An English-speaking counselor for people in Bern, the federal capital. Private, online by default, and in person in Bern on request.
Book Free 20-Min Intro Session
The capital that feels like a small town
Bern is the seat of the Swiss government and parliament. Embassies are based here, the Universal Postal Union has its headquarters in the city, and the federal administration, the university and the Inselspital employ people from many countries.
Compared with Zurich or Geneva, the international community is small. People speak Bernese German at the bakery and in the tram. The French-speaking part of the country starts a short train ride to the west, and offices connected to the federal government often work in several national languages at once. English is understood almost everywhere, yet it is rarely the language of the room.
A small community has a warm side and a difficult side. You meet the same faces at receptions, at school events and at the market. Postings last a few years and then end. If you came as the partner of a diplomat or an official, your own career may be on hold while theirs sets the calendar.
When your position makes it hard to speak openly
People in public, diplomatic or senior roles are often careful about what they say, and to whom. That caution is sensible. It can also mean that months pass without one honest conversation about how you are doing.
In counseling you can put the role down for a while. Typical themes are:
- Constant alertness and worry that does not stop in the evening
- Tiredness from being composed and correct all day
- Loneliness in a city where everyone seems to know everyone
- Losing your sense of direction between one posting and the next
- Tension at home that you cannot discuss with anyone in your circle
Related pages: Anxiety and stress counseling and Counseling for expats in Switzerland. For all locations, see the Switzerland overview.
How we would meet
By default we talk over a secure video connection, and each session takes 50 minutes. You choose the place: your living room, a parked car, any spot where you will not be interrupted.
Should you want to meet in person in Bern, that can be organized on request. Let me know when we first speak.
A session is priced at CHF 120. Before that, there is a free introduction of 20 minutes, with no obligation to continue. As a rule, counseling is not paid for by Swiss basic insurance. I offer sessions in three languages: English, Ukrainian and Russian.
Counseling is not psychotherapy
In Switzerland these are two separate professions. A psychotherapist treats mental disorders, often on a doctor’s referral. A psychosocial counselor, which is my profession, supports healthy adults through stress, change and difficult decisions. I hold an MSc in Psychology and am listed with the Swiss Association for Counselling (SGfB); I make no diagnoses and write no prescriptions. For a fuller comparison, read Counseling vs. psychotherapy in Switzerland.
“Maryna is very sensitive, attentive, deeply reflective, and easy to trust and open up to. Every week, our sessions were a stable support that I could rely on even on the most difficult days.”
O.F.
If you are still deciding
- Your first counseling session when you do not know where to start
- Counseling confidentiality in Switzerland: what to ask
- What counseling can help with
- How to get ready for a free introduction call
What people in Bern want to know
Can we meet in person in Bern?
Yes, if you ask for it. I work online first, and many people prefer that for privacy. An in-person appointment in Bern needs some planning, so please bring it up early and we will fix the details together.
I hold a diplomatic or public position. How confidential is this?
What you tell me stays between us. You book directly with me, without a referral, and you can attend from a private place of your choice. Ask me anything about confidentiality and record keeping during the introduction; I will answer plainly before you decide.
I am not sure counseling is right for me. How do I start?
Start with the free 20 minutes. You describe in your own words what is on your mind, and I tell you honestly whether counseling fits or whether a different kind of support would serve you better. Nothing is booked beyond that call unless you want it.