Areas of Focus/FAQs – Anika Mehlis

These are some of the goals and topics I’d be happy to support you with on your journey:

Navigating conflicts and fostering growth in relationships (couple counseling)
Creating healthy dynamics in monogamous, open, polyamorous, and other alternative relationship constellations
Support during separation or divorce processes
Understanding and dealing with suspected or diagnosed giftedness
Exploring and coping with high sensitivity (HSP)
Recognizing family dynamics, setting boundaries, and expressing needs
Developing healthy and effective communication
Making conscious decisions and clarifying your personal values
Resolving role conflicts
Turning personal or professional crises into opportunities for growth
Career and academic guidance – including support around doctoral studies

Couples counceling

The children are still little, the days feel too short between work and caregiving, and the “we” as a couple is getting lost? Big decisions are on the horizon, and differing ideas about the future are raising doubts about the shared path? Infidelity, jealousy, or crisis have shaken the relationship – and the question arises: Is there still a future together, and if so, what might it look like? Perhaps the idea of opening the relationship has come up – or it has already happened – and supportive guidance feels helpful now?

Systemic couples counseling acknowledges that relationship issues rarely arise in isolation. They often result from a complex interplay of different areas of life. Whether you’re in a monogamous or non-monogamous relationship, whether you’re facing a crisis or simply seeking new ways forward – systemic counseling offers support in recognizing deeper patterns and discovering new perspectives.

The focus lies in activating your inner resources, expanding your freedom to act, and developing shared solutions together. If separation becomes part of the process, I also offer support in navigating it with clarity, care, and mutual respect.

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Giftedness

Have you recently discovered that you are gifted and are now looking for support in understanding what this means for you and your life? Have you been aware of your giftedness for a long time, but are now wondering how it might be connected to current challenges, questions, or decisions you’re facing? Or perhaps you suspect you may be gifted and are unsure whether you want to be tested – and what such a result could mean?

Being neurodivergent can bring many gifts, but also complex challenges. Whether you suspect or already know about your own giftedness, are raising gifted children, or are unsure whether other forms of neurodiversity – such as high sensitivity – might also play a role, I offer support in making sense of your experience and navigating the questions that arise.

I can also support you in deciding whether a formal assessment might be helpful. Families with gifted children often face unique questions and decisions. Systemic counseling helps reveal underlying patterns, develop new perspectives, and find solutions together. The focus is on activating your resources and walking your path in a way that truly fits you.

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FAQs

When should you seek couples counseling?

Couples counseling can be helpful in many different situations. For example, when communication issues and misunderstandings occur frequently, when trust has been broken due to infidelity, or when major life changes such as a move, a job transition, or the arrival of children shift the dynamics of the relationship.

It can also be valuable when you’re unsure about your shared future or how you want to shape your relationship. Some couples seek support during the process of opening their relationship or navigating new relationship models. When emotional closeness and intimacy feel lost, counseling can offer tools to reconnect and move through these challenges together.

In some cases, a respectful separation may turn out to be the healthiest path forward. Even then, counseling can help foster clear and compassionate communication during this emotionally intense time. Turning a romantic relationship into a co-parenting partnership or friendship is another reason why thoughtful guidance can be beneficial.

At its core, every relationship brings up themes that are worth exploring together. Couples counseling creates space to do that – and to build a solid foundation for whatever your shared path may look like.

How many sessions will it take?

The number of counseling sessions needed can vary greatly and depends on your individual needs and the complexity of the issues at hand. For some individuals or couples, a few sessions may be enough to address specific concerns, while others may benefit from a longer process to work through deeper or long-standing challenges.

A typical framework includes around 3 to 10 sessions, with an initial estimate discussed together during the first meeting. What matters most is that the process remains flexible and adapts to your progress and evolving needs.

Which type of counseling or therapy is right for me?

The choice of the right counseling or therapy approach depends on your individual needs and goals. Systemic counseling can be particularly helpful when dealing with relationship issues, family conflicts, or communication difficulties. It focuses on the dynamics within the larger system and supports the development of sustainable solutions.

Couples counseling strengthens relationships and helps to resolve conflicts, while life counseling and coaching offer guidance in personal development, transitions, or decision-making processes.

There are also therapeutic approaches offered by colleagues to whom I may refer clients when needed. For example:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is often used for anxiety or depression, as it helps identify and change negative thought patterns.
Psychodynamic therapy explores unconscious motives and early life experiences.
Group therapy provides social connection, shared insight, and support.

A free initial consultation is a good opportunity to get to know me and my approach – and to find out which form of support best fits your current situation.

How can we set the stage for a good counseling experience?

Several factors are important for counseling to be effective. First, the client should be willing to speak openly and honestly about their challenges and goals. A foundation of trust and a good connection between counselor and client is also essential.

The counselor, in turn, should bring solid professional knowledge and experience to the process. It’s important that both sides have clear expectations and shared goals, and that the client is motivated to make changes.

Regular sessions and active participation significantly contribute to the success of the counseling process.

All of these factors can best be explored in an initial consultation, which offers space for both sides to get to know each other. Only after this meeting is a joint decision made about whether to move forward together.