Andrea works as a psychologist
The best thing about working in a small community is the strong team spirit and the great opportunities to develop the activities together. This is how Andrea Wassenberg describes her job as a psychologist at the hospital in Torsby.
Andrea Wassenberg was born and raised in Germany. where she also became a psychologist. Interested in psychology from an early age, she studied and entered the profession in Germany.
– People’s differences and stories have always fascinated me. I love my work and I get so much in return. The patient opens up their whole life to me and I get to be with them every step of the way.
From urban Germany to rural Torsby
Andrea was living with her husband in a densely populated area near Düsseldorf and the Ruhr. Both had a dream of living somewhere else, preferably in Scandinavia, where they had spent many holidays over the years.
– My husband is a doctor and he came into contact with the hospital in Torsby at a recruitment fair in Hamburg. They were looking for surgeons, and that is how we ended up in Sweden. It’s a decision we never regretted. Now we live close to forest and lake, in a place that is very similar to the places we would visit on holiday.
Once she had settled in Värmland, Andrea was offered a position at the same hospital as her husband. Thanks to private Swedish language tutoring and helpful colleagues, she was able to receive her first patients after only six months.
– As a psychologist, language is my most important tool and many times I wondered how I was going to manage. But I got great help here, both from my employer and from my colleagues.
A strong team spirit and cooperation to develop activities
Working in a small community has many benefits. Andrea describes a strong team spirit and great opportunities to work together with her colleagues, to develop their activities.
– We know each other well, we know who in the team works best with what issue, and that way we can find the best treatment options for each patient. Often times, small groups generate a lot of ideas, and the closeness to our manager allows us to more quickly test out new working methods. I work in a highly skilled team where there is a curiosity and a willingness to take on new challenges.
Great openness towards other cultures
Today, Andrea and her family live close to nature, in a place that is storybook beautiful. She describes how they have always felt welcomed, both by the local community and by Värmland County Council.
– Värmland County Council works actively to prevent a scarcity of resources within certain professions, and I feel there is a great openness towards other cultures. There is a great commitment to getting people from other countries to come and work in Sweden, which I think is amazing. New employees are always welcome!
See the film with Andrea
Choose english subtitels in settings.
Please feel welcome to contact us
Would you like to know more about working with us? We need skilled health and medical staff within various specialities. You can apply to fill one of our vacancies or contact us directly to find out more about your opportunities.
E-mail: rekrytering.utland@regionvarmland.se
Introduction and supervision
When you start working with us, you will recieve an introduction to what it is like to work within Värmland County Council. The introduction consists of different steps. An important part is the workplace introduction, which gives you a good start for your employment and welcomes you into the community of your new workplace. Certain professions also have a vocational introduction, so you can feel comfortable and secure in your professional role.