Online Therapy for Expats & Global Citizens

Martha Helliesen, Ph.D.

Martha Helliesen, PhD

Who Am I?

I am Martha, an expat and seasoned therapist & sexologist with 25 years of clinical experience in untangling emotional problems such as anxiety, depression, stress and grief, to name a few. I spent the majority of the last 25 years in New York City in private practice where I worked with clients from all over the world online and in person. 

I conduct my services in English and work with adult individuals and couples.

I specialize in the treatment of emotional issues related to sexuality for individuals and couples. The most common sexual problems people seek my help for tend to be associated with; 

  • intimacy, 
  • sexual trauma,
  • lack of sexual function
  • painful sex
  • sexual preference
  • alternative lifestyle
  • gender issues

Sexual problems are often the tip of the iceberg, a symptom of a person’s unhealed wounds or unresolved issues within the couple unit, thus we have to dig deeper to resolve the problem. 

I have an interdisciplinary background in Gestalt therapy, psychology, sexology and neuroscience., which together with my additional expertise in bodywork and movement allows me to work with the whole person. Emotions like anxiety, depression and stress often manifest in the body as pain, and in order to help my clients feel better, I have invested much time and effort into understanding and helping heal this kind of pain. I look at all facets of a client’s life in order to find the source of the problem rather than fix the symptoms. I am a firm believer in the brain/body connection.

more ABOUT ME

The challenges of being an expat

Having moved from my homeland Norway to the USA and now to Lisbon, Portugal, I know in my heart and body what it feels like to start over in a new country and to try to create a sense of belonging without a local history to lean on. Getting established and creating a new life is a big undertaking which, besides the logistical tasks of getting a phone and a bank account, can also bring forth intense emotional stress.

Dealing with a new culture, environment and language can trigger fear and anxiety never felt before, and a sense of isolation and loneliness might come as an unwelcome surprise. Perhaps your intimate relationship is suffering due to the fact that the environment in which you live is very different from what you are used to.

As a couple you might be spending more time together or leaning more heavily on each other than what you have done in the past. You may also experience that you now have less support from nearby friends and family and that can feel stressful and lonely. While many professions promote that they work with expats, I believe that in therapy, more than anywhere else, it is very helpful when the therapist understands, hands on, all nuances of the expat experience. 

 

What I do

I work in Lisbon (Portugal) where I see local clients in person and distant clients via zoom or other video platforms. I use a mind/body (Gestalt therapy) approach to help my clients heal their emotional wounds and move forward in life using a different track.

I specialize in sexual issues, but sexual problems never exist in isolation, they are usually connected to other emotional struggles such as anxiety, depression, stress or grief. Thus, we address everything that you feel and bring to the sessions.  

For any kind of emotional healing, it is essential first to become more aware of what is going on with you which is where we start, and then we untangle your suffering, layer by layer. In line with the philosophy of Gestalt therapy, my focus is on the now and on the experience rather than analysis and interpretation. Gestalt therapy is a creative process where we look at the whole rather than the parts. This is particularly relevant for sexology which includes all aspects of being human.

more about my services

I can help you with:

  • sexuality
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • burnout
  • grief
  • stress
  • relationship problems
  • transition and change
  • codependency
  • loneliness
  • trauma
  • sex and cancer

My Services

Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt therapy focuses on the present, but acknowledges the past with the mindset that the past can color your present experience.  Unhealed wounds, unfinished affairs or blocked emotions can shadow the present and prevent you from living life fully.

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Sex Therapy

Sexual problems are common but rarely talked about. Both men and women struggle with lack of desire, problems reaching climax and fear of getting close to anybody.

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Who should come to see me?

I work with:

  • adult individuals
  •  locals
  • couples
  • students
  •  immigrants
  • young middle aged
  • expats
  • older individuals
  • he/she /they/them
  • individuals of all cultural & ethnic backgrounds
  • LGBTQ
  • internationals

What clients are saying

Testimonials from Dr. Martha Helliesen’s clients

With no exaggeration, my sessions with Martha have changed my life. Before meeting Martha, I had seen other therapists, but I never felt that they could actually see me. Through my sessions with Martha, I feel seen, heard, understood, and supported. The judgment-free space that she holds has allowed me to share and explore my curiosities, thoughts, and desires, all of which I was very ignorant too when I first met her. She has helped me find purpose, pleasure, and acceptance in living, even when living sometimes has been very painful. I am extremely grateful that our paths crossed, as I have found myself thinking what would have become of me if I had not met her. I think I could write an entire essay about how much Martha has helped me, but simply, I would say her help is irreplaceable, and without her, I would not begin to accept the person I am today.
BECK
Client
I started working with Martha in 2018 after undergoing two surgeries; a mastectomy and a breast reconstruction. During that time I needed to heal my body, but also address the emotional impact that cancer had on me. Martha’s personalized treatment that combined physical exercises, scar tissue massage, and emotional support made a huge difference not only with the speed at which I healed, but also how I started to become whole emotionally and physically. I recently underwent a second reconstruction and I continued working with Martha. She has been able to adapt to the changes that came with COVID19, and has helped me navigate the new reality that started when I was diagnosed with cancer.
EVA
Psychotherapist
I met Martha 3 years ago, when at the age of 49 years I was in desperate search of a therapist to help me ease the ongoing pain in my hip, leg, and back. I had undergone a major surgery for a fractured neck of the femur, and the recuperation did not go as smoothly as I had expected. The physical pain persisted and began to take a toll on my emotional being as well. Martha immediately created a space where I felt comfortable and at ease. She assessed my walk, my breath, and my overall wellbeing, and Martha’s attention to detail, as well as the whole picture, offered me the customized support I needed to work through the emotional and physical obstacles that I was carrying. She made me feel supported, seen, and secure, and I was finally able to bring my body back into balance and ease my pain. Martha not only proved to me again and again that I was stronger than I thought, but she also reminded me to reconnect to and trust my own body. I have never had such transformative experience as I have with Martha’s work. She’s able to peel back the layers with her extraordinary skills and intuition. If you are stuck in pain mentally or physically as I was, your key to liberation is working with Martha.
DINA PEREz volovitz
Client
I first went to Martha 7 years ago in the hope of finding relief from what had become chronic pain throughout my body. I had partially torn my left hamstring surfing a few months earlier, and subsequent visits to physical therapy had only worsened the muscle tear. At the time I was traveling on planes every week and the resulting imbalance created by the hamstring injury had started to affect other areas of my body, including my back and shoulder. From the first session I could tell that Martha was completely different from anyone I had seen previously for an injury, and I have been a competitive athlete in multiple sports for most of my life. Her deep understanding of the body as an integrated unit encompassing not only physical movement and anatomy, but also the underlying ,and often ignored, neuroscience and psychology is unique. She has the rare ability to simultaneously listen, see, and feel what is going on with her patient while completely focusing her wide ranging knowledge and critical thinking on solving the specific problem in front of her. Over the years not only has my quality of life, both physically and mentally, improved dramatically thanks to Martha, but the resulting deeper understanding of self-care and body movement has also helped me to avoid new injuries. Martha has been a true lifesaver for me, and I could not have given anyone a higher recommendation.
MP
Client
Originally, I started seeing Martha/Dr. Helliesen to help me with sexual side-effects due to breast cancer treatments, I had no idea that instead, with the use of a combination of physical exercises and emotional work, I would slowly build my true-self for the first time. Because of the trauma I have lived through, I spent most of my life disconnecting from my emotions, my body, and my needs, and through Martha’s guidance and practical exercises, I can finally feel and in turn, finally heal.
2x Cancer Survivor
36 years old


My Mission

My mission is to help as many people as possible live their potential to the fullest, unhindered by past or present trauma. In therapy there is no immediate fix. However, I support and guide your healing process in addition to helping you develop awareness and tools that you can apply in your daily life in order to change habitual reactions or behavior. 

For me, being a therapist is more than a job, it is a lifestyle where every day there is an opportunity to make a difference and to expand my own learning. Therefore, I invest much time in staying up to date in my field through reading and attending conferences and seminars with colleagues. 

In todays’ world where “Dr Google” is often the first place you go to to find solutions to your problems, the important element of human contact is absent. I am a firm believer in the healing power of human connection. Thus, it is essential to me as a therapist, to maintain an open heart and mind so that I can feel genuine compassion for my clients and be authentic in all my interactions.