I am a leadership development and OD consultant, coach and counsellor with 25 years of experience both in the non-profit and private sector.

My clients value me for a clear view on working systems, focussing on both their strengths and what is missing to make the organisation be at its best. I can be supportive and challenging and prefer a direct and “no-bullshit” style. My interventions are targeted at raising awareness of what is, make meaning of what is going on in individuals, teams and organisations and (re-)establish contact to enable systems get unstuck, energised and able to change.

With a Master in Organisational Psychology (Schumpeter School of Business and Economics) and an M.Sc. in Economics background, I have developed my practice through numerous trainings in the Gestalt- and systems approach, both in working with organisations and individuals. I have been trained by Ed Nevis and Gary Yontef to become an effective OD consultant and coach and am licensed as a psychotherapist in Berlin with several years training and supervision in Gestalt- and trauma therapy.

My practice involves the design and delivery of high impact OD programmes and coaching across a broad range of not-for-profit and commercial clients, enabling change in complex environments. I have become a trusted advisor and developed leadership programmes with a number of leading not-for-profit, governmental and commercial organisations including Standard Chartered Bank, the German Federal Ministry for Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and its implementing agencies, the United Nations Development Programme and Medecins sans Frontières - amongst many others.

I am a member of the faculty of The Gestalt Centre in London and Dresden International University and have worked globally in more than 50 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Thus, multiple realities of different cultural backgrounds and gender is a resource that I always tap into when working with teams and individuals of different cultures.

I live and work in Berlin with my family and love to spend as much time as possible in the mountains where I enjoy hiking, climbing and skiing. I also like cooking and hanging out with friends, playing the guitar and practising Zen.

I speak German, English and French at working and Italian and Spanish at conversational level.

Professional Career   
  • since 2006:  Coordinator of the Psycho Social Care Unit at Medecins Sans Frontières, Germany

  • since 2006: Lecturer and trainer for Team and Leadership development in MBA Programmes of Dresden International University, Steinbeis Hochschule and Humboldt University, Berlin

  • since 2011: Faculty member at The London Gestalt Centre, designing and facilitating workshops on organisational development

  • since 2007: Coaching of leaders in the German Federal Administration (BMZ; BMFSFJ) and international cooperation projects

  • since 1996: Consultant for Organisational Development, Facilitation and Team development in international public organisations (e.g. United Nations, European Commission, giz)

  • 2001-2004: Design and facilitation of Leadership and Management of Change Programmes for Standard Chartered Bank

  • 2000-2004: Director of the European Office of Counterpart International 

  • 1996-1999: Senior expert for Poverty Alleviation and Gender at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

  • 1993–1996: Programme officer for the United Nations in the Eastern Caribbean 

Education and Training

  • Studies in Organisational Psychology (M.A., MoP) and International Rural Economics (M.Sc.)
  • Postgraduate studies in Development Cooperation at the German Development Institute (DIE)
  • 2yrs Training in Organisational Development in a multicultural context and group facilitation (Gestalt Institute Cleveland, Ohio)
  • Trained Gestalt therapist and Coach (IGG Berlin and Pacific Gestalt Institute, Los Angeles) and Trauma therapist (Münchner Institut für Traumatherapie); Certified psychotherapist (HPG) and certified supervisor (DGSV)
  • Practitioner in Somatic Experiencing (3yrs programme)
  • Supervision Training (with Triangel Berlin, 3yrs programme, DGSV certified)

Special Fields of Competence and Interest

  • Gestalt- and Systems-oriented interventions and approaches
  • Psychosocial care for International Humanitarian Aid workers and Development Organisations
  • Working with shame and vulnerability in organisations
  • Somatic Experiencing

Links:

www.organisational-development.org

www.gestaltcentre.co.uk

www.dvg.de