A mind that will not switch off is tiring to live with. Anxiety and stress counseling in English, online across Switzerland.
Book Free 20-Min Intro Session
When worry stops being useful
Some worry belongs to an ordinary life. It points at something that matters, and then it passes. Anxiety is different in the way it stays. The same thoughts circle, the body remains alert, and reassurance works for a few minutes at most.
People describe it to me in sentences like these:
- “I can’t switch my mind off.”
- “I am constantly thinking about the same thoughts.”
- “I’m exhausted, but I can’t seem to relax.”
- “I don’t understand why I react the way I do.”
- “I’ve lost confidence in myself.”
If you recognize yourself here, nothing is wrong with your character. Your system has been on high alert for too long.
Stress, anxiety and life abroad
Stress is a response to a load: a deadline, a move, a conflict, a decision that cannot wait. Anxiety often continues after the load has gone, or attaches itself to things that have not happened yet.
Many of my clients in Switzerland carry both at once. They perform in a second language, far from the people who know them best, in a place where everyone else seems to cope quietly. Asking for help can then feel like admitting failure. It is not.
What we work on
- Anxiety and constant worry, including the “what if” loops late at night
- Stress and emotional exhaustion
- Feeling overwhelmed or stuck when there is too much to decide
- Procrastination, which often has more to do with fear than with laziness
- Tension that sits in the body: tight shoulders, shallow breathing, restless sleep
If exhaustion is the main thing, read about burnout counseling. If your body carries most of it, body-oriented counseling may be the better starting point.
How I work with anxiety
First we slow things down and look at one recent situation in detail: what happened, what you thought, what you felt in your body, and what you did next. Patterns become visible quickly this way.
From there I use what fits you. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps you examine anxious thoughts instead of obeying them. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps you act on what matters while the anxiety is still present. Mindfulness and body-oriented exercises give your nervous system a way to settle. Between sessions you get small things to try, so the work continues in your normal week.
“Calm, comfortable atmosphere. The homework assignments can be used daily for self-regulation. I felt there was light at the end of the tunnel.”
D.P., Data Analyst
What a counselor can and cannot do here
I am a psychosocial counselor registered with the Swiss Association for Counselling (SGfB), and I hold an MSc in Psychology. I am not a psychotherapist or a doctor, so I do not diagnose anxiety disorders and I do not prescribe medication. Counseling suits anxiety and stress that wear you down while you can still manage daily life. If I think you need medical or psychotherapeutic care, I will tell you and help you look for it. The two professions are compared here: Counseling vs. psychotherapy in Switzerland.
Practical details
We meet online for 50 minutes on a secure video platform. If you would rather sit in the same room, an in-person session anywhere in Switzerland can be arranged on request. The fee is CHF 120 per session, and the 20-minute introduction costs nothing. Basic health insurance in Switzerland does not usually pay for counseling. You can speak English, Ukrainian or Russian with me.
Read more about anxiety and stress
- Anxiety as a blocked impulse for action
- High-functioning anxiety: coping well and still exhausted
- Anxiety while you wait for an important answer
- Sunday evening stress before the workweek
Questions about anxiety counseling
How do I tell anxiety from normal worry?
Normal worry is tied to something specific and fades once that thing is settled. Support is worth considering when worry appears most days, jumps from topic to topic, disturbs your sleep or makes you avoid things you want to do. You do not have to know which one it is before you book.
I have panic attacks or severe symptoms. Can I start with counseling?
Please see a doctor first. Panic attacks, chest pain, a racing heart, weeks of very poor sleep or thoughts of harming yourself need a medical assessment, and a doctor can rule out physical causes. In an emergency call 144. Counseling can then run alongside the treatment your doctor recommends.
How many sessions will I need?
There is no fixed number. Some people come for a handful of sessions around one situation. Others stay for several months to change a pattern they have had for years. Weekly or fortnightly meetings are common at the beginning, and you decide when to stop.