About Andrina
I believe we all have the capacity to grow and learn to face life with more strength and understanding, whatever the challenges, however lost we may feel. I work with each person as an individual, and my aim is to work in a clear and collaborative way to support each person’s potential for awareness and change, using a range of therapeutic approaches.
I have a Master’s Degree in Counseling, a Diploma in Sex Addiction Counseling, a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, specializing in individual casework, a Master of Applied Linguistics and Certificates in Online Moderation and Online Counseling. I am currently undertaking teacher training in MBSR: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. I am dedicated to life-long learning and regularly attend supervision, peer meetings and training courses in different aspects of counseling. Originally from Australia, I have worked in Australia, England and Germany and am very comfortable communicating in English with people from different countries and cultures. My additional qualifications and experience in linguistics and cross-cultural training mean I am skilled at communicating in English with speakers of other languages. I live in Stuttgart, Germany with my husband and have family in Australia, the USA, England and Hong Kong.
I am a member of BACP, the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy, and ACA, the American Counseling Association.
Master of Applied Social Science, Counseling
Diploma in Sex Addiction Counselling
Bachelor of Social Work
Master of Applied Linguistics
My Approach
I draw from a range of counseling approaches, depending on the needs of each person, but always with the whole person – mind and body – in central focus. I am able to work from a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) perspective, looking at how unhelpful patterns of thinking and behaving can be slowly modified to be more constructive and in turn, affect our emotional state. I am also able to work from an existential perspective, which is more philosophical and examines how we can deal honestly and constructively with the big questions and dilemmas of human existence. I have completed specific training in Compassion Focused Therapy, which considers the struggles we may have in moving past strong emotions like shame and anger, and Mindfulness, which with its focus on breathing and conscious relaxation is invaluable for dealing with anxiety, rumination (thinking about things over and over) and depression. I have a Diploma in working with sex addiction, in particular addiction to internet pornography. Whatever the approach, I aim to make counseling accessible and not mysterious, so that you will feel comfortable and confident to ask questions about any aspect of our work together.
Would you like to know more about counseling?
Visit the site It's good to talk, from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.