatrist since 2002.
  • Since 2012, Head of a Psychiatry and Mental Health Department, and Director of a Psychiatry Service at a general hospital – Hospital Beatriz Ângelo (HBA), Loures, Lisbon. President of the Ethical Commission of HBA. President elect of the Portuguese Society of Psychiatry and Mental Health (SPPSM). Researcher at the Institute of Preventive Medicine (IMP) and Institute of Health Environment (ISAMB), Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon (FMUL) where she also coordinates several R&D projects (Healthy Employment EEA grants project; Health Impact Assessment of Employment Strategies).
  • Previous positions: Advisor to the Directive Council of the Portuguese National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, INSA, IP and Head of the Health Promotion Unit at the same Institute; Director of Psychiatry and Mental Health Services at the Directorate-General of Health (DGS) of the Ministry of Health; Member of the National Council for Mental Health; WHO Europe Portuguese national counterpart and Portuguese representative for the EC, on mental health and alcohol related issues.
  • Interests and experience: general clinical psychiatry, mental health promotion, mental disorder prevention, alcohol related problems, psycho-oncology, consultation-liaison psychiatry, psychosocial rehabilitation and community psychiatry, services management, evaluation, quality and leadership, mental health policies, social determinants and health inequalities, public mental health and mental health in all policies (MHiAP), health equity-focused impact assessment (HEIA), in particular on mental health and employment strategies.
  • She was the Portuguese representative of the WP8 Mental Health in All Policies (MHiAP) in the context of the European Joint Action on Mental Health and Well-Being (2013-2016).
  • She has attended and actively participated in numerous courses, including clinical good practices courses, and scientific meetings, has performed multiple communications and has authored and co-authored publications in national and international journals, manuals, booklets, prologues and book chapters, technical and grey literature. Many of the publications were based on clinical research as well as research on health services and on public mental health.

Contacts

Phone: +351 218 489 456

Mobile phones: +351 926230520 | +351 926230516

Email: consultas@mariajoaoheitor.pt

Address: Clínica CCE
Av. Guerra Junqueiro Nr. 14 1º Esqº
Lisboa
1000-167 LISBOA
Portugal

GPS Coordenates:

Latitude N 38 44.319

Longitude W 9 08.105
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