ISTB

What ISTB does

ISTB Therapie und Organisationsentwicklung GmbH, operating as ISTB Berlin, is a privately held German professional training institute founded in 1994 and headquartered in Berlin with additional locations in Frankfurt (Rhein-Main) and Münster. The institute operates a state-recognized Ausbildungsstätte for Psychological Psychotherapist and Child/Adolescent Psychotherapist training in Systemic Therapy (recognized since October 2016) and is an accredited continuing education institute of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Systemische Therapie und Familientherapie (DGSF). Its product portfolio spans DGSF-certified continuing education in systemic counseling, therapy, family therapy, supervision and coaching; state-approved Approbation training programs (first cohorts launched 2017, four per year); specialized tracks such as ADHS Kompetenz and the T*IN/Q curriculum co-developed with Bundesverband Trans*; Online-Impulse digital seminars and Fachtage professional conferences; individual and organizational consulting (coaching, supervision, organizational development, conflict management); and an outpatient clinic (Institutambulanz) delivering statutory health insurance-funded systemic therapy.

The core offering is human-delivered systemic therapy education and clinical services; the underlying technology is the proprietary curriculum, DGSF accreditation, and state-recognized training framework rather than software. Revenue is generated through professional services fees across multiple streams: DGSF-certified continuing education tuition, Approbation training tuition, organizational and individual consulting engagements, and statutory health insurance-reimbursed clinical sessions at the Institutambulanz. Programs are part-time and conducted alongside professional work, with Berlin Senate recognition as Bildungsurlaub supporting employer-sponsored educational leave uptake. Go-to-market is community-led, centered on regular online info events (Infoabende), Fachtage conferences, website content, and direct email/phone inquiry, targeting mental health professionals, organizations, and individuals seeking therapy across three regional German markets.

Name

ISTB

Legal name

ISTB Therapie und Organisationsentwicklung GmbH

Website

https://istb-berlin.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ISTB Berlin is a German state-recognized psychotherapy training institute and DGSF-accredited continuing education provider founded in 1994, delivering systemic therapy training, Approbation programs, professional consulting, and outpatient therapy across Berlin, Rhein-Main, and Münster.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Continuing Education: Revenue from DGSF-certified continuing education programs including systemic counseling, therapy, supervision, and coaching courses. Programs are conducted part-time alongside professional work since 1994.
2. Psychotherapy Training Programs: State-recognized training programs for becoming a psychological psychotherapist or child/adolescent psychotherapist in systemic therapy. Programs started in 2017 with four cohorts per year.
3. Institutsambulanz Therapy Services: Outpatient clinic providing psychotherapy services for children, adolescents, and adults under statutory health insurance (Kassenfinanzierte Systemische Therapie).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ISTB Berlin operates a state-recognized training institute for psychotherapy (Systemische Therapie) and a DGSF-accredited continuing education institute delivering part-time professional development programs in systemic counseling, therapy, supervision, and coaching. The institute also runs state-approved licensure training (Approbationsausbildungen) for becoming a Psychological Psychotherapist or Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, an outpatient clinic (Institutambulanz) providing statutory health insurance-funded systemic therapy for children, adolescents, and adults, plus organizational consulting and individual counseling services.

Product overview

ISTB Berlin operates as a state-recognized training institute for psychotherapy (systemic therapy) and an accredited institute for systemic counseling, therapy, and supervision under DGSF. The organization offers a multi-product portfolio centered on professional education and clinical services. The core offerings include DGSF-certified continuing education programs (Weiterbildungen) covering systemic counseling, therapy, family therapy, supervision, and coaching; state-approved psychotherapy training programs (Approbationsausbildungen) for becoming licensed psychological and child/adolescent psychotherapists; and specialized programs like ADHS Kompetenz and the T*IN/Q focus track. Supplementary offerings include Online-Impulse (digital seminars), Fachtage (professional conferences), and individual/organizational counseling services. The Institutambulanz provides kassenfinanzierte (statutory health insurance-funded) systemic therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. Programs are conducted part-time since 1994, with further education starting twice yearly and approbation training starting four times yearly.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DGSF-zertifizierte Weiterbildungen (DGSF-Certified Continuing Education) Professional development programs in systemic therapy, counseling, supervision, and coaching, DGSF-certified and delivered part-time for working professionals. Curricula cover systemic counseling theory, family therapy, supervision, coaching, and organizational development.
• Approbationsausbildung Psychologische:r Psychotherapeut:in (Licensure Training for Psychological Psychotherapist) State-approved training program for becoming a licensed Psychological Psychotherapist with specialization in Systemic Therapy. Designed for individuals pursuing state licensure (Approbation) as psychotherapists in Germany.
• Approbationsausbildung Kinder- und Jugendlichenpsychotherapeut:in (Licensure Training for Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist) State-approved training program for becoming a licensed Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist specializing in Systemic Therapy. Enables graduates to obtain Approbation and practice as licensed child/adolescent psychotherapists in Germany.
• Systemische Beratung (Systemic Counseling) Introductory training program in systemic thinking that provides foundational knowledge in systemic counseling theory and methodology, designed for professionals entering the field of systemic counseling.
• Systemische Beratung – Schwerpunkt T*IN/Q (Systemic Counseling with LGBTQIA+ Focus) Specialized systemic counseling curriculum developed in collaboration with Bundesverband Trans*, focusing on the specific counseling needs of LSBTIQA* persons and their relational worlds.
• ADHS Kompetenz (ADHD Competence Program) Comprehensive ADHS expertise program bundling professional support for children, adolescents, and adults with ADHD, including further education, coaching, online seminars, expert lectures, and congresses for professionals in counseling, therapy, pedagogy, and youth welfare.
• Beratung für Personen (Individual Counseling) Individual counseling services including supervision and coaching for personal and professional development, available to individuals seeking systemic counseling or coaching support.
• Beratung für Organisationen (Organizational Consulting) Organizational consulting services including team and organizational development processes, Personal/team/organizational development processes, change management, and conflict management for businesses, educational institutions, healthcare organizations, and public institutions.
• Institutambulanz (Outpatient Psychotherapy Clinic) Outpatient clinic providing statutory health insurance-funded (Kassenfinanzierte) systemic psychotherapy services for children, adolescents, and adults, located in Berlin.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DGSF (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Systemische Therapie und Familientherapie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISTB is an accredited member institute of DGSF. All continuing education curricula are officially recognized by DGSF. This accreditation provides certification standards and professional recognition for graduates of ISTB programs.
• Bundesverband Trans*coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative development of an innovative training curriculum for systemic counseling focused on the specific consulting needs of LSBTIQA* persons and their relational worlds. ISTB developed this curriculum in cooperation with Bundesverband Trans*.
• Berliner SenatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerISTB continuing education programs are officially recognized as Bildungsurlaub by the Berlin Senate, making them eligible for educational leave benefits for Berlin employees.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Ackerman Institute for the Family: New York-based family therapy training institute offering postgraduate certificates and clinical services. Comparable to ISTB in combining family/systemic therapy training with a clinical services arm, though operates in the U.S. context rather than the German regulatory environment.
• ZIST Pucking: Austrian systemic therapy training institute offering psychotherapy training programs. Comparable to ISTB in methodology and curriculum structure but operates primarily in Austria rather than Germany, making it a regional peer rather than direct competitor.

Emerging players

• Psychologische Hochschule Berlin (PHB): Private university in Berlin offering state-recognized psychotherapy training (Approbation) including systemic therapy tracks. Comparable to ISTB as a Berlin-based provider of psychotherapy Approbationsausbildung, though operates under a university model with degree-granting capacity that ISTB lacks.

Direct peers

• Milton-Erickson-Institut Deutschland: Network of institutes offering systemic/hypnotherapy training based on the Milton Erickson approach. Comparable to ISTB as a DGSF-affiliated training provider for systemic methods, though with a stronger focus on Ericksonian approaches.
• Systemisches Institut Stuttgart (SI Stuttgart): Stuttgart-based systemic therapy/counseling training institute offering DGSF-accredited programs. Directly comparable to ISTB in scope (Weiterbildung, supervision, coaching training) and methodology, operating as a regional systemic training institute serving Baden-Württemberg.
• Helm-Stierlin-Institut: Heidelberg-based systemic therapy training institute offering DGSF-accredited Weiterbildung and Approbationsausbildung programs. Highly comparable to ISTB as a state-recognized systemic therapy training institute operating across multiple training formats and German locations.
• ifs Essen (Institut für Systemische Therapie und Beratung): Essen-based systemic therapy and counseling training institute. Directly comparable to ISTB as a DGSF-accredited institute offering Weiterbildung in systemic counseling, therapy, supervision, and coaching for mental health professionals.
• IGST Heidelberg: Heidelberg institute for Gestalt and Systemic Therapy offering psychotherapy training programs. Comparable to ISTB as a DGSF-recognized training institute with systemic therapy Approbationsausbildung offerings and a similar focus on professional Weiterbildung.

Broad incumbents

• Deutsche PsychotherapeutenVereinigung (DPtV): Major German professional association for psychotherapists providing training resources and continuing education. Adjacent to ISTB as a continuing-education provider serving the same mental health professional audience but operates as a national professional body rather than a regional training institute.
• DGVT (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Verhaltenstherapie): Larger national professional association and training institute for behavioral therapy. Comparable to ISTB as a state-recognized psychotherapy training institution but operates at significantly greater scale across Germany and offers a broader modality portfolio beyond systemic therapy.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/istb---therapie-und-organisationsentwicklung-gmbh

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ISTB