Therapy methods

Four psychotherapy methods are approved and covered by health insurance companies in Germany:

  1. Psychodynamic  therapy (TP)
  2. Analytical psychotherapy (AP)
  3. Behavioral therapy (VT)
  4. Systemic therapy (ST)

In our practice, we offer both behavioral therapy and Psychodynmaic therapy, as well as analytical therapy as a health insurance benefit. Personal centered psychotherapy according to Carl Rogers is also offered, but is not covered by health insurance.

There is a fifth method for organically caused mental disorders, also approved an coveres by insurance companies (not provided in our practice):

5. Neuropsychological therapy

Psychodynamic therapy

is based on the principles of psychoanalytic theory. It is based on inner, unconscious conflicts that every person carries within them and which have led to the current illness or crisis. Particular attention is paid to clarifying and discussing experiences that patients had in their childhood and adolescence in connection with current conflicts. The aim of therapy is to raise awareness and resolve unconscious conflicts. The newly gained insights ultimately lead to an improvement in the patient’s current situation.

Analytical therapy

like Psychodynamic herapy, Analytical therapy is based on the principles of  the theory of Siegmund Freud. The difference between Psychodynamic psychotherapy and analytical therapy is the focus: in Psychodynamic therapy the focus is on current conflicts in the present. Analytic therapy focusses on a detailed processing of the biographical history with experiences in childhood.

Behavioral therapy

focuses more on the patient’s acute problem. The aim is to make patients aware of the behavioral patterns with which they react to difficulties and challenges in their lives. Behavioral therapy assumes that behavioral patterns are learned and can therefore be relearned. Behaviors can affect both physical and cognitive processes. By analyzing ingrained behaviors, patients are enabled to consider and learn alternatives to their previous patterns of behavior.

Systemic therapy

is a psychotherapeutic method that focuses on the social context of mental disorders, in particular on interactions between members of the family and their social environment. The core idea of systemic therapy is the assumption that the key to understanding and changing problems lies not so much in the person being treated alone, but in the (family) context in which the problem exists.