Who is Anna Vierling

Who I am

My name is Anna Vierling and I am an American-German psychologist and psychotherapy practitioner and offer psychotherapy according to the German "Heilpraktikergesetz" to children, adolescents and adults in Berlin. Born and raised in Berlin by a US-American dad and an East-German mom, I grew up with two languages and cultures, went to an international school and saw Berlin and the education systems undergo historical changes in the past decades. I have been lucky to have been able to combine passions and career throughout my further education and work experience.

I received my Psychology MSc degree (with a focus on developmental, social, educational and clinical psychology with an excellent final mark) at the Freie Universität Berlin, one of Germany's top universities, with a master's thesis on the evaluation of a project promoting creative artistic expression in choreography and children's self-efficacy beliefs, specifically that of boys and children with migration background, using multi-level analysis. Next to studying I worked as a TA in the field of bilingual education and as part of a federal school development program to foster democratic participation of students in schools as well as a bullying and violence prevention program in schools.

I did my post-graduate work at the Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, among the top 3 German universities, where I held a teaching and research position for several years. I taught within the department of Educational Psychology, specifically Motivational Strategies for the Classroom to master students of Education. Our team's research focused on alcohol prevention in youth soccer teams.

Missing the practical and direct work with children, I began my work as a School Counselor and School Psychologist at two private international schools in Berlin. Parallel to this I got my practitioner's degree in psychotherapy for children, adolescents and adults and my degree in mediation with emphasis on intercultural mediation. I'm currently in the process of getting my licence as psychotherapist for children and adolescents with a focus on CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) methods, which lets me offer full coverage by all public health insurance companies and several private health insurances. During and after my residency I supported privately insured children, adolescents and young adults at a psychiatric and psychotherapeutic practice for two years.

Throughout the personal ups and downs of my life, it has been time in nature and music - listening, playing piano and guitar, singing, improvising, song-writing, jamming and playing in bands - that has been my medicine and inspiration and I continue to bring my love for the expressive arts to my work with my clients. My current passion is my 4-year-old son, who teaches me new lessons on life each day!