Mental health support
Everyone needs support some time and the Postdoc phase – with its short-term contracts and pressure to relocate, at the same time as personal issues like parenthood – can be particularly challenging. There are many different types of support and ways to access this support. We hope the links below will show you what is available. Please tell us if you have updates and improvements. You may find this guide helpful, especially if you are new to Germany: A guide to psychotherapy in Germany: where can I find help?
If you have already seen your GP (Hausarzt) to get a referral (Überweisung) and now have difficulty getting an appointment to see a specialist doctor (eg psychologist, optometrist, gynaecologist, orthopaedic doctor etc), phone 116117 (24 hrs, seven days a week) or see the Patientenservice website to identify the appropriate help.
Indentifying specialist medical help here: Göttingen City website has a page where you can identify doctors using specific search criteria such as language or speciality.
SUPPORT FOR EMPLOYEES – UNIVERSITY OF GÖTTINGEN
- Psychotherapy at the UMG Klinik für Psychosomatische Medizine and Psychotherapie
- Counselling at the PSB (Psychosoziale Beratungsstelle für Studierende) – supports Postdocs
- Addiction prevention and help at Betriebliche Suchtprävention und Suchthilfe in the University
SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS – UNIVERSITY OF GÖTTINGEN
- Psychotherapy Outpatient clinics for students – Psychotherapeutischen Ambulanz für Studierende (PAS)
- Psychosocial Counselling (PSB)
SUPPORT FOR STAFF AT THE MPI
- The Max Planck Society offers all employees access to its Employee and Manager Assistance Program service (EMAP) in the form of an immediate consultation. This is an external, anonymous, free service for employees, scholarship holders and executives organised by pme familienservice. You simply need to call their free phone number 0800 80100 7070. Please indicate that you belong to an MPI when you phone.
Employees of the MPI for multidisciplinary sciences can contact their institutional psychology consulting.
FURTHER SUPPORT AVAILABLE IN GÖTTINGEN
- Other out-of-hour medical services – from Apotheke to Zahnarzt (dentist) in Göttingen are listed here
- Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the UMG Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie and information about their outpatient clinics and emergencies – 0551-39 8605 (24h).
- Psychiatric Clinic (Asklepios) – offers a wide range of inpatient, day care and outpatient psychiatric treatments for adults – Asklepios Fachklinikum Göttingen
- Self-help groups and support – KIBIS (Kontakt-, Informations- und Beratungsstelle im Selbsthilfebereich), database for self-help groups and KIBIS Health Centre in Gottingen – 0551 486766
- Counselling (and a range of other support) for children, young people and parents - AWO (Arbeiterwohlfahrt) – an umbrella organisation of voluntary helpers
- Support and Counselling – offered by Shelter e.V.
- Counselling for Women and a range of other support at Therapeutische Frauenberatung
- Psychological counselling offered by Diakonieverband Göttingen (Protestant Church)
- Life and Conflict counselling offered by the Catholic University Community
- Marriage, Family and Life Counselling – offered by the Diocese of Hildesheim (Catholic Church)
- Counselling and professional centre for sexual abuse and domestic violence – Emergency help for women
- Pregnancy counselling – pro familia Göttingen
- (in German) Gender diversity counselling – Trans*Beratung Göttingen, Queer-Beratung des Projekts equity*
- (in German) Counselling on discrimination based on ethnic, national or religious ascription – Integrationsrat Göttingen
- Counselling centres and tips in case of experiences of discrimination – Guide: Dealing with discrimination at the University of Göttingen
- Frauenhaus Göttingen e.V.: refuge, advice and information for women affected by violence and their children
HELPLINES
- In German – TelefonSeelsorge – 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0222 (no charge) telephone advice as well as online services in the German language.
- Other countries offer helplines in different languages (note that charges apply) – the list is here.
- In English – a number of countries offer helplines in English but note that telephone charges apply, eg the Samaritans in the UK - +44 116 123 or Lifeline in Australia – 13 11 14
- Muslim telephone advice service – Muslimisches Seelsorgetelefon (German, Turkish, Arabic, Urdu available) - 030 443509821
- Women against violence: 08000 116 016
SUPPORT SERVICES AVAILABLE IN HANNOVER
- Psychiatric and Psychotherapy at Fachdienst Sozialpsychiatrischer Dienst
- Emergency Psychiatric Help in Hannover – Psychosozialer / Psychiatrischer Krisendienst (PPKD)
DOCTORS AND THERAPISTS
- The Welcome Centre of the University of Göttingen has lists of therapists and medical specialists who speak English and other languages, for information email here
- Many services will be accessed via your General Practitioner (GP or Family Doctor) and it is recommended that you sign up with a GP early on. More advice is here under Doctors in Göttingen.
