"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."

Victor Frankl
Charlotte Stapf is a professional psychotherapist and counsellor working in the Sydney area. With a focus on fostering self-awareness, she helps people understand their situations and find the answers they’ve been seeking.
There are many reasons people may benefit from psychotherapy or counselling. Charlotte specialises in areas such as addiction, abuse, depression and relationships. People often seek help with family issues as well, whether it’s a communication breakdown, marriage difficulties or parenting a child with behavioural problems. No matter what the problem is, Charlotte will give you space, support and respect. Within a safe and confidential environment, she listens with a non-judgmental ear, and provides an outside perspective. By giving you a different understanding of your past and present behaviour, helping you see patterns, she will guide you towards a solution that works for you. Charlotte works from her office in the Sydney CBD, also offering online sessions via Zoom.

About me

My interest in people initially saw me working in executive search. Now, through my psychotherapy and counselling work, I pursue this passion at a deeper level by helping individuals understand and deal with their personal challenges. Fully qualified and accredited with a Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy and a Clinical Member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia PACFA, I started working as a psychotherapist in 2008. I spent a few years working pro bono for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, specialising in people with trauma and addictions. My focus today encompasses family systems, including relationship and parenting issues, and communication difficulties. Working from the CBD of Sydney as well as online, I offer expert guidance in a secure and confidential environment. I also provide psychotherapy in both German and French, as I am trilingual after living for more than 10 years in each of those countries. Working on Skype as well as face-to-face allows me to offer continuity of care to my clients who head overseas for expatriation or family reasons.

Specialisation

Addiction
Family Systems
Relationship problems
Depression
Abuse (past & present)
Marriage problems
Trauma & PTSD
Communication Issues
Support for parents of children with behavioural issues

Testimonials

Here are some of the things her clients have written about Charlotte:
  • "It is without hesitation and with full conviction I can honestly say my life has taken a huge step forward since commencing therapy with Charlotte. Charlotte has a way of making me feel instantly at ease and the ability to draw from me many thoughts and insights on subjects that have been too difficult or internalised to voice before. Her non-intrusive manner, professionalism and wisdom make these revelations possible and my self-worth gains in purpose and weight with each session we share. There is an absolute lack of judgement the many and varied aspects that make up my journey. Without Charlotte's guidance, innate intelligence and sense of justice I would still be a few rungs down the ladder in a sea of confusion of why.I cannot recommend Charlotte highly enough."
  • "J’ai commencé une thérapie avec Charlotte lors de mon expatriation en Asie. Je souffrais d'une dépression et elle a beaucoup œuvré à ma guérison. La bienveillance de Charlotte m’a tout de suite mise à l’aise. Elle sait trouver la bonne distance et instaurer immédiatement un rapport de confiance. Les sessions par Skype offrent beaucoup de confort et la distance géographique n’est jamais un frein. Charlotte se rend toujours disponible. Elle m’a aidée à prendre les bonnes décisions, à me remettre en question et à trouver des réponses. Sans elle, je n’aurais pas pu créer la vie que je mène aujourd’hui ! Je recommande une psychothérapie avec Charlotte à tout mon entourage !"
  • "Thank you Charlotte for your support since I've been seeing you. You are a lovely woman with a gentle nature which helped me feel at ease talking."
    "Without your support I wouldn’t be the father, brother and son I am today, thank you Charlotte!"
    "Thank you Charlotte, you have changed my life, literally."
  • "Charlotte ist die beste Therapeutin, die ich mir wünschen kann. Sie war die erste Therapeutin, die es geschafft hat meine komplizierten Denkmuster zu verstehen und mir dabei zu helfen Knoten aufzulösen, die mich jahrelang blockiert hatten. Sie hat mir geholfen meine hartnäckige Essstörung in den Griff zu bekommen, an der ich schon jahrelang gelitten hatte. Durch die Therapie mit Charlotte konnte ich vor allem auch wieder eine gesündere Beziehung zu meinen Eltern und zu meinen engsten Freunden aufbauen. Egal welches Thema man gerade mit ihr bespricht, sie ist stets unvoreingenommen, verständnisvoll, sehr aufmerksam und sie trifft es mit ihren Hypothesen wirklich immer auf den Punkt. Ich bin Charlotte wirklich unendlich dankbar für all ihre Hilfe in den letzten Jahren - sei es bei der Vergangenheitsbewältigung oder bei Zukunftsfragen, die mich beschäftigen. Und vor allem dafür, dass sie immer für mich da ist wenn ich sie brauche."
  • “I was very unhappy in my marriage but couldn’t for the life of me work out why, as everything looked fine on the surface. It was driving me mad because I like to think I’m fairly in touch with myself. Charlotte helped me see things differently; she made me realise my feelings were valid and there was a real cause. It gave me the confidence to deal with it… when I first went to see her I just wanted someone to give me the answer but I realised working it out for myself was really important. She helped me do that, without even knowing I was doing it.”
  • "Avant de commencer mon travail avec Charlotte j’étais ce qu’on peut appeler une scéptique de la psychothérapie. J’étais persuadée de connaître parfaitement mes blocages. Charlotte m’a ouvert les yeux, non seulement le travail ( et ses effets ! ) durant les sessions a totalement dépassé mes attentes mais j’ai réalisé, grâce à l’extrême compétence de Charlotte (tant technique qu’émotionnelle), que la psychothérapie est un outil extraordinaire pour se débarrasser des « noeuds » émotionnels et pour rentrer sur le chemin de la quiétude et de l’équilibre. Mon souhait serait de démocratiser la psychothérapie et de pouvoir donner accès à cet incroyable outil à tous et à tout âge ! Charlotte est une personne incroyable et professionnelle et je la recommande sans hésiter (avec succès !) depuis des années."
  • "Von Herzen möchte ich Ihnen für so vieles danken: für Ihre riesig grosse Hilfe bei der Begleitung meines Weges, für Ihre ehrliche, einfühlsame und herzliche Art und für all die Geduld, die Sie immer wieder aufbringen. Danke auch, dass Sie keine schlechten, verurteilenden Gedanken mir gegenüber haben - Sie sind mein Vorbild! Ich komme immer gerne zu Ihnen und fühle mich bereichert und bestärkt!"

FAQ

Will you fix me?
No, I won't fix you. But I will help you find ways to "fix" yourself.
How long will it take?
That will depend on a lot of factors, but as a rule of thumb, the older the trauma, the longer you have lived with the problem, the longer the therapy.Some clients find their answers in 6-10 sessions; problems like childhood abuse or addiction on the other hand generally necessitate longer therapy.
What modality do you use?
I use a number of different modalities, such as psycho-dynamic, existential, CBT, hypnotherapy, Adlerian, Rogerian... according to the presenting and underlying issues, and the personality of my clients. But studies have shown that the determining factors of success in therapy were only remotely linked to the modalities used. The two main factors are (in that order): 1. The willingness of the client to change. 2. The relationship established between client and therapist.
Do I need a referral?
No, you just need to call or email me to make an appointment.
Can I claim a Medicare rebate?
No. But you might find though that under the Mental Health Plan your out-of-pocket expenses (what you pay on top of the rebate for each session with a clinical psychologist) are close to my total fee. And once you’ve reached the maximum 10 sessions that your Mental Health Plan offers, a psychologist will charge significantly more than my fees.

Contact

I offer flexible appointment times Monday to Friday, including evenings. For more information or make an appointment,please call 0404 074 706or email charlotte1010@gmail.com My office is located near Martin Place in the CBD of Sydney, and I also see interstate and overseas clients on Zoom