Counselling is a short-term or long-term tool we can use to provide another layer of support to our system. It is a place where you speak about your feelings, thoughts, experiences, triggers, patterns and your past. It is a space where you work through what has happened in your life, and then focus on what you want for yourself going forward.

An HPCSA-registered counsellor is a qualified and licensed mental health practitioner recognised by the Health Professions Council of South Africa. They provide short-term, supportive counselling for individuals facing emotional, behavioural, or psychosocial challenges. Their work focuses on promoting psychological wellbeing, helping clients develop coping skills, and offering guidance during difficult life situations.

A Psychologischer Berater (psychological counsellor) offers support for people facing personal challenges, life transitions, or emotional difficulties. The focus is on self-reflection, personal growth, and developing practical strategies for coping with everyday stress.

No, it does not replace Psychotherapy. Counselling and Psychotherapy are not interchangeable and counselling cannot be used to replace the important work that Psychotherapists and Clinical Psychologists do - treat and manage suspected and diagnosed mental health disorders and symptoms. Counsellors do not work with, treat, or manage symptoms or mental health disorders.

A Counsellor offers support with everyday challenges, emotional difficulties, and personal growth. Counselling focuses on self-reflection, coping strategies, and improving wellbeing in the present moment. It’s often short- to medium-term and helps clients navigate issues such as stress, relationships, life transitions, or self-esteem. Counsellors do not diagnose or treat mental disorders, but can provide a safe space to explore what’s happening and, if necessary, refer clients to specialised professionals.

A Psychotherapist or Clinical Psychologist, on the other hand, is trained and licensed to assess, diagnose, and treat mental health disorders (such as Depression, Anxiety, Mood Disorders or Personality Disorders). Their work is usually longer-term and intensive. Psychotherapy is also recognised and reimbursable by health insurance in Germany (and many other countries) when linked to an official diagnosis.

In short:

Counselling supports personal development and emotional wellbeing.

Psychotherapy/Clinical Psychology focuses on the treatment of mental health disorders.

If you are in acute crisis - for example, feeling unsafe, suicidal, or unable to cope - it’s important to reach out to emergency or crisis services right away (such as 112 in Germany or your local crisis helpline).

If you are in crisis, a counsellor can support you in stabilising the situation and refer you to appropriate emergency or psychotherapeutic services, ensuring you receive the specialised clinical care you need.

If you urgently need support, here are some important numbers to have on hand. Please note that I do not offer emergency services or support.

Germany:

Nationwide anonymous crisis helpline (available 24/7): 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222

Berlin local crisis service: Berliner Krisendienst — phone number for Berlin-Mitte: 030 390 63 10

General emergency services (life-threatening situation): 112 or 116 117 (health insurance appointment service)

South Africa:

Lifeline Western Cape WhatsApp Call: 063 709 2620, Telephone Counselling Line (landline): 021 461 1111

South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) Suicide Crisis Line: 0800 567 567

National Emergency Number: 112

I offer 60 minute and 90 minute sessions virtually via Zoom, or at a shared practice in Prenzlauer Berg. Some clients do a mix of the two if they are based locally. For now, I only available for in-person sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Please enquire for more information.

Our first meeting is a free, non-binding opportunity to get to know each other and see whether working together feels like the right fit.

The cost for Psychological Counselling in Germany is not covered by health insurance. In Germany, only Psychotherapy connected to a formal diagnosis (according to ICD-11) can be reimbursed.

Counselling is therefore offered as a self-funded service, which means you can receive support that is discreet, flexible, has limited waiting times, done without any formal procedures or health insurance documentation, and no information shared with insurance.

Everybody should be able to access mental health care, regardless of their finances. I do offer reduced rates on request. Sometimes clients will pay full rate and something shifts in their personal life that changes their circumstances, and we move to a reduced rate until things feel more settled. If you are interested in a reduced rate, please do get in touch.

This is tricky to answer, but essentially it’s a feeling. I would suggest choosing a handful of therapists and counsellors and have a look at their professional social media pages, their websites, their Google reviews. Chatting with potential mental health practitioners can help identify if there is a connection - which is the most important thing. Most therapists offer free consults (15 minutes) where you can chat over Zoom or a call to see if you feel comfortable with them.

At the core of my work is Positive Psychology, where I focus on building and strengthening the self, fostering resilience, and encouraging personal growth. I focus on empowering each client to navigate life with perspective and self-understanding.

This really depends on the client. Most of my clients see me twice a month for between 6-12 months and then we will reassess. I would say that completing between 12 and 24 sessions is often the sweet spot. However, if you don’t have the time or the finances to come into the space that much, you can also do it on an ad-hoc basis (as and when you need to). I have seen 6 sessions of counselling be helpful for clients and so this will depend on how much work we do and what the focus is.

The first session is an introductory/intake session where we will chat about your intake forms, the process of counselling, answer questions and get a sense of what you want to work on and get from the space. We also speak about your counselling goals and what brings you into the space now.

As mentioned above, Counselling and Psychotherapy are different and only those seeking Counselling support are eligible to book sessions with Tami.

The idea that everyone should be in the counselling space is simply not true. While it can be helpful and can create a space for healing, there are other ways to work on healing. If you feel you have tried everything and you still feel stuck in what has happened to you, what you are feeling, what you want for yourself…then counselling might be helpful.

This is completely up to you! I suggest that clients keep a “counselling/process journal” where they can reflect on the sessions we have had and keep track of the progress they are feeling and making. It is also a great way to keep track of topics that you want to work on.

This can be so disheartening when we are working hard and then it feels like there isn’t any change/or the right changes. This is something we can discuss so that we can change gears. We can’t always be sure that the approach we think is going to work, actually does work. This is something to chat to Tami about, but realistically we should give ourselves a minimum of 6 sessions together to truly establish whether something is or isn’t working.