From Holistic Medicine to Psychotraumatology

After completing my psychiatric training in 1983, I set up my own practice as a psychiatrist and psychotherapist in Zurich. At the same time, I developed in-flight anxiety courses with Swissair (Swiss Airlines), which introduced me to stress management techniques and, more generally, to behavioral and cognitive therapies (CBT). Dissatisfied with the psychoanalytic model that dominated the world of psychotherapy at the time, I turned to alternative medicine in search of a more global (holistic) way of practicing. From 1983 to 2001, I trained in various alternative approaches, such as nutrition (Kousmine method), classical homeopathy (Dr. Jus, Dr. Heudens), Furter massage and Magnobiopulse, to accompany my psychotherapeutic work. These were very interesting years and I had the opportunity to treat a wide range of medical problems from a psychosomatic perspective. I learned to observe my patients as a whole, both physically and psychologically.

But at the turn of the century, my practice took a completely new direction. By 2001 I had returned to psychiatry, and the International Congress of Psychotherapy in Vienna in 2002 was an eye-opener for me. The introduction of the Tarmed tariff in 2003 and new training requirements forced me to redefine my practice and focus on psychiatry and psychotherapy. I was delighted to do so, as a whole new range of psychotherapeutic intervention techniques had emerged in the meantime. In 2002 I discovered EMDR and Psychotraumatology. In quick succession, I trained in EMDR, Screen Therapy, Debriefing and various hypnotherapeutic techniques (Dr. Perren-Klingler). In 2005 I started using EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), which I modified (EFT3 in 2011 and HypnoEFT in 2013) to adapt it to the treatment of psychotrauma. Since 2007, I've been teaching and presenting these techniques at various international conferences (ISSTD and ESTD).

My way of working is

Patient-centered: Most health problems have multiple levels. Let's take the example of an accident. While the surgeon expertly sews up the wounds, the emotional wounds are often ignored. On the other hand, particular pains after an accident or surgery are sometimes labeled as "psychological," when a quick Furter massage or scar treatment could quickly put an end to them. For me, the patient as a whole is always the focus of my work. With 20 years of experience in psychotherapy, crisis work and alternative medicine, I have many techniques at my disposal. For each patient, the best strategy remains to be found.

Trauma Focused: Experience shows that many health problems are trauma related. Psychological trauma requires specific techniques such as EFT, EMDR, or hypnosis. It's not enough to talk about it. Targeted, specific work is needed.

Creative: Trying new methods, looking for synergy by combining different techniques, being innovative - this is what I particularly enjoy. For the last 20 years I've been looking for new tools to improve my work and help my patients.

Brief therapy: In psychotherapy, I use the methods of brief therapy–active, resource-oriented, and solution-focused. This allows me to work faster and more effectively. In the case of simple trauma, a satisfactory result can be achieved in 2 to 10 sessions. Repeated or complex trauma requires 20 to 50 sessions or more. The techniques used are described under brief therapy.