Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT)
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
In vivo exposure, particularly gentle, using 3D simulations
In accordance with my accreditation, I specialise in the treatment of anxiety disorders, stress-related disorders and post-traumatic stress disorders using evidence-based and manualised approaches. These approaches have been proven to help many people, but they also require an intensive examination of the causes of the psychological consequences that have arisen. This can be successfully managed with support and guidance, enabling improvement to take place – we refer to this as exposure or confrontation.
Other approaches, such as EMDR, are considered less stressful for patients; here, we work with internal images that those affected then produce themselves in their mind’s eye. This is followed by stimulation of various areas of the brain through a sequence of eye movements according to a fixed protocol. Good and lasting results are achieved in the treatment of traumatised individuals.
Many side effects of severe and extremely severe experiences lead to defence mechanisms that cause distress in everyday life, disrupt social interaction and the social environment, or even destroy them. There are many approaches and possibilities here to provide successful help by building and strengthening protective factors and learning stress management (self-regulation). Skills can also be taught to combat ruminative thoughts, and effective communication and body language can be encouraged; support can be provided for insomnia, low mood, grief and loss. In many cases, structured hypnosis, psychosocial support and coaching can also provide effective assistance.
In our specialism of couples therapy, we work using a systemic approach and a traditional combination of individual sessions and joint sessions.
Whenever there is sufficient interest, we organise discussion groups for sharing, building resilience, reflecting and realising that other people are also confronted with certain events and experiences, and how they cope with them.
An important note at this point
There are essentially four so-called guideline-based approaches: (Cognitive) Behavioural Therapy, Systemic Therapy, Depth Psychology-based Therapy and Psychoanalytic Therapy. As a non-medical practitioner limited to the field of psychotherapy and authorised to practise medicine professionally in the field of psychotherapy, I have fundamental freedom of choice regarding the therapeutic approach in my practice at Traumahilfe-Bremen. In my case, the licence to practise was granted solely on the basis of the submitted academic and further training certificates. The constant updating and expansion of my professional knowledge through specialist literature, professional development courses and supervision provide the foundation for professionally sound work with patients. Between you and me: sometimes a good deal of life experience from a life spanning more than 60 years also comes into play, of which some 30 years were devoted to further training and teaching in the fields of education and social work.