An English-speaking counselor for adults anywhere in Switzerland. Start here to find the topic or the place that fits you.
Book Free 20-Min Intro Session
Who I am
My name is Maryna Zaitseva. I work as a psychosocial counselor and am registered with the Swiss Association for Counselling (SGfB). My degree is an MSc in Psychology. Earlier in life I was a lawyer, and I moved abroad and started again, so I know the ground many of my clients stand on.
So far I have given more than 4,500 hours of counseling to people from over 17 countries. I work in English, Ukrainian and Russian.
What counseling is, and what it is not
Counseling is a series of confidential conversations with a trained professional about what weighs on you: exhaustion, worry, a relationship, a move, a decision. You do not need to be ill to come. Feeling stuck for a while is enough.
People often type “English-speaking therapist” into a search engine when they look for this kind of help. To be exact, I am a counselor and not a psychotherapist. Psychotherapists and psychiatrists diagnose and treat mental disorders, sometimes with medication. None of that is part of my work. When someone needs that level of care, I tell them and help them find it. A fuller explanation: Counseling vs. psychotherapy in Switzerland.
How it works
- A free 20-minute introduction comes first, to see whether we suit each other
- Regular sessions last 50 minutes and cost CHF 120
- A crisis support session at short notice costs CHF 150
- We meet online on a secure video platform; in person anywhere in Switzerland on request
- Swiss basic insurance, as a rule, does not cover counseling
Depending on the person, I draw on CBT, ACT, Gestalt-informed and body-oriented work, mindfulness and creative art methods.
“Looking back at myself last year and now, I realize how far I have come thanks to our conversations and the additional homework I received after each session.”
D.R., Creative Professional
Counseling by topic
- Burnout counseling: when rest has stopped working
- Anxiety and stress counseling: for worry that runs all day and into the night
- Relationship counseling: for individuals, about the people closest to them
- Counseling for expats: adjustment, belonging and the question of home
- Online counseling: what a video session involves
- Body-oriented counseling: for tension you cannot think your way out of
- Counseling in Russian and Ukrainian: sessions in your first language
Counseling near you
Every location below is served online, with in-person sessions on request.
- Zurich: finance, tech and research
- Geneva: UN agencies and NGOs, in French-speaking Switzerland
- Basel: pharma and life sciences at the border with Germany and France
- Bern: the federal city and its embassies
- Lausanne: universities and sport federations on Lake Geneva
- Zug: a small canton with many international companies
- Lucerne: the center of Central Switzerland
- Winterthur: a short train ride from Zurich
- St. Gallen: eastern Switzerland and its university
- Lugano: Italian-speaking Ticino
- Lake Zurich and Schwyz: the area where I am based
Auf Deutsch: Englischsprachige psychologische Beratung in der Schweiz.
Good places to start reading
- What counseling can help with
- Preparing for the free introduction call
- Counselor, psychologist or psychotherapist: how to choose
- Do you need a referral for counseling in Switzerland?
Common questions
Do I need a referral?
No. Counseling is something you arrange yourself. There is no need for a letter from a doctor, a diagnosis or approval from an insurer. Pick a time for the introduction and we talk.
Which languages do you work in?
English, Ukrainian and Russian. I do not hold sessions in German, French or Italian. You are welcome to choose the language in which you express yourself most easily, and to change it later.
How do I choose between a counselor, a psychologist and a psychotherapist?
Think about what you need, not about the title. For stress, burnout, relationship questions and life changes, a counselor is often a good fit. “Psychologist” describes a university degree and can mean many kinds of work. For a suspected mental illness, or if you need a diagnosis or medication, see a psychotherapist or a psychiatrist. If you are not sure, book the introduction and I will give you my honest view.