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. Meditation 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 deficits and traumas.
How I Got 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 Men Against Men’s Violence (Männer gegen Männergewalt e.V.) in Hamburg
- 2014 to 2016Freelance therapist at a psychosomatic rehabilitation clinic
- 2016EMDR certification, EMDRIA Deutschland e.V.
- since 2016private practice
What Was Hardest
To be honest, the hardest part was a six-month internship in psychiatry during my training. Working with violent 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 shaped me. Most of the clients there were in dire need of treatment and not infrequently 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 from the sheet music with technical brilliance. The other listens to themselves and their surroundings while playing and expresses whatever is happening in the moment.
The second one is the music that lasts.
How I Work Today
My way of working is shaped by psychodynamic psychotherapy and Gestalt therapy. When past wounds continue to have an impact, I work in a trauma-informed way.
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 disorders. For most of the concerns people bring to me, counseling is the more direct way 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, cure, or alleviate illnesses.