Anna Punda
Non-medical Practitioner for Psychotherapy & Psychological Counsellor
Not everything we call stress needs more stress management. Sometimes, we need to understand what we’ve been carrying, make space for what is really there — and learn to carry less.
I specialise in:
About me
I’m Anna — an integrative therapist (licensed Heilpraktikerin für Psychotherapie) and VFP-certified psychological counsellor.
My work grew out of a simple observation: not everything we call stress needs more stress management.
Sometimes, what feels like stress, anxiety, tension or exhaustion is also connected to what we have been carrying emotionally — disappointment we moved past, anger we held back, fear we tried to control, worry we keep returning to, or simply too much that accumulated while we kept going.
My work is about becoming more honest about what is actually there, understanding the patterns around it, and learning how to work with difficult emotional experiences differently — so they do not keep taking up the same amount of space in your life.
I bring together emotional, cognitive and somatic approaches, because emotions are rarely only thoughts, only feelings or only something happening in the body. They interact.
And while a lot can happen in a therapeutic conversation, I have become increasingly interested in what happens beyond the therapy room.
Because that is where the patterns actually show up: in the next difficult conversation, the familiar wave of self-doubt, the worry that returns, or the moment when your body reacts even though your mind already understands what is happening.
This is also the thinking behind my Emotional Wellbeing Programs — combining regular 1:1 work with guided audio learning experiences, Emotional Resets, reflections and practices that support the work in everyday life.
My own path into therapy has been interdisciplinary from the beginning. My background includes psychology, anthropology, mindfulness, movement and body-based practices, alongside years of working with people and organisations. This shapes how I see emotional wellbeing: not as something that exists in isolation, but within the wider context of our relationships, work, culture and everyday lives.
I work particularly well with international and cross-cultural clients, drawing on years of living, working and researching across Europe and Latin America.
I offer sessions in English, German and Polish. I also speak Spanish, Portuguese and French, and value the different cultural perspectives and experiences that come with living and communicating across languages.
If this way of working resonates with you, you can start with a free 15-minute introductory call.
Learn to carry less — and make space for what you want more of.
I speak:
Location:
Media Gallery
Approach
My approach is integrative, bringing together emotional, cognitive and somatic work — because what we feel, how we think and what happens in the body are constantly influencing one another.
Sometimes we understand very clearly why something is happening, yet the same anxiety returns. The tension remains. The same emotional reaction appears again.
Rather than treating stress, anxiety or overwhelm as the whole story, I’m interested in what is happening underneath — the emotions, patterns, thoughts and bodily responses that may be keeping the experience in place.
My work is grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), integrated with emotion-focused and compassion-focused approaches, mindfulness and somatic work including breath, movement and body awareness.
There is no single technique or formula I apply to everyone. We look at what is actually happening for you and work from there.
Ways we can work together
There isn't one right way to begin. Depending on what you are struggling with and how much structure or support you would like, there are several ways we can work together.
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Individual therapy sessions
We can begin with a free 15-minute introductory call and continue with individual 60-minute sessions. This option offers more flexibility, with sessions shaped around what feels most important for you at the time. -
Learn to Carry Less — Emotional Wellbeing Program
Learn to Carry Less is a structured 1- or 3-month blended program combining individual sessions with support beyond the therapy room. We work on emotional, cognitive and somatic levels — exploring what you feel, the thoughts and beliefs that shape your experience, and how stress and emotion show up in the body.
Short audio lessons, reflections and practical exercises help you bring the work into everyday life, where these patterns actually happen.
The aim is to notice them earlier, respond with more flexibility, and gradually spend less energy carrying what weighs you down — leaving more space for your life.
We can start with a free 15-minute introductory call to see whether this format feels right for you.
- Emotional Reset — a focused short-term immersion
Sometimes you may not be looking for longer-term therapy, but you know that something has accumulated and you need a more focused space to understand what is happening and find practical ways forward.
The Emotional Reset begins with a 90-minute Emotional Mapping Session, where we explore what you have been carrying, recurring emotional and behavioural patterns, triggers and what may be keeping you stuck.
For more personalized support, the Mapping session is followed by three 60-minute sessions focused on practical emotional regulation strategies and techniques that you can begin integrating into your everyday life right away. Other option is: 90-min mapping session + personalized 4-week pathway.
This format can be particularly helpful during periods of emotional overwhelm, heightened anxiety, difficult transitions or when several pressures have accumulated at once.
Emotional Reset Immersion
90-min mapping + personalized 4-week pathway
Emotional Reset Immersion + 3 follow-up sessions
The same focused work with more individual support.
There is no single format that works for everyone — the aim is to find the level of support that makes sense for what you want to work on.
Learn to carry less — and make space for what you want more of.
Experience
• 2014 – 2023 Over nearly a decade, I worked at the intersection of individual wellbeing and organizational systems — supporting startups and companies in developing mental health and wellbeing strategies, designing and delivering coaching and resilience trainings for individuals and teams, and facilitating mindfulness, yoga, and movement-based sessions to support stress regulation and emotional wellbeing. During this period I also designed and facilitated dance and movement therapy workshops in Berlin — integrating embodied approaches to emotional processing that would later become central to my therapeutic practice. Alongside this work, I completed my academic research in psychological and medical anthropology, which culminated in the publication of Szamanki w wielkim mieście (Shamans in the Big City) — an exploration of how ancient healing wisdom lives on in modern urban life.
• Since 2024 I practice as a licensed psychotherapy practitioner and psychological counselor in private practice, working with individuals navigating anxiety, stress, burnout, and emotional overwhelm. I also work within Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), supporting professionals in organizational contexts.
Education
Core Qualification • Licensed Psychotherapy Practitioner (Heilpraktiker für Psychotherapie), 2024 Licensed by Gesundheitsamt Schöneberg after completing studies at Paracelsus Academy, with a focus on psychotherapy and anxiety conditions.
Academic Background • Master of Arts in Anthropology, Free University Berlin, 2011 Specializing in medical anthropology, holistic healing practices, and dance therapy. • Post-graduation research in psychological and medical anthropology across Berlin, Lisbon, and Guadalajara — exploring embodied emotions, prehispanic dance as therapeutic practice, and cross-cultural healing methods. • Psychology Studies, Hagen University, 2020 – 2022 Extensive coursework in psychological theory, clinical psychology, psychotherapy approaches, and mental health assessment — forming the academic foundation for the Heilpraktiker qualification.
Further Training & Certifications
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) — Diploma, Holbeck College • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) • Mindfulness and Meditation Teacher Certification • Psychological Counselor — certified by the German Association for Free Psychotherapy (VFP) • Certified Yoga Teacher • Certified Master Coach — World Coaching Organization (Berlin & Helsinki)
Services
Intro Call
Individual Session
Individual Session
Insurances
