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QF Focus Magazine Pat focuses on the faces behind our Local Businesses


MIRKO BRUINS – CENTRO INTERNACIONAL DE ATENCION PSICOLOGICA


Mirko was born in a place called Paderborn in Germany where he lived until he was 25 before moving to Cologne. He studied psychology in Germany and after gaining all his studies, he worked as a psychologist at the Ford Motor Company in Cologne.


In 2003 he decided to come to Spain to do a ten week language course in Sevilla which he really enjoyed, so much so that when he went back to Germany for the summer, he decided that he preferred it in Spain, so he came back. While he was in Sevilla he decided not to mix with other Germans but made friends with the Spanish and English instead so that he could improve his language skills.


He decided on the Torrevieja area as he had been reading an article called ´Torrevieja - a city without unemployment´ so he thought it would be a good place to settle and get a job.


Still practicing his Spanish, he applied for jobs and was offered one in Sprinter, where he worked


for a year, picking up more and more Spanish as he went along. After that he worked for Euromarina for a few months but decided he didn´t really enjoy selling houses so when he was at the solicitors in Torrevieja one day changing his car plates to Spanish, the solicitor asked him if he wanted a job, and he accepted straight away. To start with he was used as a translator but gradually as he was taught all about the taxes in Spain, his work load grew and because of his various languages (he speaks fluent German, Spanish and English) he proved to be a real asset.


While he was doing all this he also became a local counsellor in the village where he lived, and still kept up to date with his psychology, which eventually led to him opening his own office in January 2014 in San Luis. He helps with a wide range of problems from anxiety and panic attacks to bullying and relationship problems. He also practices anger management therapy and works alongside some local doctors and clinics.


Mirko met his wife Maribel through a friend. At the time she lived in Valencia so they were only able to meet at weekends, but she moved to Benijofar to be with Mirko in 2005 and they married in 2007.


Mirko has a very modern approach to his work which is proving to be very popular with his clients. He is fully legal to work in Spain and is thoroughly enjoying what he set out to do years ago when he went to university.


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