School of Psychology and Psychotherapy

Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy I

Our experience shows that even people under severe strain and facing many difficulties have areas of their lives that are functioning well. These abilities and opportunities can be used to cope with current problems. This area of research focuses on the assessment and promotion of resources and resilience. How can we work with the individual to identify helpful characteristics and abilities that remain significant even in difficult life situations or when experiencing mental health conditions? How can these be specifically strengthened?

a) Assessment of resources

The ‘RESO-B’ questionnaire has been evaluated in various research projects. This multidimensional diagnostic tool for psychotherapy assesses a person’s resources in everyday life, in coping with past difficulties and in relation to current problems – thus covering a broad spectrum of resources that extends beyond the current stressful situation.

b) Promoting resilience

Each of us faces challenges that do not go as we would like. Nevertheless, we continue to pursue our goals. It is in dealing with such adversities that people develop resilience. In the personal resilience model (Padesky & Mooney), these abilities are examined and subsequently applied to the context of the problem. We analyse the effects of this resilience-building work on students and patients in terms of self-esteem, quality of life and symptoms of mental health conditions.

Online psychotherapeutic interventions are becoming increasingly important as low-threshold treatment options. However, there are still few scientifically validated programmes available on PCs or mobile devices. Our focus is on easily accessible, interactive prevention and therapy programmes. We are currently developing and evaluating programmes on social anxiety and the promotion of resilience.

We all find it difficult at times to cope with everyday life and remain stable in the face of challenges. But how do some people manage to stay resilient? This counselling service focuses on resilience and helps participants to develop their personal strengths – both those they already possess and those needed to deal with difficult situations.

The service is free of charge and open to anyone interested. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by email.

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SEA – Taking a Relaxed Approach to Social Situations – is aimed at people with social anxiety, such as social anxiety disorder. SEA helps participants to come to terms with their social anxiety, to understand how these fears arise and how to manage them, and to learn to feel more confident in social situations. Case studies from former participants provide guidance.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by email.

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In addition to the therapeutic relationship and the methods used, the psychotherapist plays a central role in the treatment. However, little is known about which of their characteristics are particularly relevant and how these can be developed. In collaboration with international partners, for example in the UK, Norway and the USA, research is currently focusing on the role of psychotherapy training in the development of competence, as well as on the significance of difficulties encountered in therapeutic practice.

a) Training in psychotherapy

Training to become a psychotherapist varies greatly from country to country. At the same time, little is known about which elements of training promote professional development. As part of an international study by the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR), the Chair is developing questionnaires on the structure of training, entry requirements and the development of psychotherapists during their training period. These questionnaires are being translated into various languages and used for data collection.

Further information can be found in this leaflet.

b) Difficulties in practice

Dealing with difficulties in psychotherapy is a central part of many therapists’ work. The ongoing project is investigating the temporal progression of such difficulties during therapeutic work and examining whether certain therapists experience difficulties more frequently than others. The study also examines which patients are perceived as particularly difficult and how these difficulties affect the course and success of therapy.

Mental health disorders are widespread amongst the German population, and their treatment involves high costs. It has now been demonstrated on numerous occasions that cognitive behavioural therapy is effective for a range of mental health issues. However, little is known about how patients fare in the long term after completing psychotherapy. In collaboration with the Research and Treatment Centre for Mental Health at Ruhr University Bochum, we are therefore asking patients who completed their therapy between two and 20 years ago about the long-term effects of their mental health conditions.

Serious and chronic illnesses are intricately linked to a person’s well-being and experience. Research focuses, on the one hand, on how individuals perceive such stresses based on their psychological makeup. On the other hand, it examines the consequences for the mood, behaviour and social relationships of those affected. Areas of focus include, for example, psychocardiology, psycho-oncology and the consequences of epilepsy.