English-Speaking Therapy in Amsterdam
Individual and couples therapy for expats and internationals in Amsterdam — in person at a quiet practice space on Sarphatistraat, or online. No referral, no waiting list.
Book a Free 15-Minute Introductory Call Sessions in English or Slovene. Minutes from Weesperplein.
The particular pressure of building a life here
Amsterdam is one of the easiest cities in Europe to move to and one of the harder ones to settle into. The practical parts are unusually smooth — the job, the English, the bureaucracy that mostly works. It is the rest that tends to take people by surprise.
Friendships form quickly and then dissolve when contracts end. The housing situation keeps a lot of people provisional for years longer than they planned. And there is a particular flatness that can arrive around the second or third year, once the novelty has worn off and the question of whether you are actually building something here becomes harder to postpone.
None of that is a crisis, which is part of what makes it difficult to talk about. It rarely looks like anything from the outside, and the people who would normally notice are in a different time zone.
Ways of working together in Amsterdam
Four ways of working are available, in person or online. They overlap more than the labels suggest, and it is common to begin with one and find the work moves toward another.
- Individual therapy: one-to-one sessions for anxiety, burnout, grief, identity questions, and periods of transition.
- Couples therapy: longer sessions for partners under relationship strain, or carrying the pressure of a shared life abroad at different speeds.
- Expat therapy: work focused specifically on relocation — culture shock, loneliness, and the slow erosion of a familiar sense of self.
- Online therapy: secure video sessions across the Netherlands and Europe, and the primary format for this practice.
Finding the practice space
In-person sessions in Amsterdam are held at Sarphatistraat 14, 1017 WS, near Frederiksplein — close to the centre without being in the middle of it, on a street that stays reasonably quiet once you are off the main crossing.
By metro, Weesperplein is a few minutes' walk, which makes the space straightforward to reach from Centraal, Zuid, and most of the ring.
By tram, the Weesperstraat and Frederiksplein stops are both close by, and the Amstel is a short walk east if you would rather arrive on foot with a few minutes to yourself first.
By bike, there is street parking for bicycles nearby, as everywhere in this part of the city. If you are coming from Oost, De Pijp, or the centre, it is a ten to fifteen minute ride.
Directions and entry instructions are sent once your session is confirmed, so there is nothing to work out on the day.
In person, online, or both
Worth being straightforward about this: in-person availability in Amsterdam is limited to certain days. The main practice is a studio in Leiden, and online sessions are the primary format for most of the people I work with here.
In practice that usually means a mix — meeting in Amsterdam when the schedule allows, and by secure video otherwise. Switching between the two does not interrupt the work, and the cost is identical either way.
If in-person contact matters a great deal to you and the Amsterdam days do not line up with your week, the Leiden studio is about thirty-five minutes by direct train from Amsterdam Centraal, with more availability.
The approach, and who you would be working with
My name is Eva Virc, and this is a one-person practice — you meet the same person for the introductory call and for every session afterwards.
The work is grounded in logotherapy, the meaning-centred approach developed by Viktor Frankl. It proceeds from the premise that the search for meaning is a fundamental human orientation rather than a luxury, and that when that search stalls it produces a specific kind of distress: often subtle, felt as flatness or a sense that something essential is missing even when everything is technically fine. Relocation disrupts the structures through which people make sense of themselves, which is why the framework suits expat experience well.
I hold a BA and MA in Philosophy and am a PhD candidate researching the phenomenology of therapeutic practice. My clinical training was completed at Sigmund Freud University Ljubljana, and my logotherapy training is accredited by the Viktor Frankl Institute. I have approximately 800 hours of supervised practice, including work in psychiatric settings.
This is a private practice operating outside the Dutch BIG and GGZ system. That is why there is no referral requirement, no diagnosis, and no waiting list — and also why sessions are not reimbursed by Dutch health insurance. If it becomes clear that a different kind of support would serve you better, I will say so.
More about my background and how I work.
Practical details
- Address: Sarphatistraat 14, 1017 WS Amsterdam
- Individual sessions: 50 minutes, €125
- Couples sessions: 75 minutes at €165, or 90 minutes at €195
- Introductory call: 15 minutes, free, no obligation
- Languages: English and Slovene
- Format: In person in Amsterdam on selected days, or online
- Nearest metro: Weesperplein, a few minutes on foot
- Referral: Not required. Sessions are private-pay and not reimbursed by Dutch health insurance
Also available in Leiden.
Common questions about therapy in Amsterdam
Where in Amsterdam are sessions held?
At a quiet practice space on Sarphatistraat 14, 1017 WS, near Frederiksplein and a few minutes' walk from Weesperplein metro. Directions and entry instructions are sent once your session is confirmed.
Do I need a GP referral?
No. This is a private practice, so you can book directly without a referral, a diagnosis, or an intake through your huisarts. Sessions are not reimbursed by Dutch health insurance — which is why there is no referral requirement and no waiting list.
How often can we meet in person in Amsterdam?
In-person availability here is limited to certain days, and online remains the primary format. Mention your preference on the introductory call and we can look at what is realistic before you commit to anything.
Are sessions available in English?
Yes — sessions are held in English or Slovene. Most of the people I work with in Amsterdam are internationals who would rather not work in Dutch, particularly when the subject is identity and belonging. The vocabulary you think in tends to be the one you need.
What does it cost?
Individual sessions are 50 minutes at €125. Couples sessions are 75 minutes at €165 or 90 minutes at €195. In-person and online sessions cost the same, and every first step is a free 15-minute introductory call with no obligation to continue.
Can I mix in-person and online sessions?
Yes, and most people here do. Given that in-person days in Amsterdam are limited, a mix is the usual arrangement. Switching between formats does not interrupt the work.
Book a session in Amsterdam
The first step is a free 15-minute introductory call — no preparation needed, and no obligation to continue. If you would like to meet in person in Amsterdam, mention it when you book so we can look at the available days.
Book a Free 15-Minute Introductory Call