Ben Schuster

Ben Schuster

couples & Psychological counselor

“My passion is working with people and relationships. For as long as I can remember, I have been deeply fascinated by what makes us think and feel the way we do. I feel grateful to be able to do this as my work.”

Below are some details about what has shaped me as a person. 

I look forward to getting to know you in person and understanding your story and what makes you the way you are. 

About me

Education & Experience

  • 3,5 year qualification as an individual, couples and family counselor at the IGFB – Internationale Gesellschaft für Beziehungskompetenz (International Society for Relational Competence)
  • Psychological Counselor – Lebens- und Sozial Berater
  • I also bring 15+ years of experience working with people in the field of interpersonal relations as a trainer, coach and facilitator. 
  • I have experience working with youths, adults, small & large groups and in social/non-profit and corporate organisations.

Methods & Inspiration

  • My couples counseling is based on the emtionally focused couples therapy by Susan Johnson, as well as the work by John Gottman and David Schnarch
  • My core training is deeply influenced and based on the work of Jesper Juul and the focus on the experience in the here and now (mindfullness). 

Personal

  • I have a teenage son
  • I have experienced the challenges of being in and ending a long term relationship, living in a patchwork family, as well as exploring alternative relationship forms
  • I grew up in Australia with an Austrian father and have lived in Innsbruck, Austria since 2007.
  • I speak English & German fluently.

Principles that are important to me

Over the years of working as a Counselor, coach and facilitator the following principles have grown to be important to me

Empathy & Humbleness

  • Everybody needs empathy to heal and grow – I won’t judge or tell you what your doing wrong – I will seek to understand the good reasons you have for acting the way you do.

 

  • Every person and relationship is unique, I don’t know your truth – I try to really listen, place myself in your shoes and understand what makes your situation unique 

potential & Growth

  • People are emotional beings, and our feelings and emotions often have more power over us than our thoughts – I will help you to stay with and and move through uncomfortable feelings so that they no longer have control over you and you can act according to your values
  • Everybody has the inner potential and resources to find solutions for their problems –  Advice is easy to give, but the person who knows best what you need is you – my goal is always to help you to grow emotionally so that you can discover your own solutions

Openess & safety

  • Relationships need openness and vulnerability as well as protection and safety – Its ok to move at your own pace, my focus is to ensure you feel safe and can share your vulnerabilty at your own tempo, but at the same time to challenge you in a way that doesn’t overwhelm you.
  • We cannot change other people, but when something in us changes it changes the relationship and therefore others –   My focus is on how you feel and relate to others and the world and my goal is always to help you “feel” and experience the change in you – not only to intellectually understand it.