What can you reach out to us for?

Check your healthcare provider’s page to see which complaints you can contact him or her for. Depending on our availability and specialisation, a referral to another colleague internally or to an external specialised centre may be suggested after the initial consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Please take a look at the information below, allowing you to better understand the treatment possibilities.

Psychiatrists are medical specialists who can prescribe medication, make psychiatric diagnoses and coordinate the treatment of (sometimes complex) mental disorders.

Psychologists, on the other hand, specialise in talk therapy to help patients progress or gain more insight into their complaints.

Whether a psychiatrist and/or psychologist is required, can depend on the type and severity of your symptoms. We recommend you ask your general practitioner to evaluate this with you. 

Psychotherapy may be advised. Depending on the symptoms and personal preference, a referral to a psychotherapist with a specific therapeutic training can be considered. The best-known therapies are psychoanalytic psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, client-centred therapy and systemic therapy. Regardless of the therapeutic models used, large-scale research has shown that common factors such as empathy, the therapeutic relationship, expectations of the therapy and the therapist’s technique are decisive (Lambert, 2001; Wampold, 2015). Each therapeutic orientation offers unique methods to support clients. Here are some examples of therapeutic orientations offered in BMHC:

1. Client-centred Psychotherapy (developed by Carl Rogers) believes in the natural growth of people  in a supportive environment, with unconditional acceptance and empathy. It promotes self-insight and self-confidence. Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), an evidence-based variant of this, focuses on identifying and processing emotions to break through blockages.

2. Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: The central idea is that many psychological problems have their origins in unconscious conflicts, often rooted in early childhood experiences and relationships. During therapy, the therapist helps the client identify and understand these unconscious patterns and inner conflicts.

3. Gestalt therapy emphasises awareness and experiencing emotions in the here and now, leading to integration of thoughts, feelings and behaviour. This increases the client’s autonomy.

4. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) focuses on recognising and changing dysfunctional patterns of thinking and behaviour. It is goal-oriented and practical, aimed at improving daily functioning.

5. Mentalisation Based Treatment (MBT) strengthens the ability to understand one’s own and others’ thoughts and feelings, aiming for a more stable self-image and healthier relationships, especially with interpersonal problems.

Your psychiatrist or family doctor may prescribe one or a combination of the following medications. In choosing the appropriate treatment, various factors will be taken into account, such as the effect of medication taken earlier or the side-effect profile. Below, you can find more information on a number of treatments that may be prescribed to you.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, also known as EMDR, is a therapy for people who continue to suffer from the effects of a shocking experience, such as an accident, sexual assault or violent incident. EMDR was first described more than 25 years ago by the American psychologist Francine Shapiro. In the years that followed, this procedure was further elaborated and developed into a fully-fledged and effective therapeutic method. Some studies show that 84-90% of single trauma victims no longer have PTSD symptoms after three ninety-minute EMDR sessions. Click here to learn more about EMDR.

Psycho-education is providing information and education about your mental health symptoms and how you (and/or your family/relatives) can cope with their limitations and consequences. These interventions are a proven effective intervention, including for relieving anxiety symptoms. Feel free to take a look at our Self-Help page for inspiration!

Body-oriented therapies start from one’s own bodily experiences as an entry point to therapeutic change. These techniques can be complementary to traditional psychotherapy. There is increasing scientific evidence for its effectiveness  in reducing symptoms of anxiety and trauma amongst others. 

Relaxation therapy can be one of the methods used to treat and prevent conditions related to chronic or post-traumatic stress.

Trauma Release Exercises (TRE) are also offered in our center. These are a series of physical exercises designed to release tensions and stress stored in the body by traumatic experiences.

The duration of treatment is difficult to predict in advance and depends on the individual person. We try to offer short-term treatment where possible, and long-term treatment where necessary, according to the so-called stepped care principle. In any case, a realistic symptom reduction is aimed for.