Start Confidently

The initial consultation is a free, non-binding online meeting where we:

• Get to know each other • Clarify the topics you’d like to explore • Discuss what changes you’re hoping to achieve

This allows me to assess whether I am the right practitioner to support you and whether I have the appropriate qualifications to address your concerns.

You’re welcome to ask any questions during this session. It’s helpful to note down your key points in advance, so we can ensure your concerns are addressed.

We won’t delve into sensitive personal history or experiences during this initial meeting. The focus is on helping you get a sense of whether you feel comfortable working with me.

After the consultation, we’ll agree on a reflection period (usually at least 24 hours) before deciding together whether to arrange further sessions.

If I decide against a collaboration, I will explain my reasons to the best of my knowledge and ability, if that is what you want. I will also offer you recommendations for other therapists, organizations or helpful literature. Should you decide that you do not wish to arrange any further sessions with me, I will accept your “no” in full, with or without explanation.

Each session is individually tailored to you and your needs and also depends on how long we have known each other. Therefore this question does not have a one-size-fits-all answer. Still, I want to offer you as much information as possible. Please feel free to contact me about anything that might still be unclear to you.

IFS is a form of talk therapy in which body awareness can play an integral role. I will therefore accompany you with my words and my presence while you explore your inner experience.

At the beginning of each session, we will determine which issues are important to you at that moment, what type of support you would like and what limits we need to observe so as not to overwhelm you.

You can bring specific topics with you or let me help you choose one. I will then suggest various methods for approaching the selected topic.

At the beginning of therapy, there is at least one intake session in order to assess your personal history. In the following sessions, the focus will probably initially be more on providing knowledge and explaining the method. Once you feel familiar with me and the process, we can later delve more directly into the topics and issues that concern you. 

How often and for how long you should seek psychotherapy depends on many factors: The extent to which you feel stressed and restricted in your everyday life, the nature of your symptoms and your personal goals. External factors, such as time availability and financial means, may also be a factor. 

Different methods assume different treatment durations. IFS is particularly flexible in this respect: regular sessions at intervals of one to two weeks make sense in order to bring about, observe and consolidate positive changes. Anything from a few appointments to long-term support is possible. 

It is also possible to arrange so-called impulse sessions. These are individual, irregular appointments that are arranged as required. 

Many people find impulse sessions helpful after a phase of regular appointments. 

I offer IFS sessions and Wheel of Consent® workshops in English and in German.

In coaching, clearly defined areas of life are usually considered in a goal- and solution-oriented manner. As a general rule, the aim is to further improve an already relatively positive situation.

However, if you are experiencing distress, have unprocessed traumatic experiences or are facing difficulties that make your everyday life significantly more challenging, psychotherapy is usually the better choice. The aim here is to alleviate suffering, reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms and find ways out of personal crises.

Therapy and coaching can also merge seamlessly. For example, it is quite possible that psychological injuries become apparent during coaching. Then you can make a decision: Do you want to address the underlying issues or continue (for the time being) at coaching level. 

On the other hand, the need for psychotherapy can also turn into a desire for coaching. For example, if the difficulties that led you to psychotherapy are no longer causing you any distress, but you would still like to learn more about yourself and strengthen your mental health in the absence of debilitating symptoms.

I offer Internal Family Systems because I am convinced of the modality and have experienced its transformative power many times myself. Nevertheless, I do of course recognize that there are many other valuable and helpful approaches. And: The effectiveness of all methods depends to a large extent on whether you feel comfortable with the method and the practitioner.

Entscheidend ist also, die Methode zu finden, die am besten zu Ihnen und Ihrer aktuellen Lebenssituation passt. Dabei bin ich Ihnen gern im Erstgespräch behilflich – auch, wenn die Antwort lautet, dass ich nicht die passende Person für Sie bin.

Pro Psychotherapie e. V. also offers a helpful guide to the various methods and their areas of application. Übersicht.

Perhaps the comparison with physical health care will help you to assess the need for psychotherapy: Most people go to a doctor's practice when they notice any worrying changes in themselves, have the flu or recognize signs of some other illness. In addition, there are check-ups that we attend more or less regularly. Some symptoms or visits to the doctor's office may be so frightening or unpleasant that we tend to put them off or ignore them altogether - even though it would certainly be better to seek help. There are also a number of preventative measures we can take to stay healthy or manage health restrictions: regular exercise, special physiotherapy exercises, balanced nutrition and daily hygiene are just a few examples. And of course there are emergencies that require immediate treatment in hospital. 

It is very similar with psychotherapeutic treatment: there are illnesses that need the immediate attention of a specialist. There are milder issues that may disappear on their own - or may get worse in the long term without appropriate support. There are long-term conditions that the affected person lives with and that require long-term support and proper management. Some of these could perhaps be significantly alleviated or completely cured, but the burden has existed for so long that it isn't noticed anymore or is perceived as “normal”. 

There is a wide range of preventative measures that can strengthen mental health and individual resilience.

And there are circumstances and experiences that are simply part of life, but are much easier to cope with if you have someone by your side - similar to a flu-like infection, which is much easier to bear at home with tea and a little care than if you have to work despite being ill. 

If you find yourself in one of these examples, psychotherapy could be a beneficial support for you. If you already have a diagnosis or suspect that a certain clinical picture describes your situation well, therapy or coaching could also provide you with valuable assistance. 

I offer a solidarity spot. It is intended for people who do not have the financial means for privately financed psychotherapy but need support. I am particularly addressing people who, for example, would like to bridge the gap until they have access to a therapy place financed by health insurance or who do not have access to health insurance services. 

A solidarity session is offered at a greatly reduced price. A treatment contract is concluded in the same way as for all other sessions. Of course, you have the same rights and entitlements as full-paying patients, for example with regard to confidentiality, data protection and requesting your own documentation. 

The solidarity spot is filled via a waiting list. Please arrange an initial call, send me an e-mail or give me a call if you would like to be considered. 

Short answer: No. 

The somewhat longer answer: Many people see their mental burdens in comparison to those of others. Nothing wrong with that, it's a perfectly normal human tendency. However, the conclusion might creep in that “someone else is much worse off than me, so I don't need or deserve any support”... and that is simply not accurate. Regardless of what others might have gone through, your experience is important and your emotional health matters. So please don't be afraid to get in touch with me, even if your concerns seem comparatively small.