Carmen Schumacher
For twenty years, I worked as a television journalist. For me, it was always about people — their stories, their experiences, and what lies behind the facts.
Therapiezentrum Mitte · Christinenstraße 5 · 10119 Berlin
My Story
As a journalist, I spent many years researching health topics and attending medical conferences, including the ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago, one of the world’s leading oncology conferences. I also reported on the integrative oncology day-clinic program at Kliniken Essen-Mitte. It was there that I first saw how cancer treatment and evidence-informed complementary medicine can work meaningfully alongside one another.
Then I had my own diagnosis. I began looking for complementary support for myself — and often found approaches that were either positioned as alternatives to conventional treatment or simply did not feel professionally grounded enough.
“At Immanuel Hospital in Wannsee, I finally found what I had been looking for: complementary care that supported my cancer treatment rather than calling it into question.”
What I experienced during that time had a lasting impact on the path I chose. Ayurvedic nutrition, targeted diagnostic testing, and an individually tailored micronutrient regimen accompanied me alongside my cancer treatment. I found this support deeply valuable — and it also showed me how important it is to assess complementary approaches with care and professional rigor.
That experience inspired me to train in this field myself and, ultimately, to offer women with breast cancer the kind of support I had been looking for at the time.
Breast cancer runs in my family. My mother, my cousin, and my aunt have all had breast cancer. As a BRCA2 carrier, I know what it means to live with this genetic background. I know what it is like to stand beside someone you love — and I know what it is like to be affected yourself. Both perspectives shape the way I work with you.
From the outset, I wanted to bring together two perspectives: Ayurveda, with its individualized approach to nutrition, lifestyle, and the whole person, and Functional Medicine, with its focus on biochemical processes and laboratory-based diagnostics. I therefore pursued extensive training in both fields alongside my qualification as a Complementary Medicine Practitioner.
Twenty years in journalism taught me to listen closely, research thoroughly, and question claims critically. Those skills continue to shape my work today. I have now supported more than 100 women with breast cancer, some from the time of diagnosis and through different stages of their treatment.
How I Work Today
Today, my work combines complementary and naturopathic approaches with current scientific evidence. Not everything that is “natural” is automatically beneficial — and not every complementary method is appropriate at every stage of treatment. I therefore look carefully at what may be helpful in your individual situation, where the evidence remains uncertain, and what is better avoided because of possible interactions or contraindications.
Training & Qualifications
Foundational Training
- Complementary Medicine Practitioner — arche medica Berlin; officially licensed as a German “Heilpraktikerin” by the Berlin-Lichtenberg Public Health Office
- MA in Cultural Studies, Gender Studies, and Theatre, Film and Television Studies, Humboldt University of Berlin
Ayurveda
- 500-hour program in Ayurvedic Medicine, Gesundheitszentrum Sonne & Mond Berlin (DÄGAM-certified)
- Clinical observation placement at an Ayurvedic hospital in Kerala, India
- Ayurvedic Medicine for Women: Gynecology, Oncology and Surgery (Prof. Dr. Ludwig Kronpass, Ayurveda Campus Schwerin)
- Ayurvedic Oncology (Dr. Kalyani Nagersheth)
- Ayurveda and Cancer — cooking seminar (Volker Mehl)
- Ayurvedic Psychology (Dr. Shivani Sood, Gaby Kammler Academy)
- Marma Massage Training (Ayurveda Campus Schwerin)
Functional Medicine & Infusion Therapy
- Training in Functional Medicine, Forum Orthomolekulare Medizin
- Two years of practical work focused on intravenous micronutrient therapy at DripDrip
- Medications as Micronutrient Depleters (Uwe Gröber)
- Acid–Base Balance Training (Dr. Rainer Spichalsky, Dr. Elke Mantwill)
Environmental Medicine
- Specialized Training in Environmental Medicine, Dr. Astrid Kohl & IMD Berlin (focus: immunology, chronic inflammation, and health effects of environmental and toxic exposures)
Integrative Medicine & Oncology
- Charité Summer School in Integrative Medicine (Prof. Andreas Michalsen, Prof. Georg Seifert)
- Charité Winter School: Healthy Herbs
- Micronutrients in Oncology (Ralph Coppi)
- Conventional and Complementary Approaches in Oncology (Dr. Ralph Landenberger)
- Amino Acids in Cancer Therapy (Arnika Apotheke)
- Complementary Treatment Strategies in Oncology (Dr. Axel Widing, Andra Thiem, Dr. Cornelia Doebis)
- Continuing education in Mind-Body Medicine and Phytotherapy
- Regular professional supervision and peer consultation
Learn more about my work under Breast Cancer, Menopause, or Methods & Approach.
Book a Free Introductory Call
Meet me in a free, no-obligation introductory call, and find out whether and how I can support you. In my Berlin-Mitte practice or online via Zoom.
Therapiezentrum Mitte · Christinenstraße 5 · 10119 Berlin