Max Schwemmer

My work is fundamentally client-oriented and resource-focused. This means that I do not provide you with ready-made solutions, but rather use my techniques to lead you to find your own personally feasible solutions and activate the resources within you that are useful for solving your issue step by step. Your Self Efficacy is at the core of our work.

Depending on the gravity and depth of your issues I have different approaches for you available. Tools that are rather short term relief oriented with an approach of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and Neurolinguistic Programming which can bring massive results in the most effective way.

More profound approaches include a hypnosystemic approach, which aims to fundamentally master yourself through self-awareness. In doing so, I aim to discover and activate both your unconscious, involuntary parts (e.g. inner child, inner critic, inner judge, internalized family parts) and your cognitively conscious parts (e.g. rational, analytical, over-thinking parts) that exist inside you. We find out which parts have currently dysfuncional strategies for yourself (and therefore cause your struggle and suffering) and we aim to develop and integrate them so they are in best case supportive or at least not sabotaging any more.

Important note before booking: Personal consultations are available in my practice on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2:30 p.m. onwards. At other free time-slots in my calendar, consultations are only available online via video using the complicated.life video tool.

We usually start with a free initial consultation of about 20 minutes, and if we are a good fit, you can book either an individual session (50 min for €80) or a double session (100 min for €140).

I look forward to hearing from you!

Among the topics I can help you with:

Burnout Burnout always results from being overwhelmed by massive demands from oneself and a (usually professional) role that requires meeting multiple external demands. The affected person is trapped in this energy-draining situation and increasingly burns out until, in the case of burnout, they can no longer function at all, their "battery" is completely "empty." This should be understood as a helpful signal from the body that things cannot continue this way and that a new direction must be taken. We can find and implement this new direction together, tailored to your individual needs. I have practical experience in inpatient burnout therapy, am familiar with standard burnout diagnostics, and, last but not least, wrote my diploma thesis on the personal causes and risk factors of burnout.

Anxiety & Panic Anxiety is the feeling that results from negative expectations about the future (fear of catastrophe, embarrassment, damage, pain, death, etc.) and is usually created by past negative reference experiences. Therefore, anxiety is primarily addressed and resolved "in the mind." However, the physical anxiety response can also be included in the therapy. Generally, (real or imagined) confrontation is considered the most effective therapy for anxiety, but there are also various other approaches. I have a wide range of methods to transform your anxiety into safety, confidence, and trust. Anxiety is one of the most common issues my clients experience.

Depression Are you currently experiencing a depressive episode and everything seems difficult, you feel worthless and burdensome to others, and you see the world through a gray veil? We can work on this. Your depression is a phase, and every phase eventually ends. I can help you reverse this trend and guide you step by step back to joy, self-confidence, and a positive mood.

Relationship Problems Are you suffering from conflicts in your partnership or family? Do you want to break harmful or toxic patterns in your relationship, improve your communication, or assert yourself more effectively and set boundaries? I'm happy to help! I can also work with other members of your relationship system.

Addiction & Dependence Are you suffering from unmet needs and using addictive substances to numb your pain or distract yourself? There are better ways! I will guide you step by step on your path out of addiction. We will develop effective new strategies for you that fulfill the needs behind your addiction, so that your addictive strategy is replaced naturally.

2012-2021 Employed as a psychologist in vocational rehabilitation at the Stralsund Vocational Training Center 2021 - present: Freelance psychologist & psychotherapist in private practice

2006-2012 Diploma (=Bachelors+Masters) in Psychology at University of Innsbruck, successfully completed 2008-2009 Studied abroad at the University of New Orleans, USA 2007-2011 Bachelor of Science in Management & Economics, successfully completed