sinn:raum
Therapy for those who give much – and struggle inside.
Shedding old burdens. Growing from within. Gaining freedom.
Alexander Pfannenberg (MPP Harvard)
Nonmedical Practitioner of Psychotherapy
Prenzlauer Promenade 23
13089 Berlin
alexander@sinnraum-berlin.com
0160 998 515 98
Make an Appointment I Therapy Focus Areas I About Me I My Approach I The Practice I Conditions
Welcome!
Finally finding space for yourself – especially when life asks a lot of you
You function. For others. For your team. For your family.
And you do it well – maybe even better than most.
But on the inside, things often feel different:
- You feel exhausted – without any “visible” reason.
- You doubt yourself – despite clear success.
- In your relationships, you often feel conflict or a longing for genuine closeness.
- There’s a part of you that is always on guard.
- Your mind rarely comes to rest.
- And at times, the pressure from outside feels like it’s taking the air out of you.
Many of my clients describe exactly this:
Strong, loyal, competent on the outside – but inwardly struggling with anxiety, self-doubt, restlessness, or a feeling of not really being present.
Some carry old wounds from childhood – shaped by emotional coldness, unreachable expectations, or subtle forms of manipulation. Others suffer from a vague sense of guilt or a constant inner pressure to meet everyone’s needs.
You don’t have to carry this alone.
Psychotherapy can be a space where you reconnect with yourself – beyond expectations, roles, and performance.
A space where you’re allowed to understand what shaped you – and what truly moves you today.
A space where you can grow and begin to experience yourself in a new way.
My work is psychologically grounded, personal, and tailored to your unique reality.
If you’d like, I’m here to walk this path with you.
In our first session, we’ll clarify what you need and what our collaboration could look like.
I look forward to meeting you.
Alexander
Make an Appointment
Ihre Nachricht wurde gesendet
Depression
Self-doubt
Personal Growth
Grief and Loss
Anxiety
Conflicts
Professional Growth
Life Transitions
Burn-out
Trauma
Meaning and Values
Handling Narcissism
About me
Training and Education
2002 – 2007
University of St. Gallen (HSG), Double degree in Business Administration and International Affairs. Scholarship from the Foundation of German Business (sdw).
2007 – 2009
Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, Master in Public Policy (MPP)
McCloy Fellow of the German National Academic Foundation.
2021 – 2022
ILS Institute of Distance Learning, Hamburg,
Psychotherapy training, licensed as a Heilpraktiker for Psychotherapy (state-regulated license to practice psychotherapy in Germany).
2021 – 2023
Academy for Logotherapy, Mainz,
Training in meaning-centered psychotherapy (Logotherapy) based on the work of Viktor Frankl, including imaginative techniques for working with unconscious conflicts and emotionally painful life experiences.
2023-2024
Ongoing advanced training, including courses at BELTZ Academy, the Academy for Integrative Trauma Therapy Berlin, and Humboldt University.
Topics include neuropsychology, narcissism, self-compassion, toxic relationships, and working with the inner critic.
2025
zeitpunkarbeit, Certification in Systemic Coaching for Leaders and Professionals in Times of Crisis and Transition
Personal Background
Even during my university studies, I was drawn to psychological topics – especially group dynamics, negotiation psychology, and motivation.
However, I initially chose a different professional path: I led a nonprofit organization, worked on the staff of a chancellor candidate and a university president, and held leadership positions at the German Federal Employment Agency.
Other professional experiences include working as a speechwriter, blogger, Merck Fellow at the Darmstadt Literary House, failed startup founder – and taking several parental leaves.
These diverse professional and personal experiences now help me relate to a wide range of life realities – and to meet people with openness and empathy.
Personal Experience with Mental Health Challenges
I’ve personally experienced depressive episodes, social anxiety, and the effects of intergenerational trauma – and I’ve sought therapy myself.
Because of that, I know what it’s like to live with inner struggles.
These experiences deeply shape my approach as a therapist – allowing me to work in a way that is empathetic, grounded, and closely connected to real life.
About Me Personally
I was born in 1982 in Berlin-Karlshorst and fled the former East Germany (GDR) with my parents to Canada as a child. Today, I live with my family in Berlin-Pankow, after spending time in Switzerland, the United States, Lüneburg, Herne, and Mainz. I am married and have four children.
My Approach
Every person is unique – just like the ways we suffer, and the ways we heal. That’s why I don’t follow a rigid treatment plan, but take an integrative approach tailored to your individual needs. Together, we look at where you currently stand – and what kind of change is meaningful and possible for you.
My therapeutic approach combines key elements of humanistic, cognitive-behavioral, and meaning-oriented psychotherapy. This creates a holistic and flexible framework tailored to your individual needs. At its core are six interconnected focal points, which can be weighted differently depending on your personality and concerns:
The practice
‘Space for meaning’ is part of an international group practice (‚The Berlin Practice‘)—located at Prenzlauer Promenade 23, 13086 Berlin—comprised of four therapists from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany.
From here, I also offer online and phone consultations.
Conditions
All sessions are paid for privately as I am not part of the German public health insurance system.
Session
50 min.
95 EUR
Session
70 min.
125 EUR
Session
90 min.
150 EUR
Therapeutic sessions are exempt from value-added tax (VAT) according to § 4 No. 14 of the German Value Added Tax Act (UStG).
Optional: Free Introductory Consultation
This short session gives you the opportunity to ask initial questions and get a sense of how I work. It usually lasts around 15 to 20 minutes and serves as a first point of orientation.
The session is entirely optional and not a requirement for starting therapy or scheduling a first full session.
Initial Session
In our first session, we take the time to explore your concerns and needs in depth. Together, we clarify what is currently affecting you, what goals you may have, and what a possible therapeutic process could look like.
We also discuss practical aspects such as scheduling, duration, and costs.
This helps lay the foundation for a clear and trusting working relationship.
Duration: 50–60 minutes, Fee: 95 EUR.
Subsidized rate
To make psychotherapy more accessible for people in difficult financial situations, I offer a reduced fee of €50 (50 min.), depending on availability. Feel free to bring this up during our initial session if needed.
Transparency
I will explain every step of our journey, and you will determine the pace and intensity of our interaction.
Confidentiality
Our sessions are completely confidential. I am only permitted to break confidentiality if you ask me to share information with your others (e.g., general practitioner, specialists, relatives) or if I believe you are at urgent risk of harming yourself or others and consequently must contact emergency services.
Cancellation policy
Please understand that appointment times are limited. If you must cancel your appointment, I respectfully request 24 hours‘ notice. Sessions cancelled between 24 and 12 hours in advance will be charged half. Later cancellations or missed appointments will result in a full charge of the session fee.