My name is Dott.ssa Alexandra Viechtbauer, I am a licensed psychologist inscribed in the lists of the Italian Psychological Association and I have ten years of experience in clinical psychology in Austria, Germany and Italy. I’m Austrian and I have lived in Italy since 2003, I actually work in my private practice in the provinces of Asti and Turin. I also offer recruiting services to an important multinational company.

Why this Blog

I decided to create this Blog to analyze and publish my own psychological point of view about news facts, or important events that influence our daily life. Reflections that one can obtain with this different approach are often ignored or superficially touched on by the media - more interested in sensationalism, diseased attentions or to the scoop itself - than in a real in-depth analysis of the reasons that are often located in the depths of the human psyche.


My professional approach

My working approach derives from a comprehensive vision of body and mind, that has been influenced by my vocational training and by more than ten-years of working experience with hundreds of patients belonging to many different cultures. I consider a person like a unit of body, mind and soul, immersed in his own social network and familiar system to which he belongs. A disease symptom can sometimes be seen as a signal of a missing of balance in the family, relational or working system.

I offer psychological support for individuals and couples: depression, anxiety, panic attacks, psychosomatic disorder, stress management, eating disorders, relational problems, parenting advice on child behavior problems, conjugal and post-separation/divorce conflicts, sexual sphere problems, grief management, post traumatic stress disorder, domestic violence and violence against women. I work with children, adolescents and adults.

I am used to working in three different languages, German (my native tongue), Italian and English.


My background

I received my degree in clinical and community psychology in 1998 at the University of Salzburg (Austria) after getting a lot of practical experience during my studies. After that I completed a two-year post-degree course in clinical and health psychology at BOEP (Austrian Psychological Association) and I am inscribed in the list of psychologists in Austria.

I received working experience collaborating with rehabilitation clinics and family centers in Austria where I provided psychological support and treated dependences like tabagism and alcohol and I worked in a psychosomatic clinic in Germany. Moreover I collaborated with several women’s centers offering psychological support to women and their children who were victims of domestic violence.

At the same time, I started to work in the field of Human Resources providing services through all the phases of recruiting, from the publication of the job announcement to the analysis of psychological tests, for several small companies.

In 2001 I participated to a course of EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, a technique used for treating post-traumatic stress disorders.

In my last job in Austria I worked in a day hospital as a support psychologist with patients discharged by the department of psychiatry.

In 2003, for sentimental reasons, I moved to Italy in the area of Asti in the Piedmont region, after a short period of settling down in which I completed an Italian language course organized by the University of Siena, I received the CILS 3 certification (superior competence in language communication, acknowledged by the European Community).

I got my first job in Italy at the International School of Turin (A.C.A.T. - IST) where I worked as a support teacher in the special needs and nursery department with children with learning problems. During the same period I attended a course to treat patients with Dyslexia.

Subsequently I have started an ongoing collaboration with an important multinational company where I provide a wide range of recruiting services and psychological assessments.

At the same time I have continued my activity in my private practice, and I have participated in a workshop of clinical hypnosis as a deep relaxation technique and I am completing a specialization in systemic family therapy.

In April 2009 I created this blog and I’m working to complete my internet site http://www.salutementis.com

I consider my formative pathway as a process in continuous evolution. I’m used to discussing and reflecting about my work with colleagues, to participating in the workshops and international congresses of my sector and I try to use any possibility to learn from the experience I get working with patients.