About Me

I’m Martin van de Loo, a licensed non-medical psychotherapist (Heilpraktiker für Psychotherapie, §1 HeilprG) in Berlin-Kreuzberg, licensed by the Berlin-Lichtenberg public health office. I’m a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (in German) and a certified NARM Therapist.

My interest in therapy began in 2018. After a major loss in my life, I discovered hypnosis for myself and was amazed at how much a single session helped me. That’s when I decided I wanted to support people with therapy. A little later I quit my job and trained in hypnosis (in German), Ego State Therapy (in German) and EMDR.

A few years later, I discovered Somatic Experiencing (SE) as my favourite method. It can help bring the autonomic nervous system (in German) back into balance in a lasting way, and I decided to complete the three-year training. Along the way, I found out how much I had been affected as a gay man by systemic trauma (in German). I have experience supporting people from the LGBTIQ+ community and I’m familiar with the lifestyles and topics of gay men and other queer people.

I’m aware of my privileges as a white cis man living in Germany.

I’m a member of the German Somatic Experiencing association (Somatic Experiencing Deutschland), where I’m active in the Queer Working Group (AG Queer). For developmental trauma, I like to work with NARM, the NeuroAffective Relational Model. It has become the method closest to my heart.

I also enjoy working with Brainspotting (in German), a further development of EMDR (in German).

My therapeutic work is based on an integrative approach that combines different techniques and methods. My aim is to support people in working through emotional blocks and traumatic experiences, so they can live a more fulfilling and authentic life. Thanks to my training and years of experience, I can draw on a wide range of therapeutic tools and respond to each client’s individual needs.

Together with my clients, I decide case by case which method makes sense. In my SE training, I also came to know Carl Rogers’ unconditional positive regard as a core attitude, and it has become part of how I work. With me, clients can bring their topics, traumas and emotions without fearing judgment. An appreciative, empathic and trusting relationship on equal footing is very important to me.

I create a safe space where my clients can express themselves freely and share their feelings and experiences. Alongside my Somatic Experiencing training, I’ve studied other therapeutic approaches so I can offer a variety of tools and techniques. My goal is to support my clients in discovering their own strengths and resources and reaching their personal goals. Together, we shape a therapy process that fits you.