Psychotherapy

In the encounter with what has long remained untouched, a new approach to oneself can emerge.

Sometimes life throws us off balance and we start to falter – be it due to challenging relationships or life situations, stressful experiences, traumatic events, sudden changes or crises. Then it’s about finding solid ground under our feet again.

Just as physical complaints occur, mental stress can also affect our well-being. We can then feel persistently depressed, exhausted, listless, irritable or tense inside. Sleep problems, excessive anxiety, worry, self-doubt or feelings of guilt can develop. We may withdraw from others and feel disconnected from the world, ourselves and our bodies.

It is important to seek support at such times. In my practice, I offer you a reliable framework in which to look carefully at your experience and your situation – step by step, we explore ways together that can give you orientation and inner stability again.

My therapeutic approach:

Systemic therapy

Family imprints often work quietly, like fine threads – they run through generations until someone stops, looks and begins to untangle them.

Our thoughts, feelings and behaviors do not stand alone – they are embedded in a network of individual experiences, family imprints and social relationships. Systemic therapy not only focuses on individual symptoms, but also on their possible context of origin. It offers the space to reflect on recurring patterns, develop new perspectives and use existing resources more consciously.

Systemic therapy is not only concerned with what is stressful, but also with the origin and meaning of these symptoms:

How did certain patterns develop?
What functions do they fulfill – consciously or unconsciously?
How can new ways of dealing with challenges be found?

Psychological symptoms are often an expression of underlying dynamics. Feelings of powerlessness, anxiety or listlessness, for example, can arise from long-term stress or unresolved inner conflicts. Depressive moods can also be viewed in a systemic context – not as isolated illnesses, but as part of a larger context that can be understood and reshaped.

Challenges in relationships and family – conflicts, emotional distance or difficulties with closeness and boundaries
Stressful life events and changes – separations, losses or transitions into new phases of life
Self-doubt, inner conflicts or insecurities – the feeling of being stuck, not understanding yourself or not being good enough
depressive moods, inner emptiness or exhaustion – persistent emotional stress that disrupts inner balance

Every behavior has its meaning in a certain context – even if it is experienced as stressful today. Systemic therapy offers a space to better understand individual contexts and develop new ways of dealing with difficult situations.

Targeted questions, a change of perspective and various methodological impulses can help you to gain new perspectives, question habitual thought patterns and become more aware of your own strengths and develop them further. Biography and genogram work, constellations in individual settings or working with inner parts can also have a supportive effect. This can open up new scope for action and initiate change processes.

Holistic trauma therapy

When wounds are seen and heard, change can begin.

Traumatic experiences leave their mark – on the psyche, the body and the nervous system. Like waves that can be felt long after a storm has passed, their effects often last far beyond the actual event. Trauma is not only caused by what has happened, but above all by the experience of being at the mercy of what has happened – accompanied by feelings of fear, overwhelm, powerlessness and helplessness.

Repeated or prolonged stress in childhood – such as emotional or physical violence, neglect, sexualized assaults, family instability or growing up in dysfunctional relationship patterns – is particularly formative. However, individual, highly stressful experiences such as accidents, acts of violence or natural disasters can also leave a deep impression and shatter a person’s sense of security.

The more frequently such experiences were made – and the less they could be understood, regulated or accompanied at the time – the more profoundly they can affect the way we think, feel and act today. The sum of these experiences, as also described in the building block trauma theory, often unconsciously influences self-image, relationship experience and mental and physical health – often over many years and not infrequently with effects on quality of life and life expectancy.

The traces of psychological trauma do not always show themselves immediately, but often only after a certain period of time – for example through persistent restlessness, withdrawal, flashbacks, nightmares, memory gaps, chronic exhaustion, feelings of shame or guilt. Many of these reactions can be understood as an expression of early survival mechanisms: Strategies that were once necessary to survive emotionally or physically often continue to have a stressful effect today.

Dealing with stressful experiences requires a protected environment and a sensitive view. In therapeutic support, we approach these experiences cautiously – at our own pace and with a focus on inner stability.

Particularly when stressful events have accumulated over a long period of time or in early childhood, they often act like building blocks that overlap and can have a profound impact on current experiences. Step by step, an inner picture of one’s own life story emerges through storytelling, remembering and structuring, which embeds and organizes previously unconnected or fragmented experiences.

Behaviors that once proved essential for survival are understood and appreciated in their original function. At the same time, space is created to explore whether they are still useful today – or whether they may make it more difficult to connect with oneself and others.

The aim is to become aware of these reaction patterns, understand them better and develop new ways of self-regulation and inner contact. In this way, ways can gradually emerge that enable more stability, connectedness and self-determination.

Using the body as an anchor

Traumatic experiences not only leave traces in our thoughts, but also in our bodies. For this reason, body-related approaches are also incorporated into the therapy alongside discussions. They help to strengthen body awareness and gently regulate the nervous system – especially when it is stuck in a state of tension or numbness.

Encountering inner parts

Serious experiences can lead to the development of different inner parts – for example, protective, injured or over-adapted parts. These can conflict with each other and influence our thoughts, feelings and actions. By becoming aware of and approaching these inner parts, it is possible to develop more self-connection and release inner tensions.

Recognizing attachment and developmental trauma

Early bonding experiences shape our ability to allow emotional closeness and build healthy relationships. If basic needs such as security and attachment are not met in childhood, or if children experience neglect or violence in all its forms, this can leave deep scars and psychological wounds. These experiences can become permanently anchored in the nervous system and in the self-image, which can lead to dysregulation and manifest itself in difficulties with closeness and distance, interpersonal conflicts and stressful psychological and somatic symptoms.

Understanding your own history

In therapeutic work, it can be helpful to bring your own life story into a coherent form – especially when experiences have been experienced as overwhelming or fragmented. The aim is not to forget something, but to classify the experience as part of one’s own history – without it continuing to overshadow life today. In this way, a feeling of inner order, understanding and orientation can gradually develop.

Therapeutic support is provided within the framework of psychotherapy in accordance with the Heilpraktikergesetz (German Alternative Practitioners Act); it does not replace medical or psychiatric treatment.

Feel free to contact me if you would like to find out more or make an appointment!

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Psycho­therapy