You’re tired of sitting with your emotional pain. I’m going to help you do something about it.
“Life is stress”, said Hans Selye, the father of stress research. Indeed, all of us will certainly go through periods in life which may seem unbearable. You are not alone in your pain. Navigating the world - including all the external pressures and stressors - is difficult enough! When you layer in all the added distress that we generate inside our own minds and bodies, life can feel unbearable.
I’ve had plenty of life experiences that were enough to warrant emotional pain. We all have. Throughout my life, I struggled with severe anxiety. I believe that, at least in part, I was born with an anxious brain and social stressors added to the fire. Although this propelled me to relentlessly learn and achieve, especially academically, it also opened the gates within myself to an intense existential inquiry about what life is all about. I cannot be all about stress, and in fact it isn’t.
The central question then is, how do we overcome this emotional pain?
I thought that the key was learning how to “manage” it. And I continued on doing more and more in life, always trying to achieve something to mask all the pain. However, each time I achieved something, like 3 doctoral degrees, research publications, or advancements at work, I still felt miserable! And by Fearful, insecure, and lonely. The psychologist Carl Jung once said, “what you resist not only persists, but will grow in size.” Indeed, that’s what was happening to me. And therefore the key is not just on “managing the stress” but precisely on “overcoming it.”
Dr. Helmer Figueiredo
The question on how to overcome stress and emotional pain became a long-time obsession for me, and a passion, and this led me to leave my medical and neuroscience research background and become a clinical psychologist. I was first interested in psychology from a purely scientific perspective. Mood and behavior has always fascinated me and interventions that relieved suffering were endlessly intriguing. My first exposure to understanding psychology was through rat studies in my neuroscience lab. Later my interest became more deeply personal as my own mental health started to unravel.
There were times in my life that I didn’t think I would be able to cope. I am the embodiment that therapy works.
It’s an entirely different experience “learning about” mental illness in graduate school and “reading about” the techniques than it is being on the receiving end and actually experiencing the discomfort of having to do the work. Even with my training I hesitated to see a therapist and try medication. But I did. And it worked!
I am blessed that my intellectual curiosity and lived-experience align. That all of the hours I spend pouring over peer-reviewed journals turns into practical applications that help real people now. We have so many tools that work and work well. I’m committed to using them to help as many people as I can.
I believe that therapy is more than just “talking about it”. Therapy is about learning to see our “situations” from a new angle. In this process, we begin to see the pervasive presence of the filters which we construct our views about those situations (that is, our thoughts, perceptions, stories, and mindsets about those situations). This is magic and an awakening to see that “life is more than stress”.
Therapy is too big of an investment to not see results.
I also believe that changes happen in the realm of doing, living, and experiencing it. You hold the power, and therefore you hold the ability to powerfully respond to stressful situations. You see, therapy with me is not passive. In my struggles with severe anxiety, I learned that passivity doesn’t lead to change and I want you to feel better as quickly as possible. One day of suffering is one day too many. We will be setting goals, tracking progress, and making change a reality. Big change.
I am committed to helping you on the path from pain to power!
I do not want any more humans walking around in emotional pain when we have tools that can, and will help. But these tools are only useful when you use them.
In therapy no problem is too big and no topics are off limits. Within my therapy room, we will contextualize your current struggles from how life presents to you - we will explore your mood, trauma, loss, relationships, work, sexuality, culture, politics, spirituality, religion, systemic issues, anything that is important to you.
My role is like a mental health trainer. I will teach you, coach you, encourage you. Sometimes we will laugh and high-five. Other times you might be frustrated that I push you or hold you accountable. But the focus is on one thing: to grow, to be all you can be, to shine in life!
I push as much as I will support, because I believe that we can and will make things better.
And I won’t stop until we do. Let’s get to work!!!
Ketamine + Psychotherapy
At Hello Mental Health we offer ketamine integration sessions- a form of psychotherapy that takes place within 24-48 hours of ketamine infusions. One of the most significant factors contributing to the immediate changes people experience after IV ketamine therapy is the rapid onset of its effects. Unlike traditional antidepressants, which can take weeks or even months to begin working, ketamine can start to work within hours or even minutes after administration. This rapid onset of action can provide immediate relief from symptoms and when combined with psychotherapy patients can maximize the impact of ketamine treatment and lay the groundwork for lasting change.
Diagnostic Assessments
If you're navigating mental health concerns and seeking answers, psychological assessments can be a valuable tool to help you gain a deeper understanding of your well-being. Psychological testing is a short-cut to learning a lot about your personality, your mood, and your behaviors in a short amount of time. The results of these assessments are increased clarity and a personalized roadmap for treatment.
1. Clinical Interview:
Discuss your concerns and history
Evaluate symptoms and challenges
2. Psychological Testing:
Personality testing
Disorder-specific assessment
3. Personalized Action Plan:
Receive a comprehensive report with findings
Recommendations for treatment and support
4. Support and Guidance:
Our team is here to answer your questions
Connect with resources for ongoing support
FAQs about Dr. Helmer Figueiredo
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Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience from University of Kentucky
Doctor of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) from Xavier University
APA Accredited Internship at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Orlando FL
Postdoctoral training at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Orlando FL
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Anxiety
Depression
Diagnostic Assessment
LGBTQ folx
Personality Disorder
Trauma -
CBT- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
DBT- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
IPT- Interpersonal Psychotherapy
MI- Motivational Interviewing
Spiritual integration -
My first language is Portuguese, and I come from a multinational family with close relatives living in Brazil, Europe, and the USA.
I love traveling to Europe! My dream vacation is being in Patmos, Greece drinking Ouzo in downtown Skala and sunbathing at the Psili Ammos beach.
I love working out and have made many friends in every gym I had been to.
I cannot go one single day without reading a book, listening to music, and talking to my family on the phone – all this done in a single day! I have a secret passion for electronic music, philosophy, chemistry, and now astrology!
Clinical Psychology is my third doctorate degree. Brain and mental health are my lifelong passion. I attended medical school in Brazil and have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from an American university. However, life is my most important school!