Legitimerad psykoterapeut
Psychotherapy
At some point in their lives, most people suffer from emotions or events that are too difficult to get through on their own. It can be about major life changes such as becoming a parent or retiring, or about losses that provoke thoughts about life and choices. Psychotherapy is a conversation therapy that is approved by The National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) for the treatment of several different emotional problems. In psychotherapy you get the opportunity to explore your thoughts, feelings and the events you have suffered, together with a trained professional who does not judge. In collaboration with the psychotherapist, new ways of solving problems and managing life are being explored. It can help you evolve through adversity and find new strengths in yourself.
Psychotherapy can be short and intensive or long and profound. If you have felt bad for a long time, have experienced traumatic events or betrayal in childhood, or have difficulty feeling safe with people, the treatment may need to be long er. For depression, anxiety, fatigue syndrome and crises, a shorter treatment is often enough.
Office in Malmö
My physical clinic is located in central Malmö, Sweden.
The premises are accessible and close to public transport, including connections to Lund and other parts of Skåne. Parking space is also available nearby.
Visiting address: Föreningsgatan 26, floor 2, Malmö.
Online Clinic
At my online clinic, you can participate in sessions from the safety and comfort of your own home via a secure video link. Online psychotherapy is especially suitable if you live far from the clinic, have difficulty getting out, or are looking for a special method of therapy that is not available in your immediate area. Online psychotherapy can also make it easier for those who are looking for a therapist with special experiences and personal qualities, or who attach great importance to personal chemistry. Attending psychotherapy online via video call can feel safe for those who find it easier to open up emotionally at home or who find physical distance relaxing.
The video calls take place via the journal platform Kaddio, which meets the requirements of The National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) for strong authentication when storing personal data on the internet. All forms of therapy can be done via video calls, but sometimes adaptations are needed to make the session as good as possible.
My Treatment Modalities
Psychodynamic Therapy (PDT)
Individual psychotherapy where the therapist and the client together explore the client's inner world. The delimited situation provides an opportunity to catch sight of thoughts and feelings that are otherwise unconscious, take care of difficult emotions and try new ways of relating.
Relationship Therapy / Couples Therapy
In most important relationships, conflicts sometimes arise that are difficult to resolve. It happens in monogamous as well as polyamorous relationships, in friendships or family relationships. Going to therapy together can be a way to understand each other and find a new direction.
Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT)
Mentalization-based therapy is a form of psychodynamic therapy that is adapted for people who have major relationship problems and easily feel lonely and abandoned. We focus on the close relationships and how to understand the inner lives of yourself and of other people.
Supervision
Psychotherapy supervision based on psychodynamic and mentalization-based theory. The supervision is adapted to the skill level and developmental needs of the supervisee. I provide supervision for individuals or groups. I also offer process oriented supervision for teams in social services, psychiatry and similar fields. The supervision then focuses on the team’s ability to work together and process the intense emotions of the work.
Education
I lecture remotely or on site on the subjects I have special knowledge in. My lecture areas are mentalization and MBT, psychotherapy online, LGBTQ+, sustainable activism and various aspects of psychodynamic therapy.
About Me
My name is Eli David Björkstam and I am a social worker and licensed psychotherapist. I have many years of experience in psychotherapeutic work individually, with groups and within relationships. Based on experiences from my professional and private life, I have knowledge of LGBTQ and norm-breaking ways of life. I also have extensive experience of working psycho-therapeutically with trauma, personality disorders, stress, grief and the crises that come when life changes.
I graduated as a social worker at Lund University in 2005 and then started working as a social worker within the City of Malmö, first with adults with substance abuse and then with youth. In 2010, I completed the basic psychotherapy education with a psychodynamic focus at Lund University and began to receive private clients under supervision. In 2011, I started as a counsellor in public outpatient mental health care care in Malmö. There I worked with mentalization-based therapy (MBT) under supervision, and received further training, first in MBT at Karolinska Institutet and then as a psychotherapist with a psychodynamic focus at Lund University. In 2018 I became a licensed psychotherapist and in 2019 I switched to working in a private clinic. In 2022, I graduated as a supervisor and teacher of psychotherapy at Linköping University. In addition to psychotherapy, I also work with supervision and education. Social change and activism are close to my heart. In 2021, I participated in the preparations for World Pride with lectures for the volunteers on treatment and self-care for sustainable political activism. In 2023 I published a book on how to deliver psychotherapy effectively online via video call.