About me and my Coaching Approach

My coaching integrates the approaches and wisdom of adult development, positive psychology, philosophy and spirituality. You can see some of the methods that inform my work in the visual below.

C. G. Jung said, “study your theories as best you can, but put them aside when you touch the miracle of a living soul”. I know many theories but above all, I rely on my highly developed sensitivity, intuition, creativity and empathy. My coaching expertise is a well studied craftsmanship but also − and increasingly − an art.

Professional Synopsis
  • Life and Career Coach in private practice
  • Integral Associate CoachTM (Integral Coaching Canada). Certified Career Coach (CoBeC Regensburg)
  • Licensed “Immunity to Change”TM facilitator (Minds at Work at Harvard University). Certified MBTI® practitioner. Positive Intelligence Coach
  • Leadership consultant to Columbia Business School and The New York Times
  • Volunteer mentor, coach and workshop leader at the Catholic Charities Education Outreach Program in New York City, empowering people who are homeless, fighting or recovering from mental illness or substance addiction.
  • Advisor and writer for the Institut für Sozialstrategie, Germany
  • Worked at the United Nations and other non-for-profit institutions in Italy and Germany
  • Visiting scholar in Philosophy at Columbia University and the New School
  • Teaching and research engagements at academic and educational institutions in the US and Europe
  • PhD in Philosophy (Center for Ethics, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany); M.A. in Political Science and in Theology; degree in Intercultural Psychology (Universities of Regensburg, Passau, (Germany), Gregoriana and La Sapienza (Rome, Italy))
  • Graduate studies at Columbia University in Organizational Psychology, Adult Development and Conflict Resolution
  • Various awards and scholarships, including fellowships from the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German National Academic Foundation) and from the DAAD (German Fulbright equivalent)
  • Fluent in English, German, Spanish, Italian, and French.

A Personal Note

A Personal Note

I am originally from Germany and lived in various countries before I moved to New York in 2010 and started a research position in philosophy. Since then I have called this vibrant, multicultural center my home, while I still travel the world and sometimes spend long stretches in Europe or South America.

For me, authenticity is an essential part of the art of living. I am proud and grateful to have mastered the no small challenges of my own life and to have turned their “wounds into pearls” of greater wisdom, strength and empathy - to put it in the words of one of my teachers, Anselm Grün. These lessons inspire my deep motivation to help others overcome all kinds of obstacles as well and to follow their personal path to freedom, wellbeing and happiness.

Spirituality plays an important role in my life. Regular retreats, meditation, and prayer help me pause and recalibrate my inner compass. For example, I spent a summer as a volunteer in the community of Taizé (France) or took part in temple ceremonies in India. Interreligious community and the connection with spiritual tradition and practice of different cultures are particularly close to my heart.

In the creative field, dancing, especially tango, is one of my preferred non-verbal forms of expression and communication. My artistic streak is also manifested in my passion for interior design.

I live what I preach. I am very committed to my personal and professional development. I therefore continuously take part in seminars in which I learn new methods and deepen existing skills. I believe in coaching, not least because it changed my life. To give just one example: an academic career seemed to be my future before I took the MBTI personality test took up. The test result (my clear ENFJ preferences) encouraged me to change course. It became clear to me what I had always known secretly, but had not paid enough attention to: my calling to support people in their development and in challenging life situations.

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