Marie-Alix

Mrs Marie-Alix Paltzer-Diwan, MA

Registered Counselor

Verified

“I enjoy providing a confidential space for people to feel heard, safe, and understood. I create this space by listening to your story with kindness, acceptance and curiosity. I support clients facing anxiety, trauma, relationship difficulties, identity questions, and the effects of emotionally harmful or narcissistic relationships. Alongside emotional support, I offer psychoeducation and practical tools, helping you understand your patterns, your nervous system, and your boundaries. I believe in practical help and therefore will, when appropriate, proactively give you actionable tools to assist your growth. You’ll notice my sessions move at a steady, collaborative pace where we listen carefully, name patterns, and agree on small, practical steps to try between meetings. In Geneva or online, in English, French or German, I balance attentive presence with clear structure—short check-ins, focused exploration, and simple tools you can use day-to-day. For issues like anxiety, toxic relationship or burnout, we track progress together and adjust what helps. This way of working suits people wanting compassionate clarity and usable change.”

About Me

Hi, I’m Marie-Alix, an English-speaking therapist based in Geneva. I work with people from many cultural backgrounds and bring both American and Swiss perspectives into my practice. My work is trauma-informed, nervous-system-aware, and grounded in helping people understand themselves—so they can live with more clarity, steadiness, and self-trust. Outside of my work, I love books, nature, animals (I share my life with two dogs and a cat), tennis, creating art, and baking. I’m deeply committed to learning and regularly continue my training, especially in trauma-informed and neuroscience-based approaches, so my work stays thoughtful, ethical, and up to date. And for dog lovers—sometimes my dogs, Pumba and Spot, may be present in sessions, but only if you are comfortable and enthusiastic about it. We always check this together in our first session.

Approach

I use an Integrative Counseling Approach. This means that I create a unique approach for each client by combining specific techniques from a variety of therapies. My Integrative Counseling Approach incorporates elements from therapies such as: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Person-Centered Therapy, Polyvagal Theory, Attachment-Based Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Narrative Therapy, Psychoanalytical therapies such as Jungian Therapy (in my MBTI work).
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Basic Information

In-person & Online

Services

Many of the people I work with struggle with anxiety and panic attacks, stress and burnout, trauma, or the effects of narcissistic abuse and toxic relationships. I also support newly single parents as they move through major life transitions, helping them heal, rebuild, and find steadiness again. I work often with expats and students, including high school and university students—especially those in study-abroad programs—who may be facing pressure, identity questions, loneliness, or cycles like procrastination and self-doubt. Alongside emotional support, I offer clarity and psychoeducation. We explore your patterns, your nervous system, your boundaries, and your sense of self—so you can move from confusion toward understanding, steadiness, and self-trust. In addition to individual therapy, I collaborate with universities and schools to offer student workshops on wellbeing, stress, identity, and emotional health. I also support staff and faculty in navigating student wellbeing challenges, communication, and emotional support in educational settings. I am also a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) practitioner and offer personality assessments for individuals and groups. These assessments support deeper self-understanding, communication, and growth, and are used in therapy, personal development, and educational or professional settings.

Services Offered:

  • Counseling

    A form of talk therapy providing a safe, confidential space to explore feelings, thoughts, and behaviours with a trained professional.

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  • Online Therapy

    Therapy sessions conducted over video call, phone, or secure messaging, using the same professional methods delivered remotely.

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  • Stress Management

    Techniques and strategies for managing the body and mind's response to excessive demands, including relaxation, cognitive restructuring, and lifestyle changes.

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  • Adolescent Therapy

    Therapy designed for teenagers, using age-appropriate methods to address issues like anxiety, identity, peer pressure, and family conflict.

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  • Psychoeducation

    Structured information provided about a mental health condition (what it is, why it occurs, and what strategies can help) as part of the therapeutic process.

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  • Relationship Counseling

    Counselling for couples or partners focused on improving communication, rebuilding trust, and strengthening emotional connection.

  • Abuse

    Emotional, physical, or sexual mistreatment by another person that causes lasting psychological harm and disrupts a person's sense of safety.

  • Conflict Management

    Structured approaches to resolving disputes and improving communication between people in conflict, whether in relationships, families, or workplaces.

  • Individual Therapy

    One-on-one therapy sessions between a client and a therapist, focused on that person's specific concerns and goals.

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  • Trauma Counselling

    Counselling specifically for people affected by traumatic events, focused on processing what happened and reducing symptoms like flashbacks and hypervigilance.

    Learn more about Trauma Counselling

Works With:

  • Adolescents
  • Adults
  • Individuals

Area of Expertise

Scope of Practice:

  • Anxiety

    Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.

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  • Relationship Issues

    Difficulties in romantic relationships, including communication problems, trust breakdowns, conflict patterns, or uncertainty about the relationship's future.

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  • Stress / Burnout

    The body and mind's response to prolonged or excessive demands. When sustained, it can lead to emotional exhaustion, detachment, and reduced functioning (burnout).

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  • Family Issues

    Difficulties within the family system, including conflict, communication breakdown, blended family tensions, or intergenerational patterns, that affect individual and collective well-being.

  • Life Transitions

    Major life changes, such as relocation, retirement, parenthood, or career shifts, that disrupt routine and require psychological adjustment.

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  • Self-Esteem

    A person's overall sense of their own worth and value. When chronically low, it can drive self-doubt, avoidance, and difficulty in relationships.

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  • Anger

    An intense emotional response to perceived threat, injustice, or frustration that, when persistent or uncontrolled, can damage relationships and well-being.

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  • Divorce Coping

    The emotional upheaval of separation or divorce, including grief, anger, identity disruption, and the challenge of restructuring family life.

  • Procrastination

    The habitual delay of important tasks despite knowing the consequences, often driven by underlying anxiety, perfectionism, or fear of failure.

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  • Trauma

    The lasting psychological impact of deeply distressing events, such as violence, abuse, accidents, or disasters, that overwhelm a person's ability to cope.

    Learn more about Trauma

Professional Title:

  • Registered Counselor

    A counselor who is formally registered with a professional or regulatory body.

Credentials

Registrations

Swiss Association for Counseling (SGfB)

Counsellor

Qualifications

Master of Arts

University of Webster

Year: 2020

Bachelor of Arts

University of Virginia

Year: 2016

Certified Practitioner of the MBTI Step I & Step II Instruments

Myers & Briggs Foundation

Year: 2017

Polyvagal-Informed Certificate (training in progress - completion in June 2026)

Polyvagal Institute

Year: 2026

Narcissistic Abuse Expert

Ronia Fraser with White Lotus Transformational & Recovery Coaching

Year: 2026

Memberships

American Counseling Association (ACA)

Membership: 6568657

Service Areas

Diwan Counseling

In-person & Online

Geneva, Genève

Switzerland

Genève, Switzerland