About Martina Famos, Counselor and Author

My Professional Journey and Approach

Diploma as Adlerian Counselor in 2011, at "Akademie für Individualpsychologie" (AFI)

Counseling Approach

• Principles and Theory of Alfred Adler
• Counseling Concept by Rudolf Dreikurs
• Encouragement by Theo Schoenaker
• REBT Therapy methods of A. Ellis
• Purpose of Emotions by G. McKay and D. Dinkmeyer
• GPI Coaching by U. Bärtschi
• Positive Discipline by Jane Nelsen
• STEP-Theorie ("Systemisches Training für Eltern und Pädagogen")

Adlerian psychology is a cognitive and holistic depth theory that considers linkages between behavior and achieved end-results and what conclusion and meaning the client takes from it in terms of their social environment, themselves, and a universal context.

Before studying psychology, I owned an action sports event company and later became a production manager of an international snowboard magazine printed in four languages. Driven by my interest in understanding human behavior, I took my diploma. First, I subleased a practice room in Zurich for four months to test the waters, which turned into eleven years of counseling individuals, couples, parents, and executives.

In 2009, right at the beginning of the globalization boom, my neighbor told me she couldn't find an English-speaking psychologist to help her with her marriage, encouraging me to offer counseling in English. My native language is Romansh, the fourth national language of Switzerland, and even if my English was far from perfect, I jumped at the challenge. Thanks to my neighbor, an exciting journey as a counselor for internationals began.

In 2019, I moved to Scuol to offer Private Counseling Retreats, as I believe nature is the best "counseling office".

In 2022 I self-published my first book Cultural Grief, a self-help book for expatriates.