private practice
Ana Schmidt, MPsych
psychoanalytic psychotherapy
about me
As a psychologist and psychoanalytic psychotherapist in training, my work aims to create a safe space for the process of gradual understanding and processing of topics, in order to free oneself from old patterns and inhibitions, and to create space for new ways of thinking, feeling and relating to oneself, others and life in general.
I completed my bachelor’s degree in psychology at the Faculty of Arts in Maribor, after which, to further my psychoanalytic and psychotherapeutic knowledge, I decided to study for a Master's degree in psychology with a clinical focus at the International Psychoanalytic University (IPU) in Berlin. Since 2021, I have been in a postgraduate training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy at the Slovenian Society for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (SDPP) - In 2025, I completed the four-year theoretical component of my professional training and am currently continuing with supervised clinical practice. In parallel, I work as a psychological counsellor at the POSVET Centre for Psychological Counselling. I have a private practice in which I provide psychoanalytic psychotherapy for adults under the supervision of training analysts (International Psychoanalytic Association, IPA).
about my approach
The basis of my approach is exploring different aspects of oneself as a unique individual and one’s life as a whole. This includes your distinct history and development and an attempt to better understand how that might have influenced your present way of being and living.
At times, we may be unaware of the beliefs and fears influencing how we see and live in the world, they may be unconscious and become deeply ingrained and automatic. This can lead to repeating harmful behaviours, feeling trapped in unhappy relationships, and impeding our emotional, creative, and professional growth.
Because many of the symptoms, personality traits and attitudinal patterns have been building for years and persist (are chronic) they can only be changed step by step. Exploring unconscious content and processing it in relationships thus takes time takes time, courage, trust and patience.
I view my work as accompanying individuals on a path of self-exploration, widening and deepening the inner space of feeling and understanding of oneself, others and life in general.
I provide psychotherapy to individuals experiencing a variety of different symptoms or difficulties, including going through major life transitions, existential problems including death anxiety, problems of freedom and search for meaning, relationship issues, the experience of trauma, depression, worrying and anxiety, stress and burnout.
Each psychotherapeutic process differs in content, frequency of sessions, and duration. After a few initial meetings, we decide together whether and how to continue our work together, including the goals of the treatment, the frequency of sessions, and the duration of the process.
I work with(in) the LGBTQIA+ community.
education & qualifications
2021 - today - Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, postgraduate training
Slovenian Society for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (SDPP); European Federation for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (EFPP).
2019 - Master of Psychology with a clinical focus (MA)
International Psychoanalytic University Berlin, Germany.
2017 - Bachelor of Psychology (BA)
Faculty of Arts, University of Maribor, Slovenia.
other education, conferences
2025 - Transgender: Transference and Countertransference Anxieties; Second Brussels Study weekend, IPA Sexual & Gender Diversity Studies Committee; Brussels, Belgium
2025 - Empathy - Professional Conference; Croatian Psychoanalytic Society, Tuhelj, Croatia
2025 - EFPP and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in Europe and Slovenia - Maria Eugenia Cid Rodrigez; SDPP International Seminar, Ljubljana
2024 - Envy - Professional Conference; Croatian Psychoanalytic Society, Tuhelj, Croatia
2024 - War, Revenge, and Forgiveness - Psychoanalytic Research - Igor Romanov; SDPP International Seminar, Ljubljana
2024 - The Seductions of Identity: Thinking About Identity and Transgender - Alessandra Lemma; SDPP International Seminar, Ljubljana
2023 - Play - Professional Conference; Croatian Psychoanalytic Society, Tuhelj, Croatia
2023 - Child and adolescent psychoanalysis in the adult world. Leena Klockars, Helen Tartes-Babkina; SDPP International Seminar, Ljubljana
2022 - Unconscious - Professional Conference; Croatian Psychoanalytic Society, Tuhelj, Croatia
2022 - Contribution of André Green to the Contemporary Psychoanalytical Thinking - Gilbert Diatkine; SDPP International Seminar, Ljubljana
2022 - Ageing and Psychoanalytic Work with the Elderly - Eike Hinze, Pavel Fonda; SDPP International Seminar, Ljubljana
2022 - Training for psychological counsellors of POSVET; POSVET - Centre for Psychological Counselling, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2022 - Mentalization - Thijs de Wolf, Hektor Jogan; SDPP International Seminar, Ljubljana
2021 - Thomas Ogden – the creative experience of psychoanalysis - Pavel Fonda, Lilija Varjačić Rajko, Pavel Koltaj, Vlasta Polojaz, Igor Okorn; SDPP International Seminar, Ljubljana
2021 - Philosophy, Psychoanalysis and Gender: From Freud to Judith Butler; Freud Museum London, online
2018 - Integrating Relational Theory into Clinical Practice; Stillpoint Spaces Berlin, Germany
2017 - Intensive Basics in Psychotherapy Science; Sigmund Freud University Vienna, Austria
2017 - 8th International Spring Academy: Transcultural and Transgenerational Studies in Sociodrama and Psychodrama Groups; Centre for Psychodrama, Novigrad, Croatia
experience
2022 - today - Psychologist and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist in training
Private practice in Ljubljana & Celje, Slovenia.
2022 - today - Psychologist, psychological counselling
POSVET - Centre for Psychological Counselling, Slovenia.
2024 - 2025 - Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist in training
Psychotherapy and Psychodiagnostic Centre Maribor, Slovenia.
2024 - Senior Therapy Consultant
It’s Complicated, Mittelweg 50 Berlin GmbH, Berlin, Germany
2019 - 2024 - Community Coordinator, Therapy Consultant, Consultant for Employee Assistance Programmes
It’s Complicated, Mittelweg 50 Berlin GmbH, Berlin, Germany
2022 - 2023 - Telephone counsellor for children and adolescents
Slovenian Association of Friends of Youth (ZPMS), Slovenia.
2019 - 2023 - Community Coordinator for a psychotherapy community
Praxis Mittelweg 50, Berlin, Germany
2018 - Psychological Clinical Placement
Psychiatric Hospital Priory Group Hospital Woking, Surrey, UK
2016 - 2017 - Psychological Clinical Placement
Paediatric Ward, General Hospital Celje, Slovenia.
what I offer
introductory sessions
Before starting psychotherapy, several informative meetings are needed in which you can get to know the psychoanalytic psychotherapeutic way of working, get a feel for whether you could work with the therapist as a person and define your expectations.
1-3 sessions
1 session per week
70€ / Session
supportive psychotherapy
A less intensive, more structured form of therapeutic work aimed at stabilisation and emotional support. It uses elements of psychoanalysis but is less in-depth. Suitable for periods of greater stress, when the desire and need to relieve distress and strengthen inner strengths is at the forefront. Meetings are held once a week.
1 session per week
70€ / Session
psychoanalytic psychotherapy
A form of long-term, in-depth treatment that takes place twice a week. The focus is not just on quick symptom relief, but on a broader and deeper understanding of ourselves, including the internal emotional and relationship patterns that influence our experience and behaviour.
2 sessions per week
55€ / Session
I provide services in English and Slovenian.
terms & conditions
-
My psychology and psychotherapy practice is open to all individuals, regardless of identity, sex, gender, affiliations - it is open to all forms of diversity and all ways of being. LGBTQIA+ inclusive and welcoming practice.
All information disclosed in counselling or psychotherapy sessions is strictly confidential and may only be disclosed to a third party in serious life- or health-threatening circumstances.
All notes and other documents are kept confidential. They are protected in such a way that they are not accessible in any way to anyone.
In my practice I am bound to a Code of Ethics of the Slovenian Society for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (SDPP).
-
Psychotherapy sessions cannot be covered by health insurance. Payment for services can only be self-paid.
-
If you are experiencing an acute crisis - including feelings of great emotional distress, feeling usafe, contemplating suicide, etc. - my services are not appropriate.
In such a case, please contact any of the organisations listed below:
SLOVENIA
Resources for help in severe mental distress / Viri pomoči v hudi duševni stiski (MIRA).
INTERNATIONAL
Crisis centres, mental health hotlines and online chat rooms: International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP)
get in touch
Do you have questions or want to book an appointment? Get in touch.
+386 (0)30 761 270
location
Celje
Ljubljanska cesta 20
3000 Celje
Ljubljana
Celovška cesta 73
1000 Ljubljana