What is my background?

As a trauma therapist, I provide support in cases of shock trauma (after accidents etc.) and developmental trauma (e.g. due to early attachment disorders, neglect). Some people seek more orientation after personal crises. Organizations. I support them in becoming trauma-sensitive through appropriate measures.

I have been attending relevant training and further education courses for over 20 years. These include Somatic Experiencing, the Neuro Affective Relational Model (NARM) and further training in (body) psychotherapy. I received the state license for psychotherapeutic work (according to the Heilpraktikergesetz) from the Berlin Health Department.

Yoga teacher training, self-awareness practice and meditation help me to stay mindful and awake in contact with my patients. Presence is an essential criterion for success in therapeutic work. I learned skills here that I couldn’t learn from books.

For a long time, I worked as the managing director of a medium-sized management consultancy and managed intercultural projects. I traveled to Asia, Africa, Europe and America, including crisis regions. Here I experienced at first hand how acute crises affect people. I originally studied economics (graduated with honors). To this day, I am grateful for impulses from scientific methodology, systems theory and behavioral sciences.

What has shaped me?

My own life experiences are the most important resource: long-term friendships, coping with my midlife and life as a family man with two sons. These experiences do not come from training courses or books…

Then the work with traumatized people (Kovler Center), at Amnesty International (Chicago) or mentally ill people (L’Arche by Jean Vannier).

Ultimately, I experienced in business how the professional environment can increase stress and trauma. There are also sick organizations! We can explore the dividing lines together so as not to confuse causes and effects…

What approach am I taking?

A multimodal therapy approach means involving the body, feelings, thoughts and one’s own behavior in the healing process. This includes, for example, signals from the body (body intelligence) or emotional feedback (“Just talking doesn’t help!” was also aptly named by a psychotherapeutic congress). The multimodal approach has been confirmed by neuroscience (see Bessel van der Kolk).

Activation of resources through, among other things, memories of helpful caregivers, situations or resources in the body. It helps to become aware of your own strengths (again). An excessive focus on deficits and symptoms can lead to a “problem trance” (G. Schmidt). The question of potential and the desired state is therefore of great importance.

Process orientation: There is no rigid procedural concept (manual with checklists and tools). Instead, the approach is adapted to the current situation and the client’s goals and needs.

Further education and training in psychotherapy, bodywork and mindfulness:

1986 Gestalt Workshop (Giessen)

1992 Training ACEM Meditation (Oslo)

1993-1996 Own depth psychology-oriented psychotherapy (Berlin)

1997-1999 Systemic leadership and consulting

2005 Shiatsu Training (Shendo, Berlin)

2007 Yoga teacher training (Shivananda Yoga) – bodywork, breathing techniques, yoga philosophy and psychology

2005-2009 Bodywork, Gestalt work, holotropic breathing, sexuality; assistance (Ilka Stoedtner and others)

2007-2008 Reichian work and bioenergetics (Alice Moll, Berlin)

2008 Seminar “Path of Love” (UTA institute Cologne)

2008 Workshop Psychology and Spirituality (Urs Bütikofer)

2007-2008 Holotropic Breathing

2008 Hoffman Quadrinity Process

2009 Supervision course in process-oriented psychology (Urs Bütikofer)

2009 “Making Love” and “Slow Sex” (Diana Richardson)

2009 – 2019 Regular Vipassana retreats (10 hours of mediation daily for 10 days) and Vipassana for Executives

2010 The Universal Experience (Alan Lowen)

2011-2013 Training series of the Learning Love Institute (humanistic, process-oriented approach by Amana Trobe and Krish Trobe PhD (Harvard University))

2017-2019 Completion of Somatic Experiencing (SE) Practitioner (training course with regular supervision, own SE sessions and intervision group)

2020 – 2022 Further training Arche Medica Berlin, state alternative practitioner examination (Berlin health authority) Foundation of the practice for psychotherapy

2020 Advanced training “Polyvagal theory for clinicians” with Dana Deb

2021 Learning Love Institute Teachers Training (for therapists)

2021-2023 Supervision by Krish Trobe PhD

2022 Psychotherapists’ conference “Just talking doesn’t help …”

2022 and 2023 Further training with Prof. Dr. Ulfried Geuter, Body Psychotherapy (Berlin)

2022-2023 Active member US Association for Body Psychotherapy, Somatic Experiencing e.V., introduction of quality standards

2024-2025 Neuro-affective relational model for developmental trauma – Neuro Affective Relational Model (NARM)

2024-2025 Support for research project at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (trauma-sensitive organizations)

2025 Publication on trauma-sensitive team and organizational development (Link to the article)

Since 2021 Regular intervision and supervision psychotherapy, Neuro Affective Relational Model