Why do I offer psychotherapy in English?
I have been involved in the international community for years.
Cultural exchange of ideas and perceptions were always fascinating to me.
During my time as a student I met lots of foreigners through the Erasmus language exchange programs, the couchsurfing and English speaking communities.
I made wonderful experiences with people from all over the globe.
Being German and having foreign friends opened my eyes to general issues expats would have to face being on German soil.
Not only is adapting to a different culture and its bureaucracy a challenge, communication issues, visa problems and pressure to perform well under these circumstances, can build up tension & anxiety.
In a modern day world, which is changing fast and puts a strain on people, who have to learn to adapt, counseling has become a natural and helpful tool to ease the struggle.
However not finding an English speaking therapist is a problem.
Many expats have a high level of education. A lot of them are academics who happened to work in Germany.
While learning German can be quite the task, it is especially a problem when it comes to a therapeutic or coaching process.
Therapy works when it is precise and communicated well. Most local therapists do not offer therapy in English, nor posses the language skill or cultural knowlede to communicate with a native or high level English speaker.
I want to close this gap and offer my services to the international people who reside in the Bonn and Köln (Cologne) area.
What I can also add to help the process is a certain level of cultural awareness I have gained over the years, being in contact with many people of different origins.