Dieter Verhaegen

Private practice for psychoanalytic therapy and coaching

General - target group - practical information

General

I work in English as well as Dutch. I do understand French and German, but only feel competent enough to listen to people’s experiences and to carry out my work as a therapist to the best possible standard in Dutch or English. I have been working as an independent psychologist-psychotherapist since 1997. This means that I undertook additional training in therapy after completing my Master’s in psychology. I use a lot of reference points from psychoanalytic theory in my work, but apply a lot more practical techniques than simply listening in silence. Each client’s counselling trajectory can take a very different form or involve one of a range of approaches, but the core aims are always to put the client back on track in achieving his or her own desires and to identify together the resources required to continuously work on attaining those goals. In order to achieve this, the counselling may take the form of classical psychoanalysis, face-to-face talking therapy, a coaching session, or a combination of these approaches.

Target group

The age range of those who approach me for help has expanded in recent years. As well as adults, an increasing number of adolescents (aged 15 and above) and older people (65+) are finding their way to my practice. Two main criteria must be met in order to begin our counselling trajectory. Firstly, there must be a requirement for support. This could be a very acute requirement related to a specific problem, intense suffering or distressing symptoms. It could also be a very vague requirement stemming from a particularly uncomfortable feeling or a desperate search for something that seems out of reach. At other times, it may relate to a very practical issue regarding the inability to make decisions or personal goals that cannot be achieved. Above all, it is important that you are motivated to resolve the issue in question and that it will help us to define a particular area in which we can work together. The second important criterion is that we connect well together. Before you can really get to work in the area of therapy, it is important that a relationship of trust and security is established between the therapist and the person requesting support. This may not always be the case after the first meeting, but it should definitely have developed after the first few sessions. If such a relationship does not develop, then it may be better for us to look together for someone with whom you do click well.

Practical information

You can get in touch initially by telephone or email and I will usually be able to book you in for an appointment within 14 days. I mainly work in the evenings. A standard session lasts 50 minutes. I usually reserve some more time for first consultations. Each session costs 60 euros. International or supplementary health insurance schemes usually include a limited right to reimbursement and I am generally able to satisfy the conditions laid down by such schemes. My office is easily accessible by train or bus and there is ample parking available nearby if you come by car.