Cristina Blanco

Cristina Blanco holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Málaga and possesses over 25 years of professional experience in clinical psychology, gained in both hospital and private practice settings. After completing her studies in 1998, she began her career working with individuals struggling with addiction and their families, and earned a Master’s degree in Sexology and Sexual Therapy. She subsequently lived in Dublin for five years, where she worked with people with intellectual disabilities and young people struggling with alcohol and other substance dependencies. Upon returning to Spain, she joined the team at Hallin Mental Care, where she has spent the last 20 years developing a significant part of her clinical career.

TRAUMA, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION

She has extensive experience treating anxiety and depressive disorders, with a particular focus on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Complex PTSD. Her advanced training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) reinforces her specialization in trauma treatment, within an evidence-based framework that also integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and other contemporary psychological therapies.

COUPLES THERAPY AND SEXUALITY

In the realm of couples therapy and sexuality, she addresses communication difficulties, recurring conflicts, relationship crises, infidelity, breakups, emotional dependency and codependency, and sexual issues. Her approach attends to both the manifest conflict and the underlying emotional and relational patterns sustaining it. She was a pioneer in the development of couples therapy on the Costa del Sol, contributing for decades—through both clinical practice and psychoeducational content—to raising awareness about emotional and relational health within couples.

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY AND HIGH PERFORMANCE

She possesses extensive experience in sports psychology and in working with elite and high-performance athletes—both in Spain and abroad—supporting them through competitive pressure, injuries, slumps in performance, and changes in teams or environments, as well as guiding young high-performance athletes through the various stages of their careers.

HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE AND THERAPEUTIC COORDINATION

During her 20 years at Hallin Mental Care, she has served as Director of Inpatient Services. In this role, she has overseen psychological care and coordinated therapeutic interventions for patients requiring hospitalization due to the severity or complexity of their psychiatric symptoms, while also coordinating therapeutic teams and designing individualized treatment plans.

Position: Clinical Psychologist (Marbella)

Professional Registration No.: AO0165

Specialties: Mood disorders · Anxiety · Addictions · Couples and sex therapy · Codependency

Education: Degree in Psychology (University of Málaga) · Master’s in Sexuality and Couples Therapy · EMDR Level 2

Experience: 20 years at Hallin (previously: addiction treatment in Ireland)

Languages: Spanish and English

Locations: Marbella · In-person and online

Approach: CBT · EMDR · Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Personal Statement:

“Sometimes pain makes us feel lost, but asking for help is the first step toward change. I am committed to supporting you with warmth, respect, and professionalism throughout that process.”