About me
I am Maschal Qayumi, a Health and Social Psychologist (M.Sc.), working in a psychosomatic clinic and currently pursuing further training in Systemic Therapy.
Around ten years ago, I set myself a clear goal: to work professionally in psychology and to support people through processes of change. Today, that is exactly what I do both in a clinical setting and through my psychological counselling practice.
My path into this work has been anything but conventional. It began under challenging circumstances: growing up in a working-class family, in a difficult environment, and with a disadvantaged socioeconomic background. I started working in hospitality at the age of 16. At 18, I completed vocational training as an industrial business administrator, which I successfully finished.
Once I entered working life, one thing became clear: external stability does not automatically create inner stability. It does not automatically answer the questions of calmness, motivation, and fulfilment nor does it resolve entrenched emotions or long-standing patterns of thought and behaviour on its own. At that point, I realised that meaningful change requires reliable coping strategies and a structured, methodical approach. That insight became the turning point that sparked my interest in psychology: Which scientifically studied methods genuinely help people cope better with stress in a lasting, practical, and effective way? I chose to study psychology in order to understand how calmness, motivation, and fulfilment can be built and sustained over time.
To pursue that goal, I completed my A-levels through second pathway adult education, moved to the Netherlands and completed my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and my Master’s degree in Health and Social Psychology there, both taught in English.
What has guided me throughout is a genuine interest in people: in what shapes us, what drives us, what keeps us stuck and what enables us to grow. My own biography has shown me how much is possible in a person, even when the starting conditions are far from easy. That is where my conviction comes from: with the right understanding and a well-founded psychological framework, calm, motivation, and fulfilment can be not only experienced in the short term, but built and strengthened for the long term.
My approach
In my psychological counselling practice, I work with current, evidence-based knowledge as well as practical methods drawn from health and social psychology.
In my consultancy work, I draw on approaches from the following areas, amongst others:
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Mental Load & Cognitive Stress Psychology
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Health Psychology (insbesondere Verhaltensänderung und gesundheitsbezogene Verhaltensmuster)
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Motivation & Performance Psychology
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Self-Regulation Psychology
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Interpersonal Psychology
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Development & Mental Health
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Learning & Behaviour
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Behaviour & Environment
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Brain & Cognition
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Systemic approaches
The emphasis is always on practical, actionable approaches that can be realistically integrated into everyday life.
I expressly distance myself from esoteric, New Age, and pseudoscientific practices without intending to judge or condemn other paths.
Professionalism, compassion, and respect form the foundation of my work. These principles shape my attitude, my decisions, and my collaboration with clients: within a safe, supportive space.
Important note on psychological counselling
This website and the services described here relate to psychological counselling. The aim is to provide support with emotional strain, self-regulation, and processes of change in everyday life. This service is not psychotherapy and does not replace medical or psychotherapeutic treatment. I do not carry out diagnostic assessments in the sense of a clinical evaluation, nor do I treat mental disorders. The goals described refer to potential outcomes; no guarantee of success can be given.
In the case of acute crises, risk of self-harm, or severe symptoms, please contact the emergency services or the medical on-call service immediately. In such situations, prompt medical or psychotherapeutic care is essential.
Psychological counseling
Areas of expertise
Stress management
Drivenness
Performance pressure
Overload
The feeling of stagnation
Distressing emotions
Behavioral patterns
Mental blocks
motivation
Feeling of exhaustion
aimlessness
frustration
Social psychology
Interpersonal Psychology
Separation & New Beginnings
Building relationships
Culturally sensitive psychology
identity
affiliation
Integration stress