Today we’d like to introduce you to Rita Tojal

Hi Rita, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.

When I was 15 years old, already 31 years ago, I knew I wanted to be a psychologist. Although I wasn’t entirely sure what the profession entailed, my fascination with the human condition fueled my reading on the subject, and took me to start my Psychology degree when I was 17 years old.

There were moments when I felt frustrated with what I was learning, times when I felt overwhelmed and not understanding what was going on, and there have been times of feeling very frustrated with what I was then calling Psychology. It took many years for me to grow as a person, and as a psychotherapist, and it took a lot of work to understand exactly what area of psychology I wanted to work with, and how I wanted to do it. Those were not easy times, there was a lot of trial and error, and there were many leaps of faith as I jumped into what I really believed in.

Fast forward to 2024, I have fully established my own practice, providing my unique online psychotherapy sessions. My approach transcends traditional boundaries, delving into the deeper aspects of the unconscious and fostering a connection with nature and the whole of Life. Through this holistic perspective, I help clients expand their concept of Self, deepen their understanding of themselves, and live more meaningful lives.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

For me the main struggles have been concerning the profession itself, and overcoming models that I considered outdated, to follow my own path and create my individual approach to psychotherapy.

There were times when I felt lonely, not meeting colleagues who would be on board with my explorations. I would say that particularly the jump into including spirituality in my work as a psychologist was the area where I met the most resistance. Back in the mid 90’s, when I started my path as a Psychologist, it was still a taboo to include the unknown, the deeper mystery, the guidance of astrology, the exploration of what’s beyond the surface level life, or the superficial issues of human life, to dive deep into the deeper truth of who we are, and the more expansive meaning of Life.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

I am a psychotherapist who has crafted her own unique holistic approach which includes an exploration of life beyond the more surface level understanding. When I work with clients, I am not focused on a particular symptom or issue, but where that symptom may lead us in the discovery of who the client is. I engage my clients into a deeper exploration of themselves, and of Life. By exploring the unconscious and the conscious, I like to support a journey of growth in which my clients gain responsibility for their lives. Crucial for me as well, is the reconnection to nature – as we can only be fully healthy humans when we are in deep connection to nature, which we are part of. Ultimately, I also use somatic practices to bring clients back to the body. I like to think of us as spirits having a human life – and for that human life, our bodies are the essential vessel. The more embodied we are, the better we can allow spirit to live through us.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?

One of my favorite childhood memories was a day I spent at the beach in Portugal with my family. It was really sunny and beautiful, and the sky was super blue. We were all admiring the ocean, and suddenly a couple showed up and gazed at the water as well. I remember looking at them and seeing they had big backpacks on. I was still a kid, it was sometime in the 80’s, and backpacking was not a common thing in Portugal. And I just remember looking up at them, seeing those bags and their vital sense of discovery, and somehow I grasped that there was more to discover, that somehow, somewhere, there was a whole world to explore. It really spoke to my sense of exploration, and I believe that moment ignited the traveler and seeker in me forever.

Pricing:

• Psychotherapy Session (60 min) 160€
• Life Mentoring Session (90 min) 200€
• Astrology Session (90 min) 200€

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ritatojal.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rita.tojal/

Image Credits

photos by Rita Tojal