I am a licensed clinical psychologist in Germany with over 15 years of professional experience in forensic psychology and psychiatry. I am currently a contributing researcher in the Memory Development and Policy Lab within the Department of Psychology at Virginia Tech.

Prior to this appointment, I was affiliated with the University Hospital of Tübingen, a designated University of Excellence and one of Germany’s leading academic medical centers. The Departments of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy as well as Child and Adolescent Psychiatry are integral components of the medical faculty and operate within a highly rigorous research and clinical environment. My responsibilities in both inpatient and outpatient settings included comprehensive psychological assessment and treatment, collaboration on multiple clinical and translational research projects, the development and implementation of evidence-based therapeutic interventions, and teaching activities within the medical curriculum.

This environment enabled the advanced development of my analytical, diagnostic, and crisis intervention competencies, as well as the acquisition of extensive subject-matter expertise. In recent years, my professional focus shifted exclusively to family law evaluations conducted through the hospital’s forensic psychiatric assessment unit, which is rooted in more than 150 years of forensic clinical tradition.

In my role as a court-appointed psychological expert, I authored approximately 200 forensic psychological evaluations for courts across Germany. These assessments addressed cases involving acute threats to child welfare, custody and visitation determinations, child reunification proceedings, and allegations of sexual abuse.

Family law evaluations required a transparent and systematic assessment of intra-familial attachment relationships, parental caregiving capacities, the child’s expressed preferences, as well as relevant protective and risk factors. All evaluations were conducted with strict professional impartiality and grounded in empirically supported methodologies, procedural transparency, and a child-centered framework that took into account developmental level and individual needs.

The assessment process frequently included standardized psychological testing of children and parents, diagnostic formulation, and, where indicated, laboratory screening (e.g., in cases of suspected parental substance use). My responsibilities encompassed the comprehensive planning, coordination, and execution of complex psychological assessments, as well as the preparation of court-appointed expert opinions and their formal defense in judicial proceedings.

To ensure professional excellence and quality assurance, I coordinated an accredited peer consultation group recognized by the State Medical and Psychotherapists’ Chambers. In addition, as a member of the hospital’s multidisciplinary child protection team, I contributed to the evaluation of complex child welfare concerns and to the development of institutional quality standards for forensic expert reports in family law proceedings.

My current work in the Memory Development and Policy Lab closely aligns with this professional background. My primary research focus is on forensic interviewing methods with children diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This research aims to improve the quality, accuracy, and reliability of testimony provided by witnesses with developmental impairments, thereby enhancing procedural fairness for affected individuals while also supporting evidence-based decision-making within the legal system.

My CV can be found here.