Professorship of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
The Professorship of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy is part of the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Sustainability. In our research, we focus on mental disorders and the psychological aspects of physical illnesses.
In teaching, we cover a wide range of mental disorders and psychologically influenced diseases across the lifespan. Course content includes epidemiology, clinical-psychological diagnostics, and the classification of mental disorders, as well as various disorder models and scientifically validated psychotherapy methods. In addition to theoretical content and current empirical studies, practical, case-based exercises are designed to facilitate applied and experiential learning.
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Kristin Härtl
Professorship of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
E-Mail: kristin.haertl (at) uni-sustainability.at
Kristin Härtl is a Professor of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at the University of Sustainability. In addition, she serves as a Privatdozentin at the University of Bamberg, Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. Before her appointment at the University of Sustainability, she was a Professor and Research Coordinator at Hochschule Fresenius in Munich. She earned her doctorate in the field of behavioral medicine in diabetes mellitus, and her habilitation focused on psycho-oncology.
For many years, she headed the Department of Psychosomatics and Psycho-Oncology at the Clinic and Polyclinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. As a licensed psychological psychotherapist (behavioral therapy) and certified supervisor, she also practices psychotherapy with a focus on psycho-oncology and the psychological aspects of acute and chronic physical illnesses.
Her research has resulted in numerous high-impact scientific publications. She is co-editor of the journal Verhaltenstherapie und Verhaltensmedizin and serves as the mandate holder for the development and revision of the S3 Guideline for Psycho-Oncology.
Selected Publications
- Helbrich, H., Braun, M., Hanusch, C., Müller, G., Falk, H., Flondor, R., Harbeck, N., Hermelink, K., Wuerstlein, R., Keim, S., Neufeld, F., Steins-Löber, S, Härtl, K. (2021). Congruence and trajectories of device-measured and self-reported physical activity during therapy for early breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research and Treament, 188(2): 351-359.
- Hermelink, K., Bühner, M., Schopke, P., Neufeld, F., Kaste, J., Voigt, V., Münzel, K., Würstlein, R., Ditsch, N., Hellerhoff, K., Riosk-Dehndorfer, D., Braun, M., von Koch, F.E., Härtl, K., Bauerfeind, I., Debus, G., Herschbach, P., Mahner, S., Harbeck, N. (2017). Chemotherapy and Post-Traumatic Stress in Causation of Cognitive Dysfunction in Breast Cancer Patients. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 109(10).
- Härtl, K., Engel, J., Herschbach, P., Reinecker, H., Sommer, H. & Friese, K. (2010). Personality traits and psychosocial stress: quality of life over 2 years following breast cancer diagnosis and psychological impact factors. Psycho-Oncology, 19, 160-169.
Research
In our research, we focus, among other things, on the psychological aspects of physical illnesses and psychosomatic disorders. Within the sustainability focus, we investigate the psychological challenges associated with the climate crisis.
Our research topics include:
- Psycho-oncology
- Psychosomatics
- Climate crisis: psychological impacts and stress burdens
