Ali Schwartz

As a process facilitator I work trauma-informed and culture-sensitive. I identify as white, jewish, queer, able-bodied. I had access to higher education and hold a German and US passport. This is a BiPOC and queer friendly space.

training
2024-2026 Training as NARM™ practitioner (devopmental trauma, kPTSD)
2023 Licence as “Heilpraktikerin für Psychotherapie”
2019-2022 Systemic Therapy (DGSF), Gesellschaft für Systemische Therapie, Berlin
Training in Psychotherapy for Trans* people (Gisela Wolf, Mari Günther)
Training in Trauma Therapy in the Kontext of Migration (Verbundprojekt ECQAT)
2006-2012 MA in Ethics/Philosophy, English Studies, Physical Education, University of Würzburg

international experience
2014-15 Artistic director at Yante – Community Dance Palestine, Ramallah
Professional Dance Program, Vertigo School of Dance, Jerusalem
2012-14 Teacher at ISSR (IB program), Deutsche Schule Stockholm, Stockholm
2008-09 Erasmus Scholarship, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona
2005 Professional Dance Program, Broadway Dance Center, New York City
2002 Junior Year, Bozeman High School, Montana

Sometimes it can be helpful to find a trustworthy person in a safer space who is simply there and stays there with us when we talk about difficult things and unpleasant feelings arise. I would be glad to be there with you on this personal journey.

My understanding of us as humanity is inspired by systemic thought, which means that I look at physical and psychological symptoms that arise in the context of a system – be it the cultural or family system we come from or society in which we are having to constantly reorient ourselves to find our place.
It can be exciting to explore the different parts inside of us that work like an inner family system or inner team, because these parts all too often subconsciously run our lives.

Which inter-generational traces continue to have an effect on us?
What stories do we tell ourselves about ourselves?
And what does all this have to do with agency?

Using body-oriented methods, we can start to remember hidden inner ressources, grief painful experiences, practice a more healthy approach to anger and boundaries, explore shame and feelings of guilt or allow ambivalent feelings to be there. So that over time and by slowing down, a more kind way to look at ourselves and the world – in all its complexity and simplicity – can be found.

My approach is becoming more and more NARM-like: Staying curious and present, letting go of assumptions and slowing down to explore what stands in the way of realizing what it is we actually want and need to lead a decent life.

NARM™ (neuro-affective relational model) deals with relationship and attachment trauma (kPTSD).

By working with early, unconscious patterns of loss of contact we can better understand how these patterns affect
our identities,
the way we deal with feelings,
our (adaptive) behavior and
how we are in relationship (with ourselves, others, the world).

NARM assumes that what happened in the past is important, but does not cause the symptoms we experience as adults. Rather, it is the persistence of survival strategies that were appropriate at the time but now distort our experience, produce feelings of shame and guilt and complicate our relationships.

We work with the so-called core dilemma:
The thing I want the most is the thing I’m most afraid of.

Nobody knows us better than our partners, children or our closest friends, right? While we can be our best selves in many social contexts, close relationships bring out all of our sides. So when tensions or conflicts arise within relationships they can be seen as an invitation to grow.
So rather than working individually, in relationship therapy we explore the function of inter-personal problems together by taking time to listen to all sides, learn to change perspectives, embrace empathy and learn to stand up for ourselves and each other.

In this process I will be facilitating from a place of multipartiality and meet everyone with dignity, respect and appreciation regardless of age, gender, background, culture, status, sexual orientation or religion.

“Working with Ali has been an anchor, giving me orientation and helping me accept these culturally new surroundings. This not only supported my personal growth, but also had a positive impact on how I navigate in my professional life. I am deeply thankful that I finally found a place where I feel welcome and understood.”
Fernando, 45

“Ali is a wonderful therapist who really listens. She helped me understand parts of my identity and my queerness better and I can finally start to let go of old thought patterns.”
Niko, 29

“To be able to just come and sit and see what comes up, where there are no expectations, has just been already healing for me. And then I start to realize that my perspective on things actually can change.”
Layla, 38

“It´s not easy because we come from different cultures. But we learned that it is possible to find translations, so that we understand each other better. Sometimes with words, other times with touch or cookies. Thank you for helping us connect again.”
Saima and Hannes

The costs for psychotherapy are covered on a self-pay basis or can be settled with supplementary insurance for alternative practitioners for psychotherapy. Please let me know if you would like to work with me, but cannot meet the sliding scale.