Main areas of work
- obsessive-compulsive disorder (recurring intrusive thoughts, images or impulses and compulsive behaviours)
- anxiety disorders (e.g. panic disorder, agoraphobia, social anxiety, health anxiety/hypochondria, specific phobias, generalized anxiety disorder,…)
- trauma-related disorders (e.g. post-traumatic stress disorder, complex post-traumatic stress disorder,…)
- affective disorders (e.g. depression, dysthymia, “burnout”, …)
- eating disorders (e.g. anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder) and body dysmorphia
- borderline personality disorder
- other personality disorders (e.g. narcissistic, dependent, anxious-avoidant, obsessive-compulsive,…)
- nonorganic sleep disorders (e.g. insomnia)
- psychological crises
- possible difficulties in the context of intellectual giftedness/high IQ (IQ ≥ 130) in adults (e.g. feeling like the odd one out, sensory overstimulation, underachievement, social friction, increased need for cognition, negative self-image)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Behavioural therapy is a form of psychotherapy whose effectiveness has been scientifically studied and shown for a wide range of psychological disorders and issues. At its core, the idea is that our behaviour (that is, what we do and how we react to our environment) is largely learnt. Depending on what we have experienced in our lives, we perceive the world differently and adjust our behaviour consciously or unconsciously. We often respond to significant experiences in our lives with initially sensible, situation-appropriate behavioural strategies—doing things that feel good and avoiding unpleasant immediate consequences, sometimes without even consciously reflecting on it. However, persistent or recurring psychological problems often arise from the continued use of these (on the short-term) beneficial strategies, which either may have undesirable effects in the longer term or may lead to paradoxical outcomes in a changed environment, without us always being aware of it. Recognizing this on our own is often not easy. The perceived range of options for action then may become increasingly limited, often leading to a reduction in quality of life or repeated painful experiences.
Thus, coupled with your specific hopes and therapeutic goals, the overarching aim of our work is usually to regain more freedom for you. To be able to take paths that previously remained inaccessible (often due to fear, shame, guilt, anger, lethargy, or similar obstacles) and to make more conscious decisions about how you want to respond to the world, so that you can live a sustainably fulfilling and content life.
To achieve this, we first need to understand which learning experiences and (externally visible or internal) response patterns are relevant to your situation, and often also question previous perspectives (hence the addition: cognitive behavioural therapy — cognitive meaning “related to perception, thinking and understanding”). Behavioural therapists assume, however, that in most cases, conversations and insight alone are probably not enough to bring about fundamental change. Therefore, it will also be about actively implementing new behaviours both inside and outside the therapy room to allow for new experiences.
My training and main focus of work is in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), but I also integrate methods from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), or include interactional aspects of the therapeutic relationship where appropriate.
Procedure
Getting started
Typically, we schedule an appointment for an initial consultation in which we clarify formalities, get to know each other, and assess whether working together makes sense or if other offerings might fit better for your concerns and current situation. This involves determining whether psychotherapy is necessary and makes sense in your case, whether I would be a good fit for you (both in terms of professional competence and personal compatibility), and whether cognitive behavioural therapy is a good therapeutic approach for your concerns. At the end of this meeting, I would also provide an initial diagnostic assessment.
After that, we would usually have two to five additional sessions to get to know each other better, conduct diagnostic measures, and outline how therapy might look like in your case. We would also always transparently discuss to what extent your goals and wishes are realistically achievable through psychotherapy.
Therapy
Therapeutic sessions last 50 minutes each and usually take place once a week. A more intensive approach with more than one session per week may make sense or be needed in some situations and can be arranged upon agreement (subject to availability and indication). The duration of treatment depends on your individual needs. Any potential limitations on the duration of treatment due to your insurance plan or financial constraints would be considered from the outset in our planning.
Online Appointments and Interventions Outside the Practice
I generally also offer video appointments through a licensed video therapy provider and therapeutic interventions outside the practice (e.g., accompanied exposure exercises in relevant environments for obsessive-compulsive or anxiety disorders, or behavioral experiments) if indicated and if capacity allows. This would always be individually agreed upon and integrated into the therapy. Please note that at least the initial consultation should usually take place in person on-site.