ProjectOvercoming Barriers (Hürden Nehmen) - Psychosocial support for people seeking protection

01.03.2023 – 28.02.2026

People who have experienced persecution, war, and displacement often require access to psychosocial, psychotherapeutic, and psychiatric care services. The experiences of war, violence, and displacement can heighten susceptibility to mental illness, particularly when compounded by post-migration stressors in Germany. Additionally, navigating the regular healthcare system poses various challenges.

In collaboration, the PSZ Brandenburg, PSZ Sachsen-Anhalt, PSZ Rostock, and PSZ XENION have united to provide tailored support in overcoming existing barriers within the healthcare system across the three participating eastern German federal states. Their collective efforts aim to address and ultimately bridge existing gaps, with the overarching goal of enhancing the mental health and social participation of people seeking protection.

Project activities

Our PSZ counselling centres identify people seeking protection with specialised needs, traumatic experiences, and mental illness at an early stage.

They receive support, including pre-therapeutic interventions, stabilisation, psychoeducation, and referral to regular healthcare. We also offer language mediation services and maintain ongoing collaboration with local migration networks.

We are piloting digital psychological counselling in three districts in Brandenburg

to increase access for displaced people

Conducting training sessions for language mediators

by PSZ Rostock

We foster partnerships with the regular healthcare system

other social institutions, and training programs to facilitate access to diagnostics, treatment, and care as well as to promote professional exchange

Structural improvements

are initiated through a scientific inquiry into the needs and care conditions of refugees in the regular system. The project results are shared with politicians and administrators to drive positive changes

Project focus KommMit-PSZ

1. Psychosocial and psychological counselling

The PSZs collaborate with multidisciplinary counselling teams comprising psychologists, social workers, socio-psychiatric medical specialists and language mediators. The psychosocial and psychological counselling services include:

Clearing in cooperation with residential homes and counselling centres
Medical history
Diagnostics
Psychological counselling
Cooperation with the regular healthcare system
Psychotherapeutic care
Crisis intervention
Group sessions
Certification for authorities (BAMF, Sozialamt, VG's, Ausländerbehörden)

2. Regional psychosocial counselling centres of the PSZ Brandenburg

There are counselling centres located in eight districts in Brandenburg, with seven operated by PSZ Brandenburg and one by PSZ XENION. The multicultural teams are composed of psychologists, social workers, and project coordinators, with additional language mediators available as needed. The tasks include identifying, counselling, and supporting clients experiencing psychological trauma as well as facilitating their social participation in the regular system. By raising awareness and qualifying institutions and healthcare staff, we aim to enhance cooperation with the care system Additionally, networking efforts are aimed at ensuring optimal care for displaced people.

3. Digital psychological counselling

In collaboration with PSZ XENION, we are piloting digital counselling. These online services, which include psychological counselling and psychosocial support, are being offered in the districts of Oberhavel, Oberspreewald-Lausitz, and Oder-Spree. Additionally, we maintain physical branch offices for initial and crisis counselling in person, while an IT site coordinator is available to provide support and equipment with digital end devices. The establishment of digital locations aims to create a secure environment for psychological counselling and improve access to psychological support for people who face barriers to visiting counselling centres for various reasons, particularly in underserved rural areas.