Treatment
concept

Practice in Potsdam New-age doctor, Desireee Schaumburg

Holistic medicine for your health – trust and individual support

In my practice, I combine the principles of classical internal medicine with modern, functional approaches, trauma-sensitive counseling and the healing power of essential oils. I attach great importance to a holistic approach to your body and your health. Through targeted and individual anamnesis, I include all levels of health in order to develop tailor-made treatment concepts that take into account your symptoms as well as your personal needs and wishes.

Should I require further internal examinations as part of the diagnosis, I will organize these for you – either through external referrals or as an attending physician in other facilities.

I create an atmosphere in which you can feel at ease, far removed from the traditional doctor’s surgery. My treatment room is a safe space in which you can show yourself authentically with all your experiences and symptoms. As your doctor, I always see you as a whole – as a person whose intact core is present in both positive and negative experiences.

The special thing about my work is the combination of sound knowledge, practical experience and deep empathy. I combine scientifically proven therapy methods with my feeling for people and always treat them transparently, realistically and individually. My job is not to promise “miracles”, but to work with you to create lasting changes that will have a positive impact on your life in the long term.

With the VNS analysis, I use a recognized tool to objectify the autonomic nervous system and can also integrate this into the regulation exercises in the form of biofeedback methods. This makes it easier for me to make the successes visible to you.

I am not a traditional family doctor, but your holistic companion – for the prevention and treatment of chronic and acute illnesses. I support you in re-establishing a deeper connection to your body and your inner core and in consciously perceiving your health needs.

Health is an interplay of all three levels.

Focal points of treatment

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

Autoimmune diseases*

Fatigue / Chronic exhaustion

Chronic pain symptoms*

Tumor diseases (curative and palliative)*

Obesity*

Diffuse symptom complexes

Emotional regulation difficulties

Aromatherapeutic support during the postpartum period

Aromatherapeutic support for palliative care patients

*Holistic supplement to standard treatment

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis

Autoimmune diseases*

Fatigue / Chronic exhaustion

Chronic pain symptoms*

Tumor diseases (curative and palliative)*

Obesity*

Diffuse symptom complexes

Emotional regulation difficulties

Aromatherapeutic support during the postpartum period

Aromatherapeutic support for palliative care patients

*Holistic supplement to standard treatment

Diagnostic procedures

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Therapeutic approaches

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Costs

In my practice, I work with a high standard of time, professionalism and humanity. Many patients present with complex, chronic or long-standing complaints that require careful internal clarification, the integration of various findings and comprehensible medical support.

This form of medicine is deliberately not designed for short contacts and cannot be fully reflected in traditional billing systems. For this reason, a clear and transparent presentation of time spent, scope of services and fees is particularly important to me.

However, I also offer significantly lower package prices (see below)

Individual services – Without package

Individual services apply to privately insured persons and self-payers without package booking

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Initial consultation incl. VNS/HRV baseline measurement

450 € (private service)

Time scope

approx. 75-120 minutes personal medical appointment on site
Additional extensive medical preparation and follow-up
Total medical time required: approx. 2-2.5 hours

The VNS/HRV measurement is an integral part of the initial consultation. It serves as an objective starting point for assessing the current regulatory and stress capacity of the autonomic nervous system and is an important diagnostic component, particularly in the case of stress-related complaints, exhaustion, chronic illnesses and functional symptoms.

Discussions of findings, services between appointments & follow-up checks

My medical fee is € 180 per hour.
Billing is based on time per quarter of an hour or part thereof.

Services outside office hours will also be invoiced if they take more than 10 minutes, pro rata temporis at the hourly rate.

Trauma-sensitive treatment:

Trauma-sensitive treatment as an individual session also costs 90 euros per 30 minutes. However, it is recommended to complete at least 6 sessions, which is why a reduced hourly rate of 145 euros applies.

Annual accompaniment as an alternative (see below)

These services are already included in the annual support packages offered below (packages S, M and L) on a flat-rate and transparent basis.
Patients receiving ongoing annual support are therefore not billed separately for the usual diagnostic work or medical queries (emails/short phone calls) as part of the package.

The annual accompaniments thus offer:

Planning security
A clear support structure
and a reduction in individual invoices outside of the deadlines
Significantly reduced hourly rate depending on package size

Laboratory and diagnostic costs

Laboratory tests and external diagnostics (e.g. special laboratories or genetic tests) are not included in the medical fee and are invoiced separately by the respective laboratories.

Billing for privately insured patients

Billing is in accordance with the scale of fees for physicians (GOÄ).
These include, among others:

Detailed medical consultation (e.g. GOÄ No. 30, possibly with a higher rate of increase)
Physical internal examination
psychosomatic or psychiatric co-assessment
Medical analysis and classification of the VNS/HRV measurement

Please note:
The extensive medical preparation and follow-up work, in particular the structured review of findings, medical integration, hypothesis formation, documentation and written preparation, cannot always be fully covered by individual GOÄ codes.

This part of the service is therefore charged at a flat rate as a medical integration and analysis service and cannot be reimbursed, or can only be partially reimbursed, by private health insurance companies or subsidy offices. Any additional payment is to be borne by the patient.

Annual packages

Package S functional medical annual support

Detailed information

✔ Initial medical consultation (approx. 2.5 h)

✔ 7 appointments (45 min)

✔ Evaluation of findings outside of consultation hours

✔ Defined medical email support

✔ 10% discount on additional services

➜ Effective hourly rate: approx. 160 €

Package M - Extended functional medical support

Detailed information

✔ Initial medical consultation (approx. 2.5 h)
✔ 7 meeting appointments (45 min)
✔ Evaluation of findings outside of consultation hours
✔ Defined medical mail support
✔ 10 % discount on additional services
✔ 6 in-depth medical consultations
(e.g. regulative / trauma-sensitive 60-75 min.)
➜ Effective hourly rate: approx. 150 €

Detailed information

✔ Initial medical consultation (approx. 2.5 h)
✔ 7 meeting appointments (45 min)
✔ Evaluation of findings outside of consultation hours
✔ Defined medical mail support
✔ 10 % discount on additional services
✔ 6 in-depth medical consultations
(e.g. regulative / trauma-sensitive 60-75 min.)
✔ 12 individually tailored infusions
✔ Highest support density & coordination performance
✔ Particularly close medical support for complex courses
✔ Prioritization & long-term strategy development
➜ Effective hourly rate: approx. 140 €

What does science say about my concept?

Illness is multidimensional – The connection between trauma, stress and physical health

In my work, I have repeatedly found that illness is not one-dimensional. In order to understand the complex patterns of a disease, a complete picture of the patient’s life history is needed. Many symptoms, autoimmune diseases and chronic pain are directly linked to the so-called stress axis (CRH axis), which has been shown to play a central role in traumatic experiences and their consequences.

Despite a wide range of knowledge, many people are not aware of how strongly early life experiences influence our health. In childhood, the nervous system is particularly plastic, which is important for development, but also means that negative experiences can become deeply rooted in the nervous system. These can later manifest themselves in traumatic reactions. The definition of trauma has expanded in recent years and now encompasses all experiences that cannot be adequately processed by the nervous system.

Early childhood experiences are therefore of great importance for medicine as a whole. Any experience that involves a loss of security – whether through neglect, disregard or even physical violence – can have potentially traumatic consequences. Children who are exposed to chronic stress (e.g. through family conflict, disregard for their needs or abuse) develop neural patterns that can increase the risk of mental illness as well as autoimmune diseases and even cancer.

These stressful experiences also shape later life: Adults who experienced chronic stress in their childhood often have a higher risk of mental health problems such as depression or anxiety, which in turn can promote autoimmune diseases. This shows how closely body, mind and soul are connected – and why these connections should never be viewed in isolation.

It is also important to understand that non-obvious consequences of trauma can also lead to health problems. Stress in adulthood – for example due to unsatisfactory work, bullying or personal crises – also plays a central role in the development of physical and mental imbalances. Acute or chronic stress increases nutrient consumption and promotes unhealthy behaviors such as the consumption of alcohol, cigarettes or unhealthy eating to cope with the strain. Healthy mechanisms for self-regulation are often lacking because they were not learned in childhood.

This vicious circle leads to the body and mind being increasingly neglected and the symptoms manifesting themselves more and more. In many cases, this results in persistent exhaustion, which is often perceived as a diffuse health problem. It is often not clear which came first – the physical symptoms or the mental stress – but not everything always needs to be analyzed in detail in order to recognize the need for holistic treatment.

Diseases such as metabolic syndrome, which are partly genetic, also have many different causes. Stress, emotional eating and a permanent increase in cortisol production contribute significantly to this. Traditional medicine often only treats symptoms – for example with medication that regulates blood values – without considering the underlying causes. This approach is important, but not sufficient to heal the person as a whole.

Experience from my own practice has shown that many patients do not really feel healthy or able to perform under purely symptom-oriented treatment, as the underlying emotional and psychological blockages remain unaddressed. What we need is a therapy that integrates the body and mind and recognizes and works through the underlying patterns. This is the only way to achieve long-term health.

For me, it is therefore not surprising that so many people suffer from non-specific symptoms of exhaustion. The key to successful treatment lies in an empathic, holistic approach that is both scientifically sound and individually tailored to the patient.

I work with my patients not only on a physical level, but also in the area of trauma-sensitive support. Here they learn to recognize their patterns, strengthen their body awareness and integrate traumatic experiences. This is a central element of my work in order to treat both chronic and acute illnesses in the long term and restore physical and mental balance.

Metabolic syndrome – an example of multifactorial diseases

Metabolic syndrome is an example of a disease that is influenced by many factors, including genetic predisposition, unhealthy eating habits, stress and emotional eating. Traditional treatment approaches often focus only on regulating blood pressure and blood sugar without considering the psychological and emotional causes. In my practice, I see it as crucial to include the emotional and psychological aspects in order to facilitate long-term and sustainable healing.

Conclusion

Ultimately, it is about looking at the person as a whole and incorporating both physical and mental aspects into the treatment. Only in this way can we truly heal and age healthily. Getting there requires empathy, sound knowledge and a holistic view of health.

References for more detailed information

Sources

In the following tabs you will find some sources that have investigated connections in these areas. Of course, there is much more literature available.

Childhood trauma and chronic illnesses

Felitti, V. J., et al. (1998). “Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
- This study shows how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have long-term health effects, including autoimmune diseases.
Danese, A., & Tan, M. (2014). “Childhood maltreatment and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Pediatrics.
- This meta-analysis looks at how childhood trauma can increase the risk of various chronic diseases, including immunological disorders.
Woods, S. J., et al. (2014). “The role of stress in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease.” Autoimmunity Reviews.
- This review discusses how psychological stress and trauma can contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases.
Miller, A. H., et al. (2009). “Depression and Immunity: A Role for Cytokines.” Psychosomatic Medicine.
- This study investigates how mental illness resulting from childhood trauma can affect the immune system, leading to the development of autoimmune diseases.
Gonzalez, A. et al. (2016). “Childhood adversity and chronic illness in adulthood.” Journal of Psychosomatic Research.
- This research shows a link between adverse childhood experiences and an increased risk of chronic diseases, including autoimmune diseases.
Freier, A., et al (2021). “The Impact of Childhood Trauma on the Development of Autoimmune Diseases.” Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology.
- - This study analyzes the specific link between childhood trauma and the development of various autoimmune diseases, highlighting the psychobiological mechanisms involved
Freier, D., et al. (2019). “Higher prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in early arthritis patients in comparison to the normal population.” Psychiatry Research.
- This study examines the more common symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients with early arthritis compared to the general population

Stress axis (CRH axis)

Heim, C., & Nemeroff, C. B. (2001). “The role of childhood trauma in the neurobiology of mood and anxiety disorders: a review.” The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
- This review discusses how early trauma affects the stress response, particularly through changes in the CRH axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
Heim, C., et al. (2000). “The effect of early life stress on the development of chronic fatigue syndrome.” Psychological Medicine.
- This study investigates how stress in childhood influences the CRH axis and can contribute to the development of chronic diseases.
Heim, C., et al. (2002). “Corticotropin-releasing hormone and the neurobiology of stress: a focus on the role of the hypothalamus.” Psychoneuroendocrinology.
- This work sheds light on the effects of childhood trauma on the regulation of CRH and the associated neurobiological mechanisms.
Heim, C., et al. (2004). “Early trauma and depression: a review of the evidence.” Biological Psychiatry.
- This review describes the links between early childhood trauma, activation of the CRH axis and the development of depression.

Depression, childhood, cancer

1. Gonzalez, A., et al. (2016). “Childhood adversity and cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Psycho-Oncology.
  - This study analyzes how adverse childhood experiences can increase the risk of developing cancer in adulthood.
2. López-Castillo, A., et al (2018). “Childhood trauma and cancer: A systematic review.” Journal of Psychosomatic Research.
  - This review discusses the evidence for a link between childhood trauma and an increased risk of cancer.
3. Katz, J., et al. (2013). “Depression and cancer risk: A systematic review.” Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
  - This systematic review examines how depression may be associated with an increased risk of various types of cancer.
4. Gonzalez, A., & Cummings, J. R. (2019). “The interplay of depression, childhood adversity, and cancer risk: A prospective study.” Psychosomatic Medicine.
  - This prospective study shows how both depression and childhood trauma can influence the risk of cancer.
5. Chida, Y., & Steptoe, A. (2009). “The association of anger and hostility with future coronary heart disease: A meta-analytic review.” Heart.
  - While this meta-analysis focuses on heart disease, it also looks at the influence of psychological factors on cancer risk.
6. Cohen, S., et al. (2007). “Psychological stress and disease.” JAMA.
  - This paper describes how psychological stress, including depression, can contribute to the development of various diseases, including cancer.

Treatment
concept