Tools & Apps

Apps and utilities

Over the course of my work, a handful of small programs have taken shape. I offer them here free of charge to patients and to anyone interested. Some run on your phone or in the browser, others on your computer. All of them are deliberately kept simple and treat your data sparingly.

Mobile & Browser

To carry with you and try out

Tools that run straight on your phone or in the browser — no sign-up, no account.

AndroidEncryptedOn-device only

High/Low

High/Low lets you record the highs and lows of your day — an entry takes barely a minute. Dictation works in German, English, and Spanish, so a moment can be captured without typing anything at all. Each entry can be matched to a feeling and, if you like, linked to one or more of the schemas known from Schema Therapy. Everything stays encrypted on your device behind a biometric lock; when it helps, the app prepares an overview to send to your therapist by email or WhatsApp, and entries you have already discussed can be marked as such. Over time, a clearer picture of your emotional life takes shape.

The recommended route: installs in seconds, updates automatically.

Alternative: installing without the Play Store

If you would rather not use the Play Store, or cannot, High/Low can also be installed directly from an APK:

Download the APK — ideally straight onto the Android device.
Tap the downloaded file in your Downloads folder.
If Android asks, grant your browser or Files app one-time permission to install from “unknown sources.”
Confirm the installation. High/Low then appears in your app list.

A version installed this way will not update itself — download newer releases here as needed. Android only; iOS is not supported.

Download APK

AndroidOfflineNo account

Grundton

Grundton generates a warm, continuous sound around a base tone of 108 Hz — a calm backdrop for meditating, unwinding, or falling asleep. Six timbres, a gently pulsing heartbeat, and synthesized rain and ocean can be freely combined; a twelve-second fade-in and a sleep timer make for soft transitions. The sound keeps playing in the background, even with the screen off.

The recommended route: installs in seconds, updates automatically.

Alternative: installing without the Play Store

If you would rather not use the Play Store, or cannot, Grundton can also be installed directly from an APK:

Download the APK — ideally straight onto the Android device.
Tap the downloaded file in your Downloads folder.
If Android asks, grant your browser or Files app one-time permission to install from “unknown sources.”
Confirm the installation. Grundton then appears in your app list.

A version installed this way will not update itself — download newer releases here as needed. Android only; iOS is not supported.

Download APK

BrowserInstallableOffline

Symptom Compass

The Symptom Compass walks you through a series of short questions and then shows which clinical categories under ICD-10 your described complaints come closest to. The result is not a diagnosis but a first orientation — useful for putting your own experience in order and taking it into a conversation. All answers stay on your device. The app runs in the browser and can be installed as an app on computer and phone; after that it works even without an internet connection.

Open the Symptom Compass

BrowserInstallableOffline

Functioning Compass

The Functioning Compass asks separately how well daily life is working across six areas and how heavily the symptoms weigh. Together they yield a band on a scale from 1 to 100 — the lower of the two governs, and the reasoning stays visible. Besides the self-assessment there is an observer version for clinicians; a short profile code places both perspectives side by side. All answers stay on your device. The app runs in the browser and can be installed as an app; after that it works offline too.

Open the Functioning Compass

BrowserFor couplesStores nothing

FIRA-C

The FIRA-C is a reflection instrument for couples. Each partner separately characterizes the emotional atmosphere of the relationship and then receives both an individual and a shared overview — a revealing starting point for a first session together. The questionnaire takes about ten minutes, stores nothing, and runs directly in the browser.

Open the FIRA-C More about the FIRA family →

PC & Mac

Programs for your computer

Small helpers for your invoices — download, unzip, done.

WindowsmacOS

PDF-Decrypt

For data-protection reasons, invoices are sent password-protected. With a few clicks, PDF-Decrypt creates a password-free copy that you can submit to your health insurer unchanged. Your encrypted original stays intact.

Installation & use

Windows

Download the package, unzip it, and run “install.exe.” No administrator password is required; an icon is placed on your Desktop. Drag your encrypted invoice onto that icon, enter your password — done. The full step-by-step guide is available in the manual (PDF).

Mac

Download the package, unzip it, and double-click the app. Depending on your macOS version, Gatekeeper may step in — open the app via right-click → “Open,” or approve it under System Settings → “Privacy & Security.” The app offers to copy itself into your “Applications” folder and to place a shortcut on the Desktop. You can then delete the downloaded (unzipped) copy.

Windows version Mac version Manual (PDF) →

macOS

PDF-Encrypt

PDF-Encrypt is the counterpart to PDF-Decrypt: it adds a password to a PDF, protecting confidential documents from unauthorized access. Currently available for Mac only.

Installation (Mac)

Download the package, unzip it, and double-click the app. Depending on your macOS version, approve the app on first launch via right-click → “Open,” or under System Settings → “Privacy & Security.” If you like, the app copies itself into your “Applications” folder and places a shortcut on the Desktop; you can then delete the downloaded copy. Please note that LibreOffice (at https://www.libreoffice.org/download/) or Microsoft Office is required for full functionality.

Download Mac version

Notes

Liability & copyright

Use at your own risk

The software offered here is provided free of charge and without warranty of any kind. Installation and use are entirely at your own risk. To the extent permitted by law, no liability is accepted for any damage arising from downloading, installing, or using these programs. High/Low, the Symptom Compass, the Functioning Compass, and the FIRA-C are orientation and reflection aids; they do not replace medical or psychotherapeutic diagnosis or treatment.