Insula Care Zürich · Centre for Lifestyle Medicine

Stress, burnout and depression, understood from brain to body

Clinical neuroscience and psychoneuroimmunology in Zürich. I look at what your sleep, stress hormones, immune system and daily rhythm are telling us, and turn it into a plan you can actually live with.

MSc Applied Neuroscience, King’s College London · Master in Clinical Psychoneuroimmunology · 10+ years of clinical practice · In person in Zürich or online

Hi, I’m Tjade

Clinical neuroscientist and therapist

Chronic stress, burnout and depression have a physical side too. Sleep, stress hormones, metabolism and your immune system are all involved, and the pattern differs from person to person.

My master’s research focused on the physiological phenotypes of depression (inflammatory, metabolic, immunological and cyclic) and on matching treatment to each of them. I use the same lens for burnout and chronic stress: first I find out which pattern is driving your symptoms, then we choose what fits you.

You stay at the centre. Together we build a plan around understanding, daily habits and how you respond to your environment, alongside your doctor or therapist.

What I help with

Time off often isn’t enough when your nervous system has adapted to constant high alert. Recovery means retraining your ability to shift gears and realigning your work with your personal values.

Depression affects more than your mood. Immune system, hormones and nervous system can all be involved, in a pattern that is specific to you. I map your phenotype and match the treatment to it, alongside your psychiatrist or therapist.

Sleep is a 24-hour rhythm, not just what happens in the bedroom. Light, movement, meals, work and your environment all shape your nights, so that’s where I start.

Wired at night, exhausted by day? Humans are resilient by design. Whether you’re in a crisis or want to prevent one, I help you build a physiology that can switch on and recover again.

Sleep issues

Chronic stress

How I work

From the first call to lasting change, in five steps.

Free call

A short, free conversation to see whether we’re a good fit.


Mapping

A detailed intake of your history, symptoms, sleep, work and daily life, seen as one connected system.

Measuring

Questionnaires, nervous system and circadian rhythm tests, and bloodwork via a partner lab to identify your phenotype.

Intervention

A personal plan matched to your pattern: sleep, movement, nutrition, breathing, nervous system training and targeted supplements where needed.

Network

I work alongside your GP, psychiatrist or therapist and bring in specialists from my network when your situation calls for it.

Investment: CHF 150 per session. Price for pre-determined process on request. The first call is free. Sessions are self-pay and not covered by basic or supplementary health insurance.

What clients say

  • Tjade has been a fantastic support for me in my burnout recovery. With his holistic approach, broad knowledge and expertise, and personal attention, he has helped me in many ways. These include improving my sleep, gaining insights into the interplay between physical and mental health issues, building up my physical activity, and understanding my body's signals. I am very happy with his professional guidance.

    ★★★★★

    A.G. 2024

  • His knowledge is not only broad and scientifically grounded, but also combined with experience and intuition, allowing him to grasp a problem from a variety of perspectives. This often leads to surprising, yet coherent and well-founded new approaches. His warm, respectful manner and the special atmosphere of his practice contribute significantly to his success.

    ★★★★★

    S.B. 2026

  • Very helpful with optimizing my sleep patterns and general daily health. Tjade provides great advice and manageable solutions to build better life habits. Very informative as well. Many thanks!

    ★★★★★

    Q.B. 2024

  • Tjade Tieltjes excels in seamlessly integrating therapeutic solutions with personalised patient education, surpassing traditional care to empower individuals to actively participate in their well-being.

    ★★★★★

    L.L. 2023

Also at Insula Care

Hormones are part of the same system that stress, sleep and mood run on. Beyond one-to-one work, I offer a testosterone plan for men and co-teach a course series on cycle health for women.

Cycle knowledge for women, grounded in science. Together with midwife Nora, I teach Zykluswissen 3.0 in Zurich: courses on female reproductive health, sport, pregnancy preparation and perimenopause.

See upcoming courses →

Chronic stress, short sleep and inflammation lower testosterone, and low testosterone feeds fatigue, low drive and low mood in return. For men, I start with a full hormone panel and turn it into a clear lifestyle plan.

Discover the plan →

Not sure where to start?

Book a free check-in call. In a short conversation we find out whether my approach fits your situation. No commitment, no pressure.

Insula Care is not an emergency service. If you are in acute crisis or having thoughts of suicide, please contact your doctor, call 144, or reach Die Dargebotene Hand on 143 (24/7).