Asking for help

If and when things get too much for us, and we can’t cope with the distress, ask for help. While family and friends may offer a listening ear, specialized help can empower you to deal with the stress you are experiencing and work on important topics for you on a regular basis.

MDC-paid counsellor.

The MDC now pays for therapy sessions for everyone, including all PhD students. Since it is relatively easy to get an appointment, you can get professional help faster then through the regular ways.

Sylvie Tappert is the counsellor of the Charite and currently also of the MDC. In June, the MDC directors will evaluate how much time she takes for MDC employees and decide whether to hire a specific MDC therapist. We will get to know Sylvie Tappert this Friday and publish our interview later, so that you get to know her. Click below to contact her.
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Getting a therapist in Germany.

If you are looking for long term help throughout the PhD, most German insurance companies pay for regular therapist sessions. However, this is not easy to get since most therapists in Berlin are full. To find a therapist that fits you, you can search therapists with your desired characteristics, with “Kassenzulassung” (paid by the insurance), and call them for an appointment. The website is unfortunately only in German, but you can search for English (or any other language) speaking therapists. Let us know if you need help.
If you can’t find the time to approach a therapist yourself, the “Terminservicestelle der Kassenärztlichen Vereinigungen” can assist you. Since 2018, the Terminservicestelle is legally required to provide you with a first appointment within a time-frame of four weeks. However, if you are interested in more than an initial assessment (“Sprechstunde/Erstgespräch”), this service requires an additional recommendation, which is given after the Sprechstunde.
Our advice: If therapists offer an appointment in a few months, take it (instead of continuing to look for another)

Mindfulness courses for stress reduction.

Mindfulness meditation is loosely defined as practicing to pay attention to the present moment and experience the flow of consciousness including thoughts, feelings and sensations in a non-judgemental way.
There is a growing body of evidence showing that it can be beneficial in maintaining good mental health, building resilience to stress, and likely helping with certain mental health disorders.
German insurance companies offer (limited) financial support for a preventative Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course. For example, TK offers 75€ support for a 350-400€ course.
Importantly, neither MBSR or mindfulness meditation should be used as a substitute for therapy. If you feel you might be experiencing symptoms of mental illness, contact a health professional before engaging in meditation exercises.

Testimonies

Sometimes it is hard to understand how you can benefit from therapy, that is why 3 PhD students from the MDC decided to share their story:

Testimony 1

Recently completed my 3rd year of my PhD and this was the first time I realized how close I am to an end. Automatically, all my doubts about my project became even heavier. At the same time, I realized my friends and I will likely part from each other soon, as the scientific career requires mobility. I was/am afraid of my future. Altogether, these drove my anxiety level up high and I fell for the pleasures of addiction, controlled since years. I’m so glad I acted fast and found help and support in partner and friends. But I still needed professional help. While searching for a therapist, I got news that MDC is now providing counseling. I wasted no time and contacted Sylvie at the Charité. In less than two days we had our first session, and I’ve been meeting with her since then. In our sessions, we work on the techniques to compensate for what I’m lacking but get from my addiction. We also look deep into myself to help me better understand my needs. Although recent and ongoing, I feel more under control over myself. Having someone to talk has helped me organize thoughts and decreased my anxiety, because I know I have a space to process these issues without overthinking.

Testimony 2

I only started going to a therapist quite recently. I would have liked to go a lot earlier, but it was hard to find a fitting one. Now that I did, I can say: it was worth the trouble. I’m learning some basic skills on how to figure out what I’m feeling and why, and even after a few sessions, I already notice a big difference in how I approach situations that are challenging or in which I simply feel uncomfortable. And it is such an eye-opener.
To a session I usually bring some theme that is bothering me, and we figure out together why it is bothering me. It can be very, very uncomfortable, but every session I learn something new, about myself and the people around me. I figured out patterns in my own behaviour that I did not know of before. Some of them refreshing, some of them distressing. But I have the feeling there are things moving that have not moved before, and I wish this for everyone.

Testimony 3

I excelled in all school stages, received excellent feedback in my Masters and was absolutely sure Academia was the right track for me. But while doing the PhD, something shifted, I became super unconfident, more aware of my needs and how I am not getting them satisfied. Since I am in therapy, we could identify these sources of stress, know when they start and why they exist. Getting behavioral tools was essential to manage my mental health and feel empowered to change or accept certain characteristics of myself now. It also really helps to know that when I have a crisis, I´ll be able to work on it that same week.

Help is coming!

If you would like to contact the counselor (and get an appointment for free!!) click the link below.

Learn more

Next up:

How does your mental health look like: Recognizing the signs for stress and depression.