Body psychotherapy with a trauma focus

You've thought it all through – and you're still stuck. Trauma-informed individual therapy in Berlin, in English and German.

Perhaps this feels familiar

Therapy – who can benefit and how

I offer therapy for people who

• are at a turning point in their life or in the middle of a crisis
• feel resigned, burdened or without joy
• deal with anxiety
• are confronted with contact problems, interpersonal conflicts, break-ups
• are on the verge of bursting with anger, but stay polite and well-behaved
• want to feel more connected and alive
• feel like rediscovering themselves and trying out new ways
• need a space to clarify current problems in peace
• wish a deeper, more satisfying life for themselves
• want more fulfilling relationships with others
• want to develop good self-esteem

A quiet room where you’re allowed to simply arrive.

What a session is like

We talk – and we can also follow the body's story. Much of that happens sitting down, and your eyes can be open or closed. Sometimes we stand up for a small experiment: something for grounding, or a movement. And sometimes we explore what shifts in the body when you're in a particular state. If you're torn between two options, say – what happens inside when you try on “stay”? And what happens when you try on “leave”?

Touch isn't a major focus in my work these days – and it only ever happens if you want it to. Sometimes it's a supportive gesture, a hand on your arm. Sometimes I offer resistance when you have the impulse to push something away, so the movement can complete. And if you'd rather not, that is completely fine – it will not change anything about how we work.

When we work with anxiety, trauma or other stressful states, we look at the charge held in the system – gently, in small steps. Resourcing, orientation and grounding are the foundation we work from, and from there it is much easier to lean into whatever the current challenge is.

It wouldn't be right to promise that the process is always pleasant and always gentle. We may find ourselves dealing with a bigger wave of charge than expected – a moment where you feel somewhat overwhelmed, or cut off from yourself. We work with that too: we practise finding the way back out, and take the time to land and integrate the experience. That is exactly what builds confidence for situations outside the therapy room. An image from my SE training puts it well: then we try to ride the wave.

I try to keep the work practical and connected to everyday situations, so it's easy to carry on with between sessions: a journal, a letter to yourself or to a younger part, a plan for the week. Whatever you need at the time. A lot of the work that really matters happens between sessions.

How I work

If you'd like, a little more depth – what body psychotherapy, Somatic Experiencing® and parts work actually involve. I've written articles on two of them, and two have a fuller page of their own – the links are inside each section.

People of every age, gender, sexual identity and background are welcome here.

Common Questions