FAQs for Children and Teens

  • What is psychotherapy, and who needs it?

    • Psychotherapy is when professionals (psychotherapists) help people cope with a mental illness.
    • What are some signs of mental illness?
      • Some children or adolescents suffer from very severe, constant anxiety and worry, for example at school—this could be a sign of an anxiety disorder.
      • If someone has been feeling very sad for a long time, feels empty and lacking in energy, or finds that things that used to be fun now seem meaningless—this could be a sign of depression.
      • In addition, there are many other complaints, also known as “symptoms.” Some, such as sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, or stress, cannot be easily attributed to a specific medical condition. That is why therapy begins with a thorough assessment to determine whether a medical condition is present and, if so, which one.
    • If these or other symptoms persist for a long time and lead to strained relationships with family or friends, or to major problems at school, a mental illness may be present. Psychotherapy is used first to determine whether a mental illness is present and then to help overcome it.

  • What is an outpatient psychotherapy clinic, and what happens there?

    • At an outpatient psychotherapy clinic, children, adolescents, and adults receive help if they have mental health conditions. Psychotherapy takes place on an outpatient basis, meaning our patients usually come to see us once a week for about an hour. Between therapy sessions, patients are often given exercises to try out or practice in their daily lives what they’ve worked on during the session. This could be, for example, a new behavior or learning to cope with distressing thoughts or feelings.
    • Once a mental illness has been diagnosed, the goal of psychotherapy is to understand where the illness comes from and what can be done to overcome it. For example, this may involve gaining a better understanding of and learning to manage one’s own emotions, reducing distressing thoughts, and changing problematic behavior. Conversations with psychotherapists, exercises, and even games can help. It’s important to put into practice at home what you discuss in psychotherapy.

  • Who is eligible to receive care at the University of Münster’s Outpatient Psychotherapy Clinic for Children and Adolescents?

    • We offer psychotherapy for children, adolescents, and young adults between the ages of 6 and 21 who are living with mental health conditions, as well as for their families.

  • What can I do if I feel uncomfortable or afraid to go to the outpatient psychotherapy clinic and talk to a stranger about my problems?

    • Feelings like these are totally okay! You’re not the only one who feels this way. And that’s exactly why, as psychotherapists, we have a lot of experience helping you work through your worries and fears during our sessions or finding a way for you to cope with them effectively. You decide how much and what you want to share, and whether you’d like to come back after your first session.
    • In general, it takes a lot of courage and is a sign of strength to walk into a psychotherapy clinic. It shows that a person is willing to confront their difficulties in order to overcome them—and that’s not something to be taken for granted. Incidentally, most people feel much better once they’ve managed to talk about their condition.

  • What happens during an initial consultation with us?

    • An initial consultation is your first appointment to get to know us; for this, you’ll come to our outpatient psychotherapy clinic for children and adolescents at Fliednerstraße 21. You should plan on spending about 1.5 hours at the appointment. You’ll have the consultation with a psychotherapist from our team. We’ll talk about what’s weighing on you right now and what you hope to get out of working with us. At the end of the session, we’ll discuss together whether psychotherapy with us is the right choice for you, or if something else might be more helpful. After this initial session, you can decide whether you’d like to come back.
    • Unfortunately, in most cases, psychotherapy cannot begin immediately after the initial consultation. There is a waiting period before psychotherapy can begin. Sometimes it takes only a few weeks, but often it takes much longer. This is because many children and adolescents suffer from mental health conditions, and there are not enough treatment slots available. We’ll contact you when psychotherapy can begin and discuss the next steps with you.

  • What do I need to bring to the initial consultation? Do my parents need to be there?

    • For the initial consultation, we need:

      • Your health insurance card, if you have public health insurance.

      • If you are 15 years old or older and have public health insurance, you may come to the initial consultation on your own (though, of course, a support person is still welcome to accompany you).

      • If you are 15 years old or older and have public health insurance, you may come to the initial consultation on your own (though, of course, a support person is still welcome to accompany you).

      • If available, please bring a copy of any reports from other therapists and/or doctors you have already seen or who have treated you. This will help us better understand your problems or condition.

  • Who covers the cost of psychotherapy?

    • The cost of treatment is generally covered by public health insurance, so there are no out-of-pocket costs for you. You can schedule an initial consultation directly with us. You do not need a referral from a doctor. To begin psychotherapy, we will submit an application to your health insurance provider. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have over the phone.
    • If you have private health insurance, your private health insurance provider will generally cover the costs. This is specified in the contract your parents signed with their private health insurance company.

  • How long does psychotherapy last?

    • The duration of psychotherapy depends on many factors, such as the nature of the condition and how long it has been present. Some psychotherapy sessions are very short, lasting only a few weeks, while others are longer, lasting several months; some even last longer than a year. We always decide together with you how long the psychotherapy will last and how often the sessions will take place.

  • Who will find out that I'm receiving treatment at the outpatient psychotherapy clinic for children and adolescents?

    • No one outside our outpatient team will find out that you are receiving treatment at the outpatient psychotherapy clinic for children and adolescents. We are bound by what is known as “confidentiality.” This means that everything you tell us here remains confidential and will not be shared with others—not even with your parents or guardians. Only in very rare cases, such as when there is a serious danger to you or others, may information be shared without your consent.
    • Starting at age 15, you can also decide for yourself whether you want documents and reports to be stored in your health insurance provider’s electronic patient record (ePA). The ePA is a digital folder where your health data is collected. If you do not want us to upload your data there, you can object at any time or decline this at the beginning of or even during treatment.

  • Can I contact the outpatient psychotherapy clinic for children and adolescents on my own?

    • Feel free to contact us on your own! If you’re 15 or older and have public health insurance, you can take advantage of our services even without your parents’ consent or consultation. Feel free to call us to get more information or to schedule an appointment. You can reach us at 0251 83-31310.

  • Who works at the outpatient psychotherapy clinic for children and adolescents?

    • You can find an overview of our team here
    • Our team consists of:
      • specialists, namely psychotherapists or child and adolescent psychotherapists.
      • an administrative team that handles the organization to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
      • student assistants (that is, people who are currently studying psychology at the university and help us alongside their studies).
    • Important: Everyone who works here is bound by a duty of confidentiality. This means that everything you share will remain strictly confidential. You can be sure that your personal information will be respected and treated confidentialy.

  • What makes our outpatient psychotherapy clinic for children and adolescents special?

    • We are a psychotherapy clinic for children and adolescents at the University of Münster. This means that we not only offer psychotherapy, but also train students on how to help children and adolescents with mental health conditions as psychotherapists. Many of our therapy sessions are therefore conducted jointly by a team consisting of a psychotherapist and a student. You can think of it this way: in addition to the patient and the psychotherapist, a student is also present during a session and takes over parts of the therapy session—for example, by leading an exercise. The students are nearing the end of their studies, during which they have already learned a great deal about mental illness and psychotherapy. They, too, are bound by confidentiality.
    • Another unique feature is that we conduct research projects to further improve psychotherapy for children and adolescents. To this end, we collect information and data from all patients in our outpatient clinic (for example, through questionnaires or interviews). Using this data, we can examine exactly how a treatment progressed and what factors contribute to its success or lack thereof. In all of our research projects, we take great care to protect personal data. You can find more information on this in the treatment agreement that we will sign with you (and, if applicable, your parents).

  • What is the difference between outpatient psychotherapy and other forms of psychotherapy?

    • In “outpatient” psychotherapy, you usually visit your psychotherapist’s office—such as here at our outpatient psychotherapy clinic for children and adolescents. Sessions usually take place once a week for about 50 minutes, though they may sometimes be longer or occur several times a week. You’ll also discuss and practice exercises that are meant to be done at home or at school.
    • "Inpatient" treatment at a clinic for child and adolescent psychiatry, psychosomatics, and psychotherapy takes place on one of the clinic’s wards. Children and adolescents are admitted to the hospital, where they receive various forms of therapy from different specialists over a specific period of time and also stay overnight. Depending on the condition, this treatment may be short-term or, in some cases, longer-term.
    • "Partial hospitalization" treatment—for example, at a clinic specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry, psychosomatics, and psychotherapy—means that children and adolescents attend the clinic during the day over an extended period and receive various forms of therapy from specialists. They go home in the late afternoon and do not return to the clinic until the next morning.
    • Whether outpatient or (partially) inpatient therapy is more suitable for a person depends on various factors. Important factors to consider when making this decision include, for example, how many symptoms are present and how severe they are, how long they have been present, and to what extent they are affecting daily life at home or at school. As a rule, the decision is made jointly by the person affected, their legal guardians (for those under 18), and the psychotherapist.

  • What is the difference between outpatient psychotherapy and other forms of psychotherapy?

    • On the following websites, you'll find more information on psychotherapy, various therapeutic approaches and services, as well as information on specific disorders:

  • What can I do during a serious crisis?

    • Call 112 in an emergency: If you or someone else is in distress, dial 112 to call an ambulance. That’s what ambulances are for. If you’re unsure, you can still dial 112. When you call this number, you’ll reach emergency response experts who can help you assess the situation.
    • Online Crisis Resources: Here you'll find free, anonymous online resources for children and teens who are going through a crisis or are having thoughts of taking their own lives, such as:
    • Telephone Counseling: Here you can receive anonymous and free counseling for any concerns, questions, or crises. You can also access both counseling services online via chat on the website:
      • Helpline for Children and Teens: 116 111 (Mon–Sat, 2:00–8:00 p.m.)
      • Telephone Counseling: 0800 111 0 111 / 0800 111 0 222 (anytime)
         
    • For all helplines and online crises resources: please ask if an English speaking counselor is available! Additionally, you can find an overview of offers in various languages ​​here