Psychiatry and psychotherapy clinic

There is no threshold you have to reach before you are allowed to book an appointment. Stress, anxiety, burnout and sadness are not states you need to prove first, and a visit does not require a diagnosis.

People often book when their problems start to affect everyday life. Sleep becomes broken, concentration slips, mornings are hard, things that used to bring us joy no longer interest us. Some describe physical signs, such as tightness in the chest, tension in the shoulders, digestive problems that have no organic cause. Others come because of panic attacks, conflicts in relationships, grief or being overloaded at work.

Seeking help with mental health makes just as much sense as seeing a doctor about a cough that will not go away. An earlier conversation usually means more options and less effort than one that happens only when there is no other way.

A psychiatrist is a doctor, a specialist in psychiatry. They make a diagnosis, assess physical causes that can mimic mental health problems, and if needed prescribe medicines and monitor how they work.

A psychotherapist provides psychotherapy – a structured talking process in which patterns of thinking, feeling and behaviour are worked on over several sessions. They do not prescribe medicines.

You do not have to decide in advance which of the two specialists you need. If you do not know where to turn, book an introductory conversation and agree on the direction there. For some problems a combination of both makes sense; for others one is enough.

At the clinic we help people with mood disorders, crises, anxiety and depression. Besides individual care we also offer couples therapy and family counselling.

Couples therapy is meant for couples who keep going round the same arguments, find it hard to talk about important things, or cannot find their way back to each other after a difficult period, for example after a loss, an illness or infidelity. Both partners are usually present at the sessions. The aim is not to establish who is right but to understand the pattern you have got caught in and to find a solution.

Family counselling is an option when the problems of one member affect everyone, for example with mental illness in the family, a teenager’s difficulties or major changes such as divorce or moving house. Who will take part in the sessions is agreed at the first conversation.

The first meeting is an introductory conversation. You describe what brought you, when it started, how it affects your sleep, work and relationships, and what you have tried so far. There are also questions about your physical health, any medicines you use, and your use of alcohol and illicit drugs, because all of this affects how you feel and the right choice of further care.

You do not need to prepare a tidy story. If you run out of thoughts and words during the conversation, that is part of comprehensive care and not an obstacle. You may also say what you do not yet want to talk about at a particular moment.

At the end, you agree on how to continue treatment and make a plan for how often to meet, the approach, and if needed additional laboratory tests or cooperation with other clinics. Any treatment with medicines is decided by the psychiatrist together with you, after a conversation about the expected effects and side effects. That decision is not a condition for treatment.

You do not need a referral for a visit; treatment is self-pay. You can book yourself, without going through your personal doctor.

If you are thinking about ending your life, or if you are afraid you will harm yourself or others, do not wait for a booked appointment. Call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department. If there is immediate danger to yourself or someone else, call 113.

For a conversation in a crisis, the helplines Klic v duševni stiski (01 520 99 00) and Zaupni telefon Samarijan in Sopotnik (116 123) are also available. The call is free and anonymous, and you can also call when the crisis is not life-threatening but the night is long.

If someone close to you is in crisis, stay with them and do not leave the decision to them alone. Asking directly about suicidal thoughts does not increase the risk of suicide. Often the question is exactly what makes it easier for the other person to take the next step.