English

When do I go to a psychologist?

Difficult periods associated with emotions such as sadness, anger and anxiety are a part of life. Often we will find a way to address them, either by ourselves or with the help of friends or family. However, if that doesn’t help and those feelings interfere with our daily functioning for a long period of time, then it might help to contact a psychologist.

You can consult me for short term treatment (‘Basis GGZ’) for various kinds of complaints, such as: anxiety (e.g. panic attacks, social anxiety), stress symptoms, burn out, work-related complaints, study problems, obsessions and/or compulsions, bereavement problems, traumatic experiences, depression, sleeping problems, coping with physical complaints, and assertiveness problems.

Upon contacting me, we proceed by making an appointment for a preliminary (intake) session. Together we identify your symptoms and problems, permitting me to form a diagnosis as well as a personal treatment plan. After this, you are free to decide whether or not you wish to continue with therapy.

Not all complaints are eligible for the short-term psychological help that I offer. If there is, for example, a personality disorder or an addiction, I will refer you or you can ask your doctor for a referral to longer term mental health care (‘gespecialiseerde GGZ’).

Registration and procedure

You can contact me be by phone or email to make an appointment. The first session (and sometimes the second) are used to discuss your request for help, to get to a description of your problem and to create a treatment plan (which includes treatment goals and an explanation of how the complaints could be reduced/solved).

Therapy begins after the intake phase (and, of course, only with your consent). Sessions usually occur once per week or once every two weeks. Each therapy session lasts 45 minutes. There will be regular evaluations, and if/when necessary, the treatment goals can be adjusted. The treatments I offer are relatively short-term, spanning several months – approximately 5 to 12 sessions).

I work primarily with techniques from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which means we will focus on the interaction between feelings, behaviors and thoughts. Sometimes home assignments will be given and these could include registration assignments, writing assignments, or behavioral experiments. If needed, we will work with EMDR as well.

If you are not satisfied with me or with the treatment, please discuss this with me. I will take your complaints seriously and we will try to find a solution together. If we can’t find a solution, you can request a referral to another psychologist from your GP. If you think that I’m not working according to the professional code, or if you are having another complaint, you can turn to my professional association, the LVVP (http://www.lvvp.info/voor-clienten/hoe-te-handelen-bijklachten-over-de-behandelaar/).

Costs

Dutch healthcare insurance companies usually reimburse sessions (depending on the complaints you have: it is best to check with your insurance company which complaints are covered). However, in order to be eligible for compensation, a referral from your GP is necessary.

Please bear in mind that the sessions fall under the category of your ‘personal risk’ or ‘eigen risico’ (the amount that must be paid out of pocket for medical expenses), and Dutch insurance companies only begin reimbursement after the €385 eigen risico has been paid (2023).

Sessions that are not covered by your insurance company will cost €124,16 (45-minute therapy session plus 15 minutes administration).

If a session is cancelled less than 24 hours in advance (by phone or email), or in the case of ‘no show’, please be advised that 49 euros for the session will be charged.

About me

My name is Esther Schuller. In 2000 I completed my master’s degree in Psychology at the University of Amsterdam (Clinical Neuropsychology and Psychodiagnostics). Since then, I have worked for 10 years in the OLVG Hospital in Amsterdam at the Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, where I started my postmasters ‘GZ-psychology’ and ‘Cognitive Behavioral Therapy’. After finishing, I began my own practice in September 2012.

I am registered as a healthcare psychologist (‘GZ-psycholoog’, www.bigregister.nl), an EMDR therapist (EMDR Europe Practitioner) and a Cognitive Behaviorial Therapist VGCt ®.

Contact:

Psychologiepraktijk Esther Schuller

Rokin 98-I

1012 KZ Amsterdam

Gezondheidscentrum “De Koningin”

Koninginneweg 31

2012 GJ Haarlem

Telephone: 06-1938 7140

E-mail: info@estherschuller.com