What are my payment options? What will my insurer pay for?
Paying from your own pocket
You pay cash at the beginning of the session. The amount is determined by the issue, number of people and amount of time involved.
Private health insurance
Contact your insurer first and ask them what they will pay for. Not all insurance companies cover the full amount. You pay my invoice from your own pocket and then submit the invoice to your insurer who reimburses you. The amount is dictated by the current German schedule of medical fees (Gebührenordnung or GOP).
Members of German sick funds (gesetzlich versichert)
You have a legal right to see a psychotherapist for initial exploratory sessions. This will be charged to your health insurance card. Please bring a letter of referral from your GP so that we can apply for funding together.
I want to have therapy with you as an outpatient. What should I do?
Call me and I’ll give you an appointment for an initial meeting at which you can talk about what is troubling you. I will inform you about the treatment methods and the application procedure I use. After our first meeting we can decide whether we want continue with some more exploratory meetings and apply for funding.
What should I bring to the first appointment?
If you are a member of a German sick fund, please bring your insurance card and a letter of referral from your GP. As a rule, private health insurance companies reimburse you for psychotherapy on receipt of an invoice. If you are privately insured, you should ask your insurer whether and to what extent they will cover outpatient psychotherapy. If you want to pay for your psychotherapy yourself, the costs will be calculated according to the German schedule of medical fees (GOP).
How long do I have to wait for therapy to start?
How long you wait will depend on when you can fit in an appointment. If you are more flexible, I can offer you an appointment sooner. You will have to wait longer if you can only come at certain times, such as evenings. You can find out about current waiting times by calling me during my designated telephone times.
Under what circumstances does ambulant psychotherapy get funded?
I have been approved by the authority for German sick funds to conduct psychotherapy. If you are a member of a German sick fund, I will invoice your fund directly using your membership card.
If you are privately insured, I will invoice you in accordance with the German schedule of medical fees (Gebührenordnung für Psychotherapeuten (GOP)). Your insurer will then reimburse you in accordance with the conditions of your policy.
One-to-one as well as group therapy is covered by insurance.
In one-to-one therapy it can be helpful to include another person (partner, child or parent). This is mandatory in therapy involving children and young people. These sessions are covered by the sick fund.
To apply for funding for your psychotherapy, you will need to ask your doctor to complete a form known as a Konsiliarbericht, which I can provide. I will discuss with you whether we should apply for a short-term (25 hours) or a long-term (50 hours) therapy. Should we opt for a long-term therapy, I will write an anonymous report that will be submitted along with your application for funding to your sick fund. Your sick fund will then send this to an assessor who will advise them on whether to fund the therapy. Private health insurers do not have uniform application procedures. Please contact your health insurance company to find out what documentation they require. Most private insurance companies reimburse the costs of psychotherapy from therapists (that) which are registered with them.
What should I do if I am unable to keep an appointment?
If you are unable to keep an appointment, please notify us at least two working days in advance to avoid incurring the agreed cancellation fee.
What is psychodynamic therapy?
The starting point for psychodynamic therapy is the disorder from which the patient is currently suffering. It develops an understanding of the internalised conflicts rooted in the life history of the patient and leads to constructive change. The patient is given the tools to develop the self-understanding necessary to change his or her life for the better.
How long does a psychodynamic therapy take?
In the first five sessions you have the opportunity to get to know the therapist and how he or she works. The other sessions usually take place once a week at a regular time and date. Towards the end of therapy and after consultation, the intervals between appointments can be extended to a fortnight or more. Short-term therapy consists of 24 sessions. Thereafter it can, if necessary, be continued as a long-term therapy. A long-term psychodynamic therapy can take up to 100 sessions. Continuing on with therapy is also possible, as is its early termination.