Tess Pereira

International Psychologist & Coach

Online, or face to face in Dubai

I help leaders and professionals recover from burnout and repair the strain it puts on their professional and personal relationships. I work one-to-one, and I speak to teams and organisations.

Book an introductory call

Free 15-minute intro call on Zoom. Confidential.

Trusted by

Etihad Airways Oracle GSK MetLife King's College Hospital Convergint HFW London Fire Brigade Charlton Athletic Buoys Club Slimstock MCH Global RAPP Society of Business Psychology Middle East Westford University College Rotary Club of Singapore Mimi Nicklin Safe Space Level Up DXB Women Who Thrive The Private Practice

Featured in

Gulf News Arabian Business Virgin Radio Dubai Dubai Eye 103.8 UAE Stories

Ways to work with me

Burnout rarely stays at work. It follows you home, and the people you love usually feel it before you do.

Tess Pereira, eyes closed, hands on her chest

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One-to-one · Online or in Dubai

Relationship strain

Strain shows up in the relationships that matter most, at work and at home: distance, snapping, or not talking at all. I help you see the pattern underneath and change what happens next, with your partner, your family or your team.

Book a call Not sure where to start? Take the three-minute check 
Tess Pereira, seated, in a black blouse

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Leaders · Teams · Organisations

Talks, workshops and leadership coaching

How can we expect people to look after their wellbeing if their leaders aren’t setting the example? I coach executives and run workshops on burnout, wellbeing and culture for organisations such as Etihad, Oracle, GSK and MetLife.

See talk topics 
Tess Pereira, smiling, seated in her practice
Tess Pereira in a white shirt, smiling

Hello, I’m Tess.

It was a Saturday afternoon in London. I was at the Trocadero with my kids, playing arcade games, when something felt off. My head hurt and I lost the peripheral vision on my left side. I knew something was wrong, so I went to Specsavers for an eye test. They found something, and from there I went to the hospital.

An MRI showed I’d had two small strokes. I was 45. The loss of vision on my left side is permanent. Apart from that, I’m well.

I’d spent 20 years helping people stay well while doing demanding work. I still missed my own warning signs: sleepless nights, changes in my appetite, a dull ache in my head, and more migraines than usual, lasting longer each time. I put it all down to being busy.

I’m not saying stress caused my strokes on its own. But chronic stress was part of the picture, and I’d been treating it as normal.

I’m not willing to carry that stress any more, and I don’t think you should either. That’s why I share this story.

If something feels wrong in your body, get it checked. If one side of your face droops, you can’t lift both arms, your speech slurs, or you suddenly lose sight or get a severe headache, call 998 in the UAE, or your local emergency number elsewhere. Don’t wait to see if it passes.

Read the full story, and watch me tell it on stage 

Most people who come to me have been ignoring the headaches and the Sunday dread for a long time.

My career began in the NHS, planning and leading programmes to improve public health and community wellbeing. Since moving to Dubai in 2014, I’ve worked with executives, leadership teams and individuals going through a big change in their lives.

My job is to help you notice what your body and your relationships have been telling you, and to change what is causing it.

20+
Years’ experience
2014
In Dubai since
3
Degrees, from biochemistry to an MBA
Tess Pereira holding her Working Mum of the Year 2025 award
Working Mum of the Year 2025Dubai Mum Awards
My qualifications
  • MBA, Organisational Psychology UCAM, Spain · Distinction
  • MSc, Public Health University of Edinburgh
  • BSc (Hons), Medical Biochemistry Brunel University London
  • Licensed Master NLP Business Coach and Business Practitioner
  • Certified Strategic Human Resource Professional
  • Counselling qualifications Talking therapy and CBT
“So, if you are reading this to see if you should speak with Tess, my recommendation is do.”
Alexander RobertsonVice President Brand, Digital and Loyalty, Jumeirah Hotels
Read Alexander’s words in full

I first started working with Tess over two years ago, and I admit I had doubts prior to our first appointment. Whether that stemmed from the stigma associated with therapy, the fear of admitting I needed help, the idea of speaking to a stranger… I’m not sure.

Looking back, I wish I’d had the courage to speak to someone much sooner, and to work with Tess for longer. She is one of the most influential people I’ve ever met, and has had a profoundly positive impact on my life.

While Tess and I started working together on mental health, our sessions have spanned professional coaching, theoretical debate, and general conversation. She is empathetic, considered, patient, and kind. All while having quick wit when required! Her promise of giving her clients the tools and skills to become self-reliant is genuine. Thanks to our sessions I’m mentally stronger, more professionally aware, and, quite simply, happier.

She started as my therapist and became my coach. I’m grateful to consider her a friend. Often, we neglect our mental health. This is especially true among men. But in doing so, we neglect what is most important to a healthy life, positive relationships, and professional success.

So, if you are reading this to see if you should speak with Tess, my recommendation is do.

“There are very few people that are able to impact the journey of others as much as Tess can.”
Mimi NicklinBestselling author, Creative CEO and empathy advocate. Founder, Empathy Everywhere
Read Mimi’s words in full

There are very few people that are able to impact the journey of others as much as Tess can. She has an innate ability to get her clients to see the future through an alternate lens and to empower them to change their own business or personal destinies. Tess had an immeasurable impact on my book and my path to becoming an author, and I cannot imagine any part of my professional development ahead without her in it.

“You will walk away from each session with a feeling of achievement and fulfilled purpose.”
Nour HineidiDirector, Middle East Risk, and Contentious Matters Leader, Deloitte
Read Nour’s words in full

I have been working with Tess now for a number of years. She is an outstanding coach. You will walk away from each session with a feeling of achievement and fulfilled purpose.

I highly recommend Tess to executives and professionals who might use coaching to improve on soft skills, career progression and fulfilling ambitious dreams.

  1. You’re tired in a way a weekend doesn’t fix.
  2. Work gets your best hours. Home gets whatever is left.
  3. You’re shortest with the people you love most, and you hate it.
  4. You can’t remember the last time you felt like yourself.
Tess Pereira on a podcast set, holding a card that reads “I’m fine”

If more than one of these sounds like you, it’s worth three minutes.

Take the three-minute check

Where is burnout hitting you first?

Burnout rarely arrives all at once. It works through four layers of your life, from the basics up to your sense of purpose. The ABCD Leadership Profile shows you which layer is carrying the most strain.

Find my ABCD profile

About 4 minutes · 20 statements · Free

  1. AffectHow you feel. Your mood, your patience, your capacity for joy.
  2. BasicsSleep, food, movement and rest. Where burnout usually starts.
  3. CognitiveHow you think. Focus, decisions, and whether your mind ever switches off.
  4. DeeperMeaning and purpose. Whether your work still feels like yours.

Talks and workshops

I speak to leadership teams, staff and students about what burnout costs people, their relationships and their organisations, and what can be done before anyone reaches that point. Every talk is shaped around your people and ends with tools they can use the same day.

Watch me speakLive at Level Up DXB · 52 sec

Talks

  • Burnout, and how to spot it early. The early signs most people miss in themselves and their colleagues, and what to do when you see them.
  • Home but still at work. What burnout does to partners and families, and how to genuinely switch off when the laptop closes.
  • Why we overwork to feel safe. The people-pleaser, the one who can’t delegate, the one who goes quiet. How attachment patterns show up at work, and how to change them.
  • Your body knows first. The physical signs of burnout and strain, with simple somatic tools people practise in the room.
  • Conflict and difficult conversations. How to have the conversations most people avoid, at work and at home, without damaging the relationship.

Workshops

  • For managers: spotting the struggle. How to notice when someone is struggling at work or at home, what to say, and what not to say.
  • For couples who both work hard. An evening workshop for partners in demanding jobs who want their relationship back, not just their time.

Formats

  • Burnout keynote
  • Delegate engagement
  • Post-keynote connection

Panel discussions

  • Burnout in relationships
  • Empathetic leadership
  • Conversation with Jay Shetty about relationships (18 minutes)

Every talk can be built around my ABCD model. Try the ABCD profile yourself 

Enquire about a talk
Tess Pereira speaking about stress and burnout at Level Up DXB
Speaking on burnout at Level Up DXB
A full room putting their hands up during Tess Pereira's talk at Level Up DXB
Hands up at Level Up DXB
Tess Pereira hugging a guest after her talk at Level Up DXB
After the talk
Tess Pereira speaking on the Bridging the Pillow Gap panel
Bridging the Pillow Gap · a panel on relationships
Tess Pereira speaking on a Global Women in PR MENA panel
Global Women in PR MENA · panel
Tess Pereira in conversation with Jay Shetty at a live event
In conversation with Jay Shetty

Press, and what I’ve written

Gulf News Cosmopolitan Middle East UAE Stories Villa 88 The Founder’s Story Arabian Business Virgin Radio Dubai Dubai Eye 103.8

Home, but still at work?

Not ready for one‑to‑one work yet? Start with the 7-Day Reset. One short audio a day, guided by me, with a workbook to help you put work down when you get home. About 15 minutes a day.

See what’s inside 
  1. Day 1Name it
  2. Day 2Downshift
  3. Day 3Shut the laptop in your head
  4. Day 4One real conversation
  5. Day 5Stop one leak
  6. Day 6One thing for you
  7. Day 7Your next 30 days

Take three slow breaths with me

It takes under a minute. Breathe in for four, out for five, and notice what changes.

Listen to me on podcasts and radio

Press play and carry on reading. The audio keeps going.

  1. Steps I Took · December 2024 · 56 min

    Embracing vulnerability, emotional wellness and the power of connection

    Open in Amazon Music
  2. Let’s Talk DXB · October 2023 · 46 min

    Therapy in Dubai

    Open in Apple Podcasts
  3. Fail Forward · January 2023 · 49 min

    Finding myself

    Open in Buzzsprout
Tess Pereira reading at her desk

I’m writing a book on burnout in leadership

It’s built on my ABCD model, and it takes you through all four layers, starting with the basics. Add your email and I’ll let you know when it’s out. Your email app opens with the request ready to send.

While you wait, find out where burnout is hitting you 

How we start

  1. Book a free intro call. Fifteen minutes on Zoom, at a time that suits you. Tell me what you’d like to change.
  2. We agree a plan. We decide how often to meet, and whether online or in person suits you best.
  3. We begin. You’ll have something to try before we meet again.
Send me a note instead

Prefer to write?

Tell me a little about what’s going on, then send it to me on WhatsApp or by email.

This is about

Everything you share is confidential. Privacy notice

Questions people ask me

Is this coaching or therapy?

It’s coaching. We look at what’s draining you and change how you work and live, using CBT and NLP techniques I’m trained in. If clinical therapy is the right help for you, I’ll tell you, and refer you to someone who provides it. If you’re unsure, the introductory call will help you decide.

What happens on the introductory call?

It’s a free, relaxed 15-minute conversation on Zoom. You share what brings you here and what you hope will change, and I explain how the work could look for you. There’s no pressure to commit to anything.

Is everything I share confidential?

Yes. What you tell me stays between us. The only exception is if I’m seriously worried about your safety or someone else’s, and I’ll explain that on our first call.

Do you work online?

Yes. I see clients online wherever they are, and in person in Dubai.

How many sessions will I need?

It depends on you and what you want to achieve. Some people come for a focused number of sessions around one goal, others continue for longer. We agree a plan at the start and you can review it at any time.

How much does it cost?

Fees depend on the type of work and the format you choose. On your introductory call I’ll talk you through the options so you can decide what’s right for you.

Do you work with organisations?

Yes. I coach leaders and run talks and workshops for teams. The topics are listed under Speaking, and every talk is shaped around your people.

The first step is a conversation

Tell me what’s going on, and we’ll work out together whether I’m the right person to help.

Free 15-minute intro call on Zoom. Confidential.