"Most people fear suffering. But suffering is the kind of mud that helps the lotus flower grow. There is no lotus flower without mud."
— Thích Nhất Hạnh, No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering
First of all, I want to acknowledge your willingness to seek mental health support. In times when psychological suffering is often trivialized and emotional struggles are minimized, having the courage to admit to yourself that you need help—and allowing yourself to seek it—is already an achievement.
My name is André Luiz. I am originally from Salvador, Bahia, where I built most of my academic and professional career. I have worked in various psychiatric care settings since the beginning of my medical residency at Hospital Juliano Moreira in Salvador. My experience includes psychiatric consultations in a general hospital—fostering the connection between mental health and other medical specialties—as well as work in public and private outpatient clinics, Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS), day hospitals, psychiatric emergencies, and full-time inpatient care.
Since November 2021, I have been working in São Paulo, primarily offering online consultations, which has allowed me to expand access to mental health care. Additionally, I gained valuable experience working at a Child and Adolescent Psychosocial Care Center (CAPS IJ) in downtown São Paulo, where I deepened my ability to address psychological vulnerability and its relationship with social factors. In this role, I applied the philosophy of Yoga and the wisdom of Traditional Medicine. I also worked as a preceptor for medical students at Universidade Nove de Julho, reigniting my passion for education and research.
In recent years, I have been practicing telepsychiatry, providing remote consultations, including interconsultations (supporting family doctors in primary healthcare settings with mental health cases), private consultations, and services within Brazil’s public healthcare system (SUS). I am also engaged in a specialization in trauma-informed approaches and involved in research activities in Canada.
During my time in Europe, at one of the oldest medical schools on the continent, in southern Hungary, I had the opportunity to experience a different approach to psychiatry, as well as distinct social and demographic patterns of common mental disorders. I also gained insight into the role of art as a contributor to individual health promotion.
As a Buddhism enthusiast and certified Vinyasa Yoga instructor, I strive to bring the comfort of these profound traditions into both my personal and professional life, sharing their benefits with everyone I encounter on this journey. Meditation is a powerful tool that the West has been successfully incorporating into health promotion and the treatment of mental disorders. In my Yoga studies, there is a principle whose sound I find beautiful and whose meaning I seek to embody in daily life: AHIMSA, the principle of non-violence. AHIMSA teaches us that we have the ability, at every moment, to avoid generating harm to others—whether through words, thoughts, or actions. During our sessions, you can be sure that, in addition to relieving your suffering, AHIMSA will be mindfully and joyfully applied.
I firmly believe that as a psychiatrist, I can only truly help someone in psychological distress by considering their life story and current context, both of which have led them to seek medical support. It is essential that we work together to understand the challenges you face, allowing us to foster meaningful shifts in mental constructs. For this, building a relationship of trust between professional and patient is fundamental.
Throughout my career, I have developed the competence and dedication to help individuals understand their place in the world, recognize their personal histories and traumas, and uncover their strengths—promoting the restoration and reinforcement of their autonomy.
Let’s move forward together!
These are the key details about me and my work. I look forward to the opportunity to support you whenever needed.
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