Department of Psychotherapy

Counsellors repeatedly work with clients who display psychological abnormalities. Doctors and psychotherapists are also confronted with patients who exhibit extremist attitudes. Although there is no general causal link between mental disorders and radicalisation, in many cases there are interactions between the inner psychological world and the outer social world.

As the department of psychotherapy, we support professionals as well as people at risk of radicalisation and radicalised people with mental health problems or disorders. We want to give those affected access to needs-orientated services in the areas of distancing and health.

How we work

To achieve this goal, we provide advising for those affected, their relatives and their social environment. On the other hand, our services are aimed at specialists in disengagement work, the health and medical professions as well as experts from neighbouring fields (for example from the social services of the justice system, offender and youth welfare services).

We see ourselves as a bridge between disengagement work and the health and medical professions. Our services are therefore divided into four areas of work:

(Psycho-)therapeutic advise for those affected and their relatives

(Suspected) radicalised individuals who are already being looked after by an advide centre, as well as their relatives, can receive transitional (psycho-)therapeutic advise from our team. In addition, we support and accompany them in their referral to the psychotherapeutic and/or psychiatric care system.

Advise for professionals

We support professionals in their practical work with various formats, such as collegial case counselling or case support services. The content ranges from thematic questions and case assessments to dealing with challenging situations.

Knowledge

Through training courses, workshops and academic work, we sensitise professionals to the interactions between mental health and radicalisation and disengagement processes. By strengthening and expanding existing knowledge, we contribute to increased confidence in our actions.

Networking

Through targeted networking activities, we strengthen our role as a bridge between disengagement work and the health and medical professions. We also promote networking between experts and contribute to holistic casework.

Projects and cooperations

We are implementing the project EVOLUO – Psychologische Fachkenntnisse und Coaching für Berater*innen im Themenfeld (De-)Radikalisierung together with the Beratungsnetzwerk Grenzgänger (IFAK e. V.).

In the project JUST X Berlin – Prävention und Deradikalisierung im Berliner Justizvollzug we cooperate with the Beratungsstelle Berlin (Violence Prevention Network) and the Denkzeit-Gesellschaft.

In addition, we support the work of the Beratungsstelle Berlin with accompanying (psycho-)therapeutic services.

Contact

Violence Prevention Network gGmbH
Department of Psychotherapy
Alt-Reinickendorf 25
D-13407 Berlin

+49 30 544 677 79