About me
My name is Ditke Schwartz (1969). I graduated in Clinical Psychology from the University of Amsterdam in 2012 and was licensed as a healthcare psychologist (gz-psycholoog) in 2016 (at PEP, an independent practice in Amsterdam). Before starting my own practice in 2022, I worked as a healthcare psychologist for large agencies (PsyQ and PuntP), offering short- and long-term treatment for depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, trauma, ADHD and panic.
Those are some impersonal sounding diagnoses - but that does not mean I offer the same treatment to everyone with, for example, a depression. Every depression has certain common characteristics, but no depression - no person - is the same. That is why I prefer to look at your unique situation and personality, to - together with you - try to understand what is going on and to investigate what could help you move forward. I will certainly also offer evidence-based advice or suggestions, and might include friendly confrontation, difficult questions and even some humor every now and then. Unfortunately, it is impossible to predict in advance what will or will not work for someone. Your own needs, self-knowledge and experimentation will make the difference. It never ceases to fascinate and inspire me to witness (y)our human resilience, development and creativity.
Speaking of development: I became a psychologist by going back to university while working as a teacher of Dutch as a second language to expatriates in Amsterdam. I graduated in English Language and Literature from the University of Amsterdam in 1994, after which I lived in San Francisco and the Bay Area, USA, for a while. While studying English it always seemed more interesting to me to work with real people instead of with literary characters. This, as well as my interest in learning new things, was why I first became a teacher and later went on to study psychology. Because of my background, I understand the expat experience and enjoy working in English. I also know what it is like to be a therapy client: I have had therapy myself, so I know what that can be like. It is a shame that there still seems to be some stigma attached to seeking therapy, but therapy has given me a lot (of insight, enjoyment of life, self-acceptance, among other things), as a person but also as a psychologist. I hope it will give you something too.
Registrations and memberships
BIG-registration number: 49920967125
AGB-code: 94101760
AGB-code practice: 94066718
NIP (Nederlands Instituut van Psychologen)
KVK: 34196443LVVP (Landelijke Vereniging voor Vrijgevestigde Psychologen en psychotherapeuten)
LVVP (Landelijke Vereniging voor Vrijgevestigde Psychologen en psychotherapeuten, my practice passed the 5-yearly quality control inspection in 2023)
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Post-master courses
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EMDR en SOLK/ALK (EMDR and persistent physical complaints), Werken volgens het gevolgenmodel (Van Rood en De Roos), 2023
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Lichaamsgerichte interventies voor (verbaal werkende) psychotherapeuten (Sensorimotor psychotherapy), RINO Noord-Holland, 2022
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Deep Listening Essentials, Rosamund Oliver, Centrum voor Mindfulness, 2021
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, basic course, ACT in Actie, 2021
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Schematherapie, basis- en vervolgcursus (Schema therapy, basic and follow-up courses), King Nascholing, 2018-2019
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Mentaliseren in behandelrelaties (Mentalization in therapeutic alliances), RINO Noord-Holland, 2017
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Interpersoonlijke psychotherapie bij depressie (Interpersonal psychotherapy for depression), RINO Noord-Holland, 2017
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EMDR basiscursus (EMDR, basic course), RINO Noord-Holland, 2015
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Opleiding tot gezondheidszorgpsycholoog met aandachtsgebied kortdurende psychologische zorg, inclusief basiscursus VCGT en basiscursus Affectfobietherapie (AFT) (Post-master training in healthcare psychology, including basic courses in cognitive behavioral therapy and affect phobia therapy), RINO Noord-Holland, 2014-2016