Vera Fleischer

Relational My approach is client-centered and relational. I strive to meet you where you are and as you are. I place great emphasis on the client-therapist relationship, as I believe it often parallels your experiences in real life. Logical With compassion and curiosity I use a logical approach to help you meet your soul’s needs and live your favorite life. I worked in the software industry for many years. Because of this experience I bring a strongly developed logical, problem-solving side to my work. As a former software debugger, I now see myself as a soul debugger. Together we can figure out what you want and how you are interrupting yourself from getting there. Moment-to-moment tracking In terms of psychological approaches, I identify as a Gestalt therapist first and foremost. In our sessions I like to start with awareness in the here and now. Out of this awareness emerge sensations, thoughts and feelings which need to be experienced, digested and integrated into the whole of one’s being. Sometimes integration means not digesting a particular byte of information. Accepting this refusal can also contribute to greater wholeness. Choice-based A lot of times a sense of well-being can come from making a clear decision about what you want to do with a particular sensation, thought or feeling. You learn to be and accept who you are, with your likes and dislikes, preferences and resistances. Sometimes, owning the unknown or confusion can be part of this. We can become clear about being confused and make a choice based on this clarity, and that feels good. Parts work Another big part of my work is parts work. In parts work, we identify and communicate with different parts of your psyche or personality that may or may not be in conflict with each other. Common parts are the inner critic, judge, protector, or fighter. We explore what a dominant part needs. We explore what a hidden part is afraid of. Insights, relief and freedom can emerge from this work.

Therapist & Couples Counselor, Cologne, Germany, December 2019 – present: Provide couples therapy and individual psychotherapy in German and English as well as remote psychotherapy for clients residing in California. Psychotherapist in Private Practice, Bay Area Gestalt Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA, September 2015 – December 2019: Saw individuals and couples as a psychotherapist in private practice, focused on communication skills, relationships, shame, self-esteem, grief, loneliness, childhood emotional neglect, etc. Primary Therapist, Cielo House, Moss Beach, CA, USA, September 2015 – August 2017: Saw individual clients, couples and families in a residential / PHP treatment facility for eating disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders, including assessment and crisis intervention. Facilitated therapy groups on topics such as Body Image, CBT, DBT, Interpersonal, and Process. Psychotherapist Intern, Church Street Integral Counseling Center, San Francisco, CA, USA, September 2014 – September 2015: Saw individuals and couples as a psychotherapist in a private practice setting. Facilitated trainings and exercises with trainees. Psychotherapist Trainee, Church Street Integral Counseling Center, San Francisco, CA, USA, September 2013 – September 2014: Saw individuals and couples as a psychotherapist in a private practice setting. Affiliations: DVG (Deutsche Vereinigung für Gestalttherapie), supporting member since 2021 CAMFT (California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists), member since 2017 SFCAMT (San Francisco California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists), member since 2017 BAOM (Bay Area Open Minds: Psychotherapists Affirming Sexual & Gender Diversity), board member since 2016

2023 - 2025 Training for Gestalt Supervisors, Kortrijk, Belgium 2022 IFS (Internal Family Systems) Level 1, Cologne 2022 EFT Core Skills, Berlin 2020 Externship in EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples), Berlin 2020 License as a Heilpraktiker for Psychotherapy by the City of Cologne 2019 Basic training in EMDR, San Francisco 2016 License as a California Marriage and Family Therapist (#97057) 2015-2017 Training in Gestalt therapy at Bay Area Gestalt Institute, San Francisco 2014 Master of Arts in Integral Counseling Psychology from California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), San Francisco 2013-2015 Training in Gestalt therapy at the Church Street Integral Counseling Center, San Francisco