About me
This is me
My name is Dr. Désirée Schaumburg, born in Berlin in 1991. After studying medicine at Charité University Medicine in Berlin, I worked as a doctor at Charité University Medicine from 2017 to 2020, specifically in the Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology. Here, I pursued my research into early childhood trauma, mental illness and its links to rheumatic diseases. I began my doctorate in this field in 2014, laying the foundation for my current work as a holistic doctor.
My work at a glance
The path to holistic medicine
My medical career began as an assistant doctor in the osteoporosis clinic, where I first came into contact with the topic of vitamin D—a topic that would play a decisive role in my later work. In rheumatology in particular, it became clear to me how closely the body and mind are connected, even when there was no physically treatable cause. Despite successful biologic therapies, many of my patients continued to suffer from pain that could not be objectively diagnosed using conventional rheumatological methods. I found that undiagnosed depression or psychosomatic factors often played a role that did not fit into classic medical diagnostics.
Research projects and a holistic approach
At the clinic, I developed a desire to start a research project that would demonstrate the benefits of psychotherapeutic support for patients with rheumatic diagnoses. Unfortunately, my project failed due to a lack of funding and interest in such interdisciplinary collaboration. Nevertheless, I realized that I could not work the way I wanted to within the traditional clinic structure. The systemic time constraints and focus on purely physical diagnoses hindered my vision of establishing a more holistic treatment model.
Switch to holistic medicine
After working in various fields of medicine, including emergency medicine, gastroenterology, and palliative care, I decided to continue my specialist training at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Oncology and palliative medicine in particular allowed me to apply my empathic skills as a doctor, but even here I quickly realized that I wanted to start earlier in order to work with patients preventively and holistically.
I began to study nutrition, dietary supplements, and the gut microbiome intensively—topics that increasingly became part of a more comprehensive approach to health for me.
The discovery of aromatherapy
The birth of my daughter brought about a profound change in my life and in my attitude toward alternative healing methods. I used to be skeptical of complementary therapies that were not sufficiently scientifically proven. But a friend introduced me to essential oils, which helped me with minor ailments. These experiences led me to train as an aromatherapist and to study essential oils intensively. Today, I recognize the valuable complementary contribution of aromatherapy in holistic medicine—always with a clear focus on transparency and scientific evidence.
Neurosystemic integration
Another important component of my holistic approach is trauma-sensitive support. Through my training as a coach for neurosystemic integration, I learned how important it is to respond to patients’ psychological and emotional needs in order to support healing processes in the long term.
The decision to open my own practice
My last position in my hospital career was in intensive care. This period pushed me to my physical and psychological limits. I experienced firsthand how important it is to listen to your own body and take care of yourself in a timely manner. This experience and the many fates I saw in the clinic led to my decision to start my own practice. Because I firmly believe: The question is not whether we will grow old, but how we want to grow old!
I have seen how much suffering in the healthcare system is treated too late and how little we often care for our own health until it is too late. This motivated me to change my own (far too stressful) life and combine my knowledge into a holistic health concept that has a preventive effect and promotes the body’s self-healing powers.
Your path to a better quality of life – my holistic health concept
In my practice, I offer more than just symptomatic treatment. My approach goes far beyond that. I consider the whole person, identify the individual needs and causes of your complaints, and work with you to develop a tailor-made strategy to improve your life. In addition to conventional medical methods, I also use complementary techniques such as aromatherapy, nutritional counseling, and psychosomatic/trauma-sensitive support.
The goal of my work is to help you live more than just function. I want you to take control of your health and find the path to a fulfilling, healthy life—a life that brings you joy, energy, and well-being, no matter how heavy the baggage you bring with you to my practice.
I look forward to meeting you!
My scientific references
- Supervision of the PSYRA project (psychological comorbidities in early inflammatory joint diseases)
- Supervision of the FASB project (fatigue in Sjögren’s syndrome)
- Lecturer at the Rheumatism Academy (focus on osteoporosis)
- Lecturer at the German Rheumatism League (focus on osteoporosis, fatigue, mental illness in rheumatism patients)
- Lecturer at the Philipp Pfaff Institute for Continuing Education in Dentistry
