Welcome to my website
This page offers an English summary of the main sections of my Dutch website.
Here you’ll find an overview of my background, professional experience, and therapeutic vision, as well as the areas of psychiatry and psychotherapy I focus on in my work.
It also provides practical information about treatment procedures, registration, and fees.
Thank you for visiting. I hope this page gives you a clear sense of who I am, how I work, and what you can expect from my practice.
F. (Forugh) Karimi, M.D.
Vision
A strong therapeutic relationship forms the foundation of every treatment I provide. Trust, openness, and mutual respect are the basis on which meaningful change can occur. I believe in clear communication: empathetic where possible, and confrontational when necessary.
Effective treatment begins with an accurate and careful understanding of the problem. I work in accordance with the professional and scientific guidelines of my professional associations, but always with attention to the unique context of the person sitting across from me.
Together with the patient, I develop a tailored treatment plan that focuses not only on the symptoms but, above all, on the person behind them. My approach aims to foster autonomy, to break dysfunctional patterns in relationships, and to address the underlying factors that cause recurring difficulties or stagnation.
It is essential to me that the patient feels a sense of agency over their own care process. That treatment takes place within a framework of shared responsibility, because real change is something we create together.
Professional Experience
- Since 2011 – Consultant psychiatrist in private practice
- 2014–2022 – Psychiatrist at Idiomes, Centre for Transcultural Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, GGzE
- 2010–2014 – Psychiatrist, Department of Old Age Psychiatry, GGZ Oost-Brabant
Education and Registrations
- BIG-registration as Psychotherapist, 2019
- Certified Emotion-Focused Therapist (EFT), 2019
- Training in Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP), 2018–2020
- Training in Systemic Therapy, NVRG-accredited route, 2011–2015
- Residency in Psychiatry, 2006–2010 (BIG-registered psychiatrist)
- ANIO Psychiatry, 2004–2006
- Doctor of Medicine, University of Amsterdam, 1998–2004
My view on Mental Health
In my work, I start from the idea that symptoms never appear out of nowhere.My therapeutic orientation is rooted in psychodynamic thinking: I believe that symptoms have meaning, that they point toward inner conflicts, desires, and unresolved (often traumatic) experiences.
Together with the patient, I try to explore what lies beneath the surface: which patterns repeat, which feelings are avoided, and which stories need to be told again in order to heal.
I also draw on insights from Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT). Emotions are not the enemy but a compass; they guide us toward what truly matters.
Learning to recognize, tolerate, and express emotions often becomes the key to transformation.
At the same time, I always consider the wider context. Mental health never exists in isolation: it is shaped by relationships, social circumstances, and the world we live in. Factors such as migration, loss, poverty, or social exclusion can profoundly affect how a person feels and functions.
I therefore believe in an approach that connects the personal, relational, and societal dimensions of a person’s life. Healing, to me, means more than the disappearance of symptoms, it means rediscovering the coherence between inner and outer worlds, between feeling and understanding, between the individual and society.
Treatments
My work primarily focuses on the treatment of personality disorders and complex trauma. In my practice, I provide treatment for adults aged 18 and above.
Therapies include medication management, supportive and structuring therapy, and various forms of psychotherapy.
Psychotherapy methods include:
- TFP (Transference-Focused Psychotherapy): An evidence-based psychodynamic psychotherapy developed for patients with (severe) personality disorders characterized by borderline personality organization. For more information about this intensive form of psychotherapy, please visit this site.
- EFT (Emotion-Focused Therapy): This approach views emotions as central to human functioning and therapeutic change. Patients learn to understand, express, and regulate their emotions more effectively.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) elements: Focused on identifying and managing maladaptive thoughts and behaviors.
- NET (Narrative Exposure Therapy): Designed for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): For trauma processing and integration.
- Family and Relationship Therapy.
- EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) for couples.
- BEPP (Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD).
Exclusion Criteria
Treatment at my practice is not suitable for patients:
- who are currently in crisis or require emergency or out-of-hours home visits;
- who are actively psychotic or not in a stable phase;
- who have severe addiction problems.
My working procedure
Registration
A referral from your general practitioner or another medical specialist is required for treatment. The referral must be for specialized psychiatric care (SGGZ), and a psychiatric disorder should be the primary reason for referral.
You can register by sending an email or by filling out the contact form on this website. Registration is possible only when there is space for new patients on the waiting list. This information is always kept up to date on the Contact page of this website.
Please note: do not send any personal or medical information by email. You may instead send a short message requesting to be contacted.
When your application has been accepted – after an initial phone call to assess the indication – an intake appointment will be scheduled. During the intake, we will explore your difficulties, expectations, and treatment goals. Depending on the diagnostic outcome, treatment can begin afterwards.
Clear agreements will be made regarding the treatment plan, and a treatment contract will be established. The duration of the treatment depends on the nature of the problem and your treatment goals.
After the start of treatment, a brief summary report will be sent to the referring physician, with your consent.
All communication with the referrer takes place through a secure digital connection that complies with current privacy regulations.
Reports are stored in a secured electronic patient record (EPD) in accordance with GDPR (AVG) requirements.
After completion of the treatment, and with your consent, a final report will also be sent to the referring physician.
Professional Associations
- BIG-registration as Psychiatrist
- BIG-registration as Psychotherapist
- Member of:
- Dutch Psychiatric Association (NVvP)
- Dutch Association for Relationship and Family Therapy (NVRG)
- Dutch Association for Psychotherapy (NVP)
- TFP Netherlands
- International Society of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (ISTFP)
- Dutch Society for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (NVPP), registered member
- Federation of Medical Specialists (FMS)
Other Professional Roles
- Editor-in-Chief, De Psychiater (professional journal of the NVvP), 2024–present
- Member, Council for the Dutch Language and Literature (Raad voor de Nederlandse Taal en Letteren), 2022–2025
- Chair, Section of Transcultural Psychiatry, NVvP, 2020–2023
Additional Information
- Approved GGZ Quality Statute (available for review in the practice)
- Active participant in intervision groups (psychiatry and systemic therapy), peer consultation, and professional quality assessment
Languages
I provide therapy in Dutch, English, and Farsi/Dari.
Reimbursement and Fees Coverage
Treatment in my practice falls under specialized mental health care (SGGZ) and is reimbursed through the basic health insurance package, in accordance with the Dutch Care Performance Model (Zorgprestatiemodel, ZPM).
The legally required annual deductible (eigen risico) applies.
Contracts with Health Insurers
As of 2025, I have contracts with all Dutch health insurers. Treatment costs are billed directly to your health insurance provider.
Rates
The fees in my practice are based on the maximum rates set by the Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa) for specialized mental health care. Health insurers apply their own reimbursement percentages within these NZa maximum rates. For you as a patient, this makes no practical difference: when there is space on the waiting list and you meet the treatment indication, you can start treatment in my practice.
For more information about these rates and the Care Performance Model, please visit the website of the NZa.
Self-Funding Patients
For patients without Dutch health insurance, the NZa maximum rate (100%) for specialized mental health care applies.
No-Show Policy
If you fail to attend an appointment without prior notice, or if you cancel less than 24 hours in advance (except in cases of force majeure), a no-show fee of €80 may be charged.
This amount is not reimbursed by the health insurer.
Privacy and Confidentiality
As a registered psychiatrist (BIG register), I am bound by strict medical confidentiality.
All information shared during treatment is handled with the utmost privacy.
Only your referring physician receives a brief report, unless you choose not to give consent.
Your health insurer receives only administrative information and a diagnostic code, never treatment details.
You have the right to access your medical record and may request its deletion after treatment, following a formal procedure.
Complaints Procedure
If you have a concern or complaint about your treatment, I encourage you to discuss it with me first.
If this does not resolve the issue, you may contact the independent complaints officer of the Dutch Association for Psychiatry (NVvP) via klachtenfunctionaris@nvvp.net. More information is available here.
My practice is also affiliated with the Disputes Committee for Independent Mental Health Practices in The Hague, which can provide an impartial ruling on complaints or claims.
More information is available at www.degeschillencommissie.nl.
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