Aris Hägermann, Licensed Psychotherapist
About Me
As a young man, I thought meditation was the solution to my problems. For two years, I studied mindfulness and holistic health promotion at the Himalayan Institute for Yoga Science and Philosophy in the U.S. It also gave me a sense of being connected to life (the universe, God). However, it did little to address my internal and external conflicts, as well as my shortcomings and traumas.
My Journey Here
I have found Gestalt group therapy and psychoanalysis to be much more helpful. That is why, to this day, I work with approaches that bring about genuine, lasting change, rather than those that merely make people feel good.
My path to getting there wasn't a straight one:
- 1992 to 1994Mindfulness and Holistic Health Promotion, Himalayan Institute for Yoga Science and Philosophy, USA
- 1994 to 2000Organic farmer in California
- 2000 to 2004Training in Gestalt Therapy, Therapeutic Institute Berlin
- 2004 to 2011Studied psychology at the University of Bremen while also working on the anti-violence training program at the Hamburg Youth Probation Service
- 2011 to 2012Employment at a psychosomatic rehabilitation clinic
- 2011 to 2016Training in depth psychology-based psychotherapy, Süddeutsche Akademie
- 2012 to 2013Counselor at Männer gegen Männergewalt e.V. in Hamburg
- 2014 to 2016Private-practice therapist at a psychosomatic rehabilitation clinic
- 2016EMDR Certification, EMDRIA Deutschland e.V.
- since 2016private practice
What was the hardest part?
To be honest, the hardest part was a six-month internship in psychiatry during my training. Working with juvenile offenders in the anti-violence training program at the Hamburg Youth Probation Service was almost as difficult.
My time at “Men Against Men’s Violence” also had a profound impact on me. Most of the clients there were in dire need of treatment and often posed a danger to those around them.
A Belief
An important quality of a good therapist or counselor is the desire to understand oneself and one’s client on a deep level. Thorough training is, of course, part of this, and I took my own training seriously. Nevertheless, I would always prefer someone who has little formal training but has the courage to understand themselves and others deeply over someone with extensive training but without that courage.
It's like two musicians: one plays brilliantly from the sheet music. The other listens to themselves and their surroundings while playing and expresses whatever is happening in the moment.
The second thing is the music—that's what lasts.
How I Work Today
My approach is influenced by the psychodynamic psychotherapy and the Gestalt Therapy shaped. When past trauma continues to have an impact, I use a trauma-informed approach.
Since early 2024, I've been traveling a lot and working exclusively online, mostly from Chiang Mai, Thailand. I'm a licensed psychotherapist. And yet, today I work as a counselor. I don't think the online setting is suitable for severe issues. For most of the concerns people bring to me, counseling is the more direct approach anyway: whether it's about making decisions, dealing with what's on your mind right now, or seeking clarity and guidance.
This service is psychological counseling, not psychotherapy. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any medical condition.