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For self-paying clients
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In English and German
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Immediate start of therapy
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Initial consultations on Saturdays
When everyday life takes more out of you than it should
To others, it may look as though you are managing everyday life with ease. But inside, you feel worn down, burnt out or low. Even ordinary tasks take more and more effort, and you watch life rush past you.
In the evenings, you lack the energy to do anything with your partner. You avoid conflicts with your manager, and critical remarks stay with you for days.
Perhaps it has already reached the point where your emotional strain is showing up as chronic pain and restricting your life:
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You cancel a day out with your children because you are not sure you can get through it with your severe back pain.
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You spend most of the weekend in bed out of sheer exhaustion, just to have enough energy for the working week ahead.
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The upcoming appraisal meetings with your team are, quite literally, giving you a knot in your stomach.
You wonder how much longer you can keep up with your responsibilities at work and at home.
Psychotherapy as a lifeline
You need someone to guide you through this dark tunnel: someone who explores with you what lies at the heart of your struggles and helps you find ways back to a self-determined, fulfilling life.
Distressing problems often arise from a conflict, an encounter or an experience with another person. You did not get into them on your own.
So why should you have to find your way out on your own?
Sebastian Ripl: Experience and therapeutic background
As a state-licensed psychological psychotherapist, I would be glad to accompany you on this path. I have been working in psychology since completing my master's degrees in Psychology and German at the University of Aberdeen and in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at Brandenburg Medical School. Alongside my work in my Berlin practice, I teach clinical psychology and psychodynamic psychotherapy at universities.
Psychosomatic complaints are one of the main focuses of my practice. My approach is psychodynamic. My understanding of people is shaped by anthroposophy and considers each person within the context of their whole life.
Getting to the root causes in psychotherapy
In psychotherapy, we start with what is weighing on you today: an unusually strong reaction to criticism, recurring conflicts in a relationship, or physical symptoms during stressful periods of life. Together, we explore whether these experiences are connected and what role your life story might play in them.
To do this, we work with memories and, where helpful, with dreams. We look at earlier experiences from your present, adult perspective: Which expectations of yourself have you adopted, and which role do you find yourself taking on again and again in relationships? In therapeutic conversation, connections can emerge that reflection alone has not been able to reveal.
The aim is to understand your reactions better and to regain more freedom of choice in difficult situations. The work goes deep while remaining focused on the questions you are facing now, such as:
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What keeps repeating itself in my relationships?
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Why did I choose this profession?
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Where do I feel I belong?
This brings us to love, work and community – the three life tasks described by Alfred Adler. Together, we look at which patterns are weighing on you in these areas and what you can change today.
Love · Work · Community
My main areas of treatment
Depression
You may feel empty, fatigued, sad, a lack of interest in activities you once loved.
Psychosomatic Disorder
Due to psychological distress physical ailments such as stomach pain, headaches, or fatigue could appear, without underlying medical cause.
Burnout
After prolonged stress, symptoms may include emotional and physical exhaustion, reduced performance and difficulty concentrating.
Bereavement
You might feel emotional pain and sorrow after losing a loved one, someone or something significant, a job, or a relationship.
Anxiety and
Panic Attacks
Anxiety symptoms can include restlessness and sleep disturbances. Panic attacks might involve sudden and intense feelings of fear along with physical sensations like sweating and rapid heartbeat.
Stress
You might feel overwhelm, muscle tension, difficulty concentrating, irritability and sleep disturbances.
My psychotherapy services
Appointment
Initial consultation in person
Decision
Therapy
Get in touch with me via the contact form. I will respond to your enquiry within 24 hours.
In the initial consultation (on Saturdays), we discuss your concerns and consider whether my way of working suits your situation.
You decide whether I am the right psychotherapist for you and whether you would like to begin therapy.
If you wish, therapy can begin straight away.
Duration and scope
The duration and scope of therapy can vary considerably depending on your symptoms and your availability. I am happy to discuss this with you in detail during the initial consultation.
Fees
Treatment is offered exclusively on a self-pay basis; it cannot be billed to health insurance.
FAQs
I have already reflected a great deal on myself. What can psychotherapy offer beyond that?
Being able to explain a reaction does not always mean being able to change it in the decisive moment. In psychotherapy, we look at how your feelings and relationship patterns come into play in specific situations. This can open up new ways of dealing with them.
In which languages is psychotherapy available?
Our sessions can take place in either English or German. Simply let me know which language you prefer when you get in touch.
Will my health insurance cover the therapy?
No, my services cannot be billed to health insurance. My practice works exclusively with self-paying clients.
Do I have to talk about painful memories in detail?
We include earlier experiences when they are relevant to your current concerns. We decide together which topics you address and when. Your present situation always remains the starting point.
Will my physical symptoms be taken seriously, even if no clear medical cause has been found so far?
Yes. Your symptoms are real and will be given careful attention. We can explore possible psychological connections; this does not replace any necessary medical assessment or treatment.
How long does psychotherapy take?
That depends on your concerns and how our work together develops. For patients with statutory health insurance in Germany, short-term therapy comprises 24 sessions and long-term therapy 60 sessions. We do not have to follow these guidelines, but you can use them as a rough point of reference.
Does the practice offer help in an acute crisis?
No. If you need immediate help, please call the emergency number 112 or go to your nearest emergency department. You can find further information on the page In case of emergency.