FAQs

We have had a practice in the heart of Zurich for almost 20 years.
During this time, we have changed our location twice, but always within a radius of around 500 meters or a few minutes’ walk.

Our practice is not only our workplace, but also an important part of our lives. We wouldn’t want to miss working on site.

For a long time, it was unimaginable for us to offer couple or individual sessions online. Then came the corona pandemic – and we had no other choice.

In the meantime, we have realized that in most sessions, it hardly makes a difference whether we work in person on site or meet our clients via video. In fact, it has become clear that the advantages in terms of flexibility – both in terms of time and location – clearly outweigh the supposed disadvantage of the lack of direct contact. And that applies not only to our clients, but also to ourselves.

This is because the process of personal development – whether therapeutic, coaching or even spiritual – always takes place within the client themselves. Personal integration does not usually happen during the session, but in everyday life

The role of the therapist

Since the early days of psychoanalysis, the main task of therapists has been to listen, accompany and create a protected space in which clients can find their own impulses and direction.

In Freud’s day, there were no sophisticated means of communication like today’s video conferencing tools.
Anyone who wanted to work with him had to travel to Vienna to lie on his coach and talk. Freud listened, asked the odd question and thus established the “talking cure” that we know today as psychoanalysis.

A lot has changed in the meantime: The therapeutic landscape has become more diverse, as have the ways in which we communicate. From the classic telephone to early videophones and stable video conferencing – digital conversations are now a natural part of everyday life.

Admittedly: There can be technical hurdles at first – the camera, microphone or speakers don’t want to work straight away. But as soon as these small stumbling blocks are overcome, we experience no noticeable difference to an on-site session.

Online versus a visit to the practice

Nevertheless, we agree with all those who say: something is missing. A certain space. The way there. A smell. Perhaps even the cup of tea or the glass of water that is usually always ready. And of course the handshake is missing – that brief, familiar moment when you enter the room.

And yet: we sometimes experience our presence – and allowing ourselves to be touched and move within – even more intensely online. Perhaps because it’s easier to block out the outside world for a moment in this setting.

The work of integration remains the same anyway – you will always do it on your own.

With the switch to online, we have largely opted for a “nomadic” lifestyle, often traveling the world for long periods of time.

You can still meet us in person, but usually not in our practice rooms and rarely planned well in advance. We usually know about 4 weeks in advance where life will take us – we often don’t know the exact circumstances ourselves.

For a personal meeting, all you have to do is embark on an adventure and see what fate has in store for you. Or wait until we are back in our practice in Zurich.

On the other hand, we reliably hold online meetings – unless a hurricane sweeps over us, a tsunami hits or the Internet completely refuses to work.

At the beginning of our practice, we were on a first-name basis with all our clients.

This was not only an expression of politeness, but also a form of demarcation for us – the “you” created a professional distance.

Over time – and also prompted by suggestions from clients – we were able to get more and more involved with the “you”. Today, we are on a first-name basis with almost all clients. It emphasizes equality and strengthens the basis of trust in our collaboration.

Nevertheless, we have long used the “Sie” on our website – out of respect and in accordance with the usual forms of politeness in German-speaking countries.

However, with the changeover to a location-independent practice and the growing internationality of our work, we have decided to use a uniform form of address: The Anglo-Saxon “you” knows no difference between Du and Sie – and we are now adopting this openness on our site too.

In the sessions themselves, we are happy to adapt to you – or to you.

Based on our experience of assisting over 7,000 couples over the last 16 years, we have made a conscious decision to only work in a two-to-two setting.

All too often, we have seen how one person gets “caught between the two stools” in traditional couple sessions with just one therapist. In such moments, the individual therapist is often more concerned with balancing attention than devoting themselves fully to the couple’s actual concerns.

In our two-to-two sessions, the masculine and feminine complement each other, as do different perspectives, resonances and approaches to the world. This not only expands the space, but also deepens our understanding of each other.

Sometimes we receive inquiries from clients who would rather opt for a therapist due to the slightly higher costs. We can understand that – which is why we don’t charge double the rate. Our sessions in the practice are only around 25% higher than the usual rate for couples sessions with a single person in Switzerland.

A few days after a session, you will receive an invoice from us by email.

The invoice contains an IBAN so that you can transfer the amount to us, as well as a link to our Wise account. You can also pay there with your credit card without your own Wise account.

We ask that our invoices are paid within 14 days of the mailing, but at the latest before the next agreed session.

¹ Movie quote: Cloud Atlas – Sonmi451

² Theodor W. Adorno: Minima Moralia

³ Erich Fromm: The art of loving

⁴ Khalil Gibran: Beauty

⁵ Rumi: Ghaselen

⁶ Plato: Politeia

⁷ Plato: Apology of Socrates

⁸ J.W. Goethe: Faust