Counseling in Russian and Ukrainian in Switzerland

Counseling in Russian and Ukrainian for adults in Switzerland, with a counselor who is a native speaker.

Who this is for

This page is for Russian-speaking and Ukrainian-speaking adults who live in Switzerland. Some of you came for work or study. Some followed a partner. Some had to leave home at short notice and did not choose this country at all.

Whatever brought you here, you may spend your days in German, French, Italian or English and manage well. Managing is not the same as being understood. When the subject is fear, grief, shame or love, most people reach for the language they grew up in.

Why your first language matters

In a second language we tend to sound more reasonable than we feel. The vocabulary is smaller, so the feelings come out smaller too. Humor, childhood words and the exact shade of an insult are hard to carry across.

I am a native speaker of both Ukrainian and Russian, and I also work in English. In our sessions you do not need to search for words or explain cultural background. You can say it the way it sounds in your head. That saves time, and it often brings up things that stay hidden in a foreign language.

What people bring

Burnout and long-term stress at work
Anxiety, overthinking and poor sleep
Loneliness and missing the people who stayed behind
Guilt about living far from parents and relatives
Tension with a partner, or raising children between two cultures
Losing a profession or status after the move and having to begin again
Grief and other losses

For more on these themes, see Counseling for expats in Switzerland.

How I work

I am a psychosocial counselor with an MSc in Psychology, and I am registered with the Swiss Association for Counselling (SGfB). Before this I was a lawyer and moved to another country myself. My methods include CBT, ACT, Gestalt-informed and body-oriented counseling, mindfulness and creative art methods. Which of them we use depends on you.

“My condition changed dramatically. I had more energy, a stable emotional state, a good mood, and a desire to ‘live and act’.”
S.M., Parent

Counseling and psychotherapy are different things

In many countries the word “psychologist” covers everything. Switzerland draws a line. Psychotherapy is treatment for a diagnosed condition and is carried out by licensed psychotherapists. What I offer is counseling: support with stress, relationships, adaptation and difficult periods of life. I give no diagnoses and no prescriptions. The distinction is explained in English here: Counseling vs. psychotherapy in Switzerland. In an emergency, call 144.

Practical details

Sessions are held online on a secure video platform and last 50 minutes. If you would like to meet in person, that is possible in Switzerland on request. A regular session costs CHF 120, and we start with a free 20-minute introduction. You choose the language: Russian, Ukrainian or English. More about the format: Online counseling in Switzerland.

По-русски

Я провожу консультации на русском языке для взрослых, которые живут в Швейцарии. Обычно мы встречаемся онлайн, на защищённой видеоплатформе, поэтому неважно, в каком кантоне вы живёте. По запросу возможна и личная встреча в Швейцарии.

Первая ознакомительная встреча длится 20 минут и бесплатна. Обычная сессия длится 50 минут и стоит 120 швейцарских франков (CHF 120). Записаться можно на странице записи. Страница записи на английском языке, а сами встречи проходят на русском.

Українською

Я проводжу консультації українською мовою для дорослих, які живуть у Швейцарії. Зазвичай ми зустрічаємося онлайн, на захищеній відеоплатформі, тому не має значення, у якому кантоні ви живете. За запитом можлива й особиста зустріч у Швейцарії.

Перша ознайомча зустріч триває 20 хвилин і є безкоштовною. Звичайна сесія триває 50 хвилин і коштує 120 швейцарських франків (CHF 120). Записатися можна на сторінці запису. Сторінка запису англійською мовою, а самі зустрічі відбуваються українською.

Questions about sessions in Russian and Ukrainian

Can we switch languages during a session?

Yes, freely. Many clients mix Ukrainian, Russian and English in one conversation, sometimes in one sentence. Use whichever word comes first. If you prefer to keep to a single language, tell me and I will follow.

Is this psychotherapy?

No. It is psychosocial counseling. I am not a psychotherapist or a psychiatrist, so I do not diagnose or treat mental illness and I do not prescribe medication. If you need that kind of care, I will say so and help you find a suitable specialist.

How do payment and insurance work?

The fee is CHF 120 for a 50-minute session, and packages of sessions are available. Clients outside Switzerland can have the price shown in EUR or USD. Counseling is typically not covered by Swiss basic insurance, so please plan to pay for it yourself.