Cognitive Behavioral
Therapy (CBT) in Vienna

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy based on the science of learning. CBT helps treat mental illness and heal emotional suffering. Peter Graff, MA, PhD is a psychotherapist (CBT) with additional trainings in EMDR for trauma and schema therapy. He can help you find solutions for the challenges you're facing in your life.
Peter Graff

Peter Graff, MA, PhD

Psychotherapist (CBT)

Additional trainings:

  • EMDR for trauma
  • EMDR for complex PTSD
  • EMDR with children and adolescents
  • EMDR for personality disorders
  • EMDR for narcissism
  • EMDR for acute trauma
  • EMDR for dissociative disorders
  • EMDR for eating disorders and OCD
  • EMDR for psychogenic pain
  • EMDR for performance enhancement
  • ADHD in adults
  • Schema therapy
  • Emotion Focused Therapy
  • Psychosexual development and preference structure
  • Personality disorders according to the ICD-11
  • Clinical hypnosis and hypnotherapy

"Extraordinary personalities allow people to lead extraordinary lives filled with rich experiences and creativity. The precondition for this is a high degree of self-awareness. I specialize in working with people with extraordinary personalities."

Languages

Deutsch

Muttersprache

English

Near-Native

Français

Couramment

Nederlands

Vloeiend

Education and Professional Memberships

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Doctor of Philosophy in Psycholinguistics
Intelligence Initiative postdoctoral fellow

University of Vienna Postgraduate Center

Preparatory training in psychotherapy

EMDR Institute Austria

EMDR for trauma
EMDR for complex PTSD
EMDR with children and adolescents
EMDR for personality disorders
EMDR for narcissism
EMDR for acute trauma
EMDR for dissociative disorders
EMDR for eating disorders and OCD
EMDR for psychogenic pain

Association for Behavioral Change

Specialized training in CBT
Schema therapy
Personality disorders according to the ICD-11
Member

Austrian Federal Association for Psychotherapy

Member

Outpatient Clinic of the Sigmund Freud Private University

480 hours psychosocial internship

German Society for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

ADHD in adults
Emotion Focused Therapy

Austrian Academy for Psychology

Psychosexual development and preference structure

Maimonides Center

550 hours clinical internship

Milton Erickson Gesellschaft Austria

Clinical hypnosis and hypnotherapy

If you suffer from a mental health issue, schedule your first appointment today.

Extraordinary personalities

Personality is everything that makes up a person's individuality. It is the sum of a person's perceptions, behaviors, cognitions, and emotions. Peter Graff, MA, PhD, specializes in working with people with extraordinary personalities. This means helping people with personality disorders and personality accentuations that cause significant stress, suffering, or impairment. He also supports people in their personality development through counseling.

Antisocial Personality Disorder

An enduring and pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others occurring since the age of 15, there is evidence of Conduct Disorder with onset before the age of 15

Avoidant Personality Disorder

An enduring and pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, hypersensitivity to negative evaluation, and avoidance of social interaction despite a strong desire for intimacy

Borderline Personality Disorder

An enduring and pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affect as well as impulsivity, and sensitivity to rejection

Dependent Personality Disorder

An enduring, pervasive, and excessive need to be taken care of which leads to submissive and clinging behavior and overwhelming fears of separation

Histrionic Personality Disorder

An enduring and pervasive pattern of excessive attention-seeking behaviors including inappropriate seduction and an excessive desire for approval

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

An enduring and pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, a lack of empathy, and recurring difficulties in interpersonal relationships

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder

An enduring and pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal control, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency

Paranoid Personality Disorder

An enduring and pervasive pattern of lasting distrust and suspicion of others, interpreting their motives as malevolent, and hypersensitivity to criticism

Schizoid Personality Disorder

An enduring and pervasive pattern of detachment from and general disinterest in social relationships, and a limited range of emotions in interpersonal relationships

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

An enduring and pervasive pattern of social and interpersonal deficits marked by reduced capacity for close relationships, by cognitive or perceptual distortions, and by eccentricities of behavior

If you suffer from these or other mental health issues, schedule your first appointment today.

Psychotherapeutic Methodology

Peter Graff, MA, PhD is a cognitive behavioral therapist (CBT) integrating expertise from schema therapy and psychotherapeutic stress management into his treatment approach. Depending on your issue, you may see significant improvements in your mental health after just a few sessions.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy based on the science of learning. According to CBT, problematic thoughts, emotions, and behaviors have been learned from experience. CBT helps you unlearn and replace them with healthier alternatives.

EMDR for Trauma

Certain life events are so distressing that they leave a psychological wound or trauma. Through eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) incompletely processed memories of traumatic events may be reprocessed. Negative cognitions about the self are overwritten and present-day triggers are weakened or disappear.

Schema Therapy

As children and young adults we develop different strategies, or schemas, to make sure our basic human needs are met. Sometimes these strategies prove problematic later in life. Schema Therapy helps you find healthy alternative strategies to satisfy your basic human needs.

Stress Management

Most problems, challenges, and disorders are exacerbated by stress. That is why it is so important to learn effective ways to relax. As part of your therapy you will develop a custom relaxation program tailored to your individual situation and needs.

If you suffer from a mental health issue, schedule your first appointment today.

When can therapy help?

Peter Graff, MA, PhD, can help you with the following mental health issues:

Adjustment disorders

Problems in coping with change, living abroad, starting a new job, traumatic breakups

Aging and dementia

Forgetfulness, loss of autonomy, challenges for caregivers, coping with death and dying

Anxiety

Specific phobias, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, excessive worrying and constant brooding

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Excessive inattention, and impulsivity with a negative impact on academic, occupational, or social functioning

Bipolar disorder

Strong mood swings, alternating depressive and manic or hypomanic episodes

Depression

Overwhelming sadness, fatigue, suicidal thoughts, feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness

Eating disorders

Struggles with weight and body image, being overweight or underweight, anorexia, bulimia

Emotional instability

Emotional outbursts, excessive crying, rapidly changing moods, being at the mercy of one's own feelings

Hypochondria

Worrying excessively about one's own health, hyper-vigilance concerning bodily sensations

Impulsivity

Outbursts of anger, aggression, violent behavior, daring behavior, anger management

LGBTQIA+ Issues

Sexual identity, gender identity, coming-out, transitioning to self-identified gender

Life crises

Loss of employment, loss of a loved one, coping with major life-changing events

Mania and hypomania

Extreme elation, drastically increased sex-drive, overexertion of mind and body, lack of sleep

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive thoughts, rituals to prevent disasters, compulsive behaviors such as excessive washing

Panic disorder

Panic attacks, sudden intense terror, fear of losing your mind or dying, hyperventilation, fear of fear itself

Personality disorders

Pervasive and enduring patterns of behavior that cause mental distress

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Significant long-term dysfunction or distress due to traumatic events, flashbacks, triggers, Complex PTSD

Psychosis

Schizophrenia, hallucinations, disjointed thoughts, delusions, paranoia

Relationship problems

Marital problems, problems forming attachments, issues with partners, friends, and family members

Sexual dysfunction and disorders

Impotence, vaginismus, dyspareunia, premature ejaculation, sexual desire disorder

Sleep disorders

Insomnia, problems falling asleep and staying asleep, sleep-wake cycle disorders, nightmares

Somatization

Physical manifestations of mental suffering and stress, stress and self-care factors in autoimmune diseases

If you suffer from any of these or other mental health issues, schedule your first appointment today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy based on the modern psychology of learning. According to CBT, problematic thoughts, emotions, and behaviors have been learned from experience. CBT helps you unlearn and replace them with healthier alternatives.

What are extraordinary personalities?

Extraordinary personalities allow people to lead extraordinary lives filled with rich experiences and creativity. The precondition for this is a high degree of self-awareness. Peter Graff, MA, PhD, specializes in helping people with extraordinary personalities, personality disorders, and personality accentuations achieve this state of mental clarity, and improve their mental health.

When can therapy help?

Peter Graff, MA, PhD, can treat you for any mental health issue that is not a medical or mental health emergency. He can also help you cope with crises, major life challenges, and relationship problems. Finally, he can aid you in your personal development through counseling and coaching.

How long does therapy take?

Peter Graff, MA, PhD, works in a focused and solution-oriented manner. Depending on your issue, you may see significant improvements in your mental health after just a few sessions. A regular session lasts 50 minutes, with 5 minutes reserved for scheduling and payment processing. In certain cases it may also be appropriate to schedule longer sessions.

Is therapy confidential?

Psychotherapy is subject to strict confidentiality under Austrian law. Exceptions are defined in the Psychotherapy Act of 2024 (e.g., when there is an imminent danger to yourself or others).

How do I schedule an appointment?

Please schedule your first appointment online via Latido.

Can I cancel my appointment?

You will not be charged for appointments canceled at least 48 hours before the start of the session. Please understand that appointments that are not canceled in time must be paid in full.

What is the cost of therapy?

Peter Graff, MA, PhD, charges 180 euros for each 50-minute individual therapy session. Patients with Austrian public health insurance may apply for a subsidy. If a subsidy is granted, the amount depends on the particular public insurance carrier. Peter Graff, MA, PhD is happy to assist you with your application.

Is it possible to have therapy online?

In certain cases it may be possible to hold psychotherapy sessions online if the patient requests this, however, the first session must always take place in person. Peter Graff, MA, PhD, is always able to provide counseling or coaching for non-clinical issues online.

How do I get to the practice?

The psychotherapy practice of Peter Graff, MA, PhD is located at Ybbsstraße 22, Top 9-10 in 1020 Vienna. This location is easily accessible by public transport (100m to the 82A station Harkortstraße, 300m to the U1 station Vorgartenstraße exit Radingerstraße, 350m to the 11A/11B station Lassallestraße, 500m to the U2 station Praterstern exit Venediger Au). HRV biofeedback sessions take place at Ybbsstraße 22, Top 13-14 in Room D.

What do I do in case of a mental health emergency?

Peter Graff, MA, PhD, does not treat emergencies in his practice. In case of a mental health emergency (e.g., imminent danger to yourself or others), please call the Austrian medical emergency services immediately at the telephone number 144, or dial the common emergency telephone number 112.

If you suffer from a mental health issue, schedule your first appointment today.