Hi, I'm Svenja
Born in New Jersey to a German father and Belgian mother, I was raised in a multicultural and multilingual household, speaking English, German, and French fluently. Our family later moved to France, where I attended a French-German high school.
At 18, I relocated to Germany and studied psychology at the University of Mannheim. I graduated with a Diplom in Psychology, then completed my training in cognitive behavioral therapy at the private institute IFKV Bad Dürkheim, successfully passing the national licensing exam to become a licensed psychotherapist.
After moving to Seattle in 2021, I observed how many professionals struggled with stress, burnout, imposter syndrome, and unsustainable work patterns. Drawing on my 15+ years of experience with CBT principles and my cross-cultural background, I now help people identify the thoughts and behaviors limiting their progress and develop more sustainable approaches to professional success.
Services
I provide authentic, empathetic guidance delivered with a touch of humor and genuine curiosity. I don't just offer solutions for you to follow. Instead, we explore possibilities together and create space for you to discover your own path to sustainable success.
Stress Management & Sustainable Productivity: Learn evidence-based techniques to handle pressure without burning out while creating work patterns that energize rather than drain you. Perfect when you're feeling constantly on edge, overwhelmed by competing deadlines, or caught in cycles of overwork that leave you exhausted. We'll develop personalized strategies that fit your lifestyle and actually work long-term.
Self-Compassion: Transform your inner critic into a supportive ally. Essential when perfectionism creates paralysis, you're harder on yourself than you'd ever be on others, or self-criticism is undermining your confidence and progress.
Communication & Boundaries: Build skills for clearer, more confident interactions. Ideal when you're avoiding difficult conversations, struggling to set limits with colleagues or family, or finding it hard to advocate for your needs without feeling guilty.
Emotional Regulation: Develop skills to navigate difficult emotions with greater ease. Helpful when feedback triggers intense reactions, you're struggling with frequent anger or constant worry, or you want to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively in challenging situations.
Life Events & Major Changes: Navigate significant life shifts with greater clarity and confidence. Essential for career changes, graduating and entering the workforce, moving to a new area, facing retirement transitions, ending or beginning relationships, or any major life change that's left you feeling uncertain about your next steps.
Mental Performance: Optimize your mindset for peak performance in high-pressure situations. Valuable for athletes preparing for competition, professionals facing major presentations, or anyone wanting to maintain high performance without sacrificing well-being. We'll develop mental strategies that help you excel while protecting your long-term energy and focus.