University of Basel, Switzerland

• SNSF Eccellenza Assistant Professor since 10/2021
• 11/2020: Habilitation (venia docendi, PD Dr. phil. habil.)

Open University, the Netherlands

• Professor, endowed chair Anthrozoology since 10/2020
• Research fellow, 04/2018 – 06/2018

Purdue University, USA

• Research fellow, 01/2019 – 03/2019

University of Basel, Switzerland

• Postdoc 10/2015 – 08/2021

Swiss Tropical- und Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland

• Adjunct senior researcher since 09/2017
• Postdoc 09/2013 – 08/2017

University of Rostock, Germany

• PhD / Dr. phil (summa cum laude), Department of special education and rehabilitation, 01/2009 – 01/2012

University of Zürich, Switzerland

• Master of Science UZH / lic. phil. I (summa cum laude) in Clinical psychology and psychotherapy, 09/2003 – 11/2008

Education

• 09/2019 – 08/2020: Certificate in university didactics, University of Basel (CH)
• 09/2015 – 06/2016: Certificate of Advanced Studies in Psychotraumatology, University of Zürich (CH)
• 01/2011 – 06/2015: Postgraduate education in psychotherapy at the Universities of Fribourg (CH) and Zürich (CH), Akademie für Verhaltenstherapie im Kindes- und Jugendalter (AVKJ), degree: eidg. accredited psychotherapist
• 01/2012 – 11/2014: Postgraduate education in child and adolescent psychology, Swiss Association for child and adolescent psychology (SKJP) Degree: Fachpsychologin für Kinder- und Jugendpsychologie FSP
• 10/2010 – 08/2012: Diploma in equine-assisted therapy, Swiss Group for Therapeutic Riding (SG-TR)
• 02/2009 – 12/2011: Certificate in animal-assisted therapy, I.E.T. Switzerland, in cooperation with the psychotherapeutcal practice Altamira and the zoological institute at the University of Zürich. 

Clinical positions

• Since 02/2016: Psychotherapist and deputy head, Center for Psychotherapy, University of Basel (CH)
• 11/2015 – 12/2017: Psychotherapist REHAB Basel, Clinic for neurorehabilitation and paraplegiology, Basel, Switzerland
• 11/2014 – 11/2015: Psychotherapist, Psychotherapeutical Practice for children and youth Klösterli, Zofingen, Switzerland
• 05/2014 – 12/2015: Therapist for equine-assisted interventions, Riding Therapy Center Hohenberg, Schönenberg, Switzerland
• 11/2011 – 11/2014: Psychotherapist, child and adolescent psychiatry practice, Reiden, Switzerland
• 01/2008 – 08/2013: Psychologist, School Psychology Service Schwyz, Pfäffikon, Switzerland 
• 10/2010 – 03/2012: Specialist for examination of children, Security Department Canton Schwyz, Switzerland
• 04/2007 – 04/2011: Assistant psychologist recruitment, Swiss Confederation, Swiss Armed Forces executive staff, Center of recruitment, Rüti, Switzerland

Teaching

Regular lectures and seminars at different Universities since 2013:

• Lecture “clinical child and youth psychology”, University of Basel, HS 2022 / HS 2021 / HS 2020
• Practice seminar “child and youth psychotherapy”, University of Basel, FS 2022
• Colloquium “clinical psychology, psychotherapy and animal-assisted interventions” FS 2022
• Practice seminar (Service Learning) “Förderung der Interaktionsform “Sustained Shared Thinking” bei Kindern durch die Auseinandersetzung mit Tieren”, University of Basel, FS 2020
• Lecture within “Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents” University of Basel, HS 2020 / HS 2019 / HS 2018 / FS 2018
• Seminar “Animal-assisted psychotherapy for children and youth” University of Basel, FS 2019
• Lectures within and tutoring of the One Health MOOC by University of Basel, HS 2022 / HS 2021 / HS 2020 / HS 2019 / HS 2018 / HS 2017 / HS 2016: https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/one-health.
• Lectures on “human-animal relationship” within the seminar “One Health: Der Mehrwert einer engeren Zusammenarbeit von Human- und Tiermedizin) for students in veterinary medicine (Universities Zurich and Bern): HS 2022 / HS 2021 / HS 2020 / HS 2019 / HS 2018 / HS 2017 / HS 2016 / HS 2015 / HS 2014
• Seminar on human-animal relationship and animal-assisted therapy, master’s students in public health (Universities Basel, Bern and Zurich): HS 2018 / HS 2015 / HS 2013
• Lecture on animal-assisted therapy within the Kolloquium for master’s students in psychology: HS 2022 / HS 2016 / FS 2016 / HS 2015
• Lecture on animal-assisted therapy for students in public health (Swiss TPH, University of Basel): HS 2015 / HS 2014

Development and management of the post-graduate course “Certificate of Advanced Studies in Animal-Assisted Therapy” at University of Basel, as well as teaching in the course, HS 2022 / HS 2021 / HS 2020 / HS 2018.

Since 2012, regularly active in courses for continuing education on invitation for different private organizations and institutions, mostly for people with medical, psychological, educational or veterinary background. Since 2014, lecturer in several institutions in Switzerland as well as in Germany within postgraduate educational programs in animal-assisted therapy (e.g. DAS course in Horse-Assisted Therapy and CAS course in Animal-Assisted Interventions at “Hochschule für Gesundheit Fribourg”, Switzerland; Institute for social learning with animals, Hannover, D; Institute of applied ethology (IET), CH; Freiburger Institute of Animal-Assisted Therapy, D, etc.).

Membership in panels and boards

• Presidentr of GTTA (Swiss Association for animal-assisted therapy and activity) since 2022; board member since 2020
• Member of the editorial board of the journal “Mensch und Pferd International”, Reinhardt Verlag, since 2020
• Guest editor in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (Special Issue “The Impact of Companion Animals on Public Health”), 11/2019
• Scientific advisory board of the research group “Animal assisted interventions” at the University of applied sciences “Alice Solomon Hochschule” in Berlin, Germany, since 2019
• Editorial advisory board for the journal «Mensch & Pferd international - Zeitschrift für Förderung und Therapie mit dem Pferd», Reinhardt Verlag, since 2019
• Board member of IAHAIO (International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations): Vice President Education, since 2018
• Editorial review board member of the Journal “Human Animal Interaction Bulletin” (HAIB), since 2018
• Scientific advisory board of the Bundesverband Tiergestützte Interventionen e.V. Germany (German National Association of Animal Assisted Interventions), since 2018
• Board member of ISAAT (International Society of Animal Assisted Therapy), since 2015

• Erasmus+ of the European Commission, project “Equestrian Young Leaders Europe (EYLE)”,applicants: prof. dr. Karin Hediger, Open University, European Equestrian Federation, Dutch Equestrian Federation, Hungarian Equestrian Federation, Norwegian Equestrian Federation, Swedish Equestrian Federation, Bulgarian Equestrian Federation, 15’000 EUR Open University (400’000 EUR total), 2022 – 2025 
• EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND), project “Neuro­degenerative diseases, nATure, AnImalS (NATAIS)”, Applicants: dr. Roeslan Leontjevas, prof. dr. Karin Hediger, prof. dr. Marie-José Enders-Slegers, prof. dr. Debby Gerritsen, Peter Reniers, Ine Declercq, dr. Simone de Bruin, prof. dr. Sandra Wesenberg,  dr. Christine Olsen, dr. Dorit van Meel, prof. dr. Christel Moons, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, prof. dr. Daniel Mills, dr. Zenithson Ng, 49’590 EUR, 2022 – 2023
• Nestlé Purina PetCare, project “The beneficial effects of the interaction with dogs versus cats in daily-life, an experience sampling study of pet-owners”, applicants: dr. Mayke Janssens, prof. dr. Karin Hediger, prof. dr. Nele Jacobs, prof. dr. Jannes Eshuis, 30’000 USD, 2022 – 2023
• Stiftung pro REHAB Basel, project "animal-assisted therapy in neurorehabilitation": 150'000 CHF, 2022 – 2024
• Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) Eccellenza Professorial Fellowship, project "From bench to barn to bed: Effects and mechanisms of animal-assisted interventions" (PCEFP1_194591 / 1): 1'634'819 CHF, 2021 – 2026
• Stiftung pro REHAB Basel, project «effects of animal-assisted therapy in patients with brain injury»: 150'000 CHF, 2019 – 2021
• Fundraising for founding a center for animal-assisted therapy of which I am the president: 936’050 CHF, 2018 – 2021
• Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) Ambizione grant, project "psychophysiological effects of animal-assisted interventions in patients with brain injury" (PZ00P1_174082 / 1): 706’727 CHF, 2017 – 2021
• Stiftung pro REHAB Basel, 144'069 CHF, 2016 – 2018
• Forschungsfonds, University of Basel, 76'195 CHF, 2015 – 2016
• Stiftung pro REHAB Basel, 102'487 CHF, 2013 – 2016
• Freie Akademische Gesellschaft for acquiring the coding software Noldus Observer: 10'000 CHF, 06/2014

Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Switzerland

• Adjunct Senior Researcher

REHAB Basel, Switzerland

• Leader research group "animal-assisted therapy in neurorehabilitation" 

Open Universtiy, the Netherlands

• Special chair "anthrozoology": animal-assisted therapy in clinical psychology

Paracelsus Medicinal University, Salzburg, Austria & Schön Clinic, Vogtareuth, Germany

• Leader research group "animal-assisted therapy and interventions in neuropediatry"

University Psychiatric Clinics (UPK) Basel, Switzerland

Psychiatric University Clinics (PUK) Zürich, Switzerland

• Scientific Reports
• PLOS ONE
• Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
• Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
• Childrens
• Animals
• Journal of veterinary behavior
• Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin
• Frontiers in Veterinary Science
• Veterinary Medicine Austria
• Anthrozoos
• People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice (PAIJ)
• Mensch & Pferd International

Initiator and head of organisation committee of the Swiss conference on human-animal relationship (see: www.iemt.ch/tagungen):    

• 13. March 2021, online (260 participants)
• 24. March 2018, Basel (200 participants)
• 12. March 2016, Basel (170 participants)
• 15. March 2014, Basel, (180 participants)

Member of the organization board of the IAHAIO 16th international triennial conference, 3-4. September 2022, online. Title: Changing perspectives on the human-animal relationship. 

Member of the organization board of the IAHAIO 15th international triennial conference, 12-14. April 2019, Brewster, USA. Title: Science Meets Practice: Creating Healthy Environments for People and Animals.