Social Work, Education and Nursing Sciences Prof. Dr. phil. Friederike Gerstenberg

Psychology

Office Hours: By prior appointment via email.

Current Position

• Professor of Psychology at Esslingen University of Applied Sciences

Academic Career

• Professor of Psychology and Counseling in Social Work at Protestant University of Applied Sciences Ludwigsburg, Reutlingen Campus
• Acting Professor of Psychological Assessment and Cognitive Neuropsychology at Eberhard Karls University Tübingen
• Research Associate at Technische Universität München
• Research Associate at University of Koblenz-Landau

Professional Experience

• Private Psychology Practice in Esslingen
• Psychologist at the Psychological Counseling Center of the District Diaconic Association in Esslingen

Advanced Training

• 2023 Training in "Process and Embodiment-Focused Psychology" (Dr. Michael Bohne, Hanover)
• 2020 - 2021 Certification as Systemic Supervisor (Helm-Stierin Institute, Heidelberg)
• 2014 - 2016 Certification as Systemic Individual, Couple, and Family Therapist (Villa Lindenfels, Institute for Systemic Therapy and Trauma Therapy, Stuttgart, DGSF)
• 2010 - 2012 ProLehre Intensive training for improving teaching competence of young university instructors (Technische Universität München)
• Since 2014 Various compact training courses on topics including trauma, unfulfilled desire for children, hypno-systemic work, intercultural counseling, etc.

Awards

• Teaching Award from Esslingen University of Applied Sciences 2024
• Nominations for the Teaching Award 2022 and 2024

Recent Publications

• Pretsch, J., Gerstenberg, F. & Gelhausen, A. (2025). Parentifizierung: Ursachen, Auswirkungen und Perspektiven [Parentification: Causes, Effects, and Perspectives]. In: DGfPI, Jahrgang 28, Heft 1.
• Pretsch, J., Sevsay-Tegethoff, N. & Gerstenberg, F. (2025). Social Justice without Organizational Justice? In: Sozialwirtschaft. https://doi.org/10.5771/1613-0707-2025-1-15
• Schmitt, M., Hofmann, W., Gschwendner, T., Gerstenberg, F. & Zinkernagel, A. (2025). A model of moderated convergence between explicit dispositions, implicit dispositions, and behavior. In J.A. Krosnick, T.H. Stark & A.L. Scott (Eds.). The Cambridge Handbook of Implicit Bias and Racism. Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press.
• Gerstenberg, F. (2024). Obstetrics from a systemic perspective – Interplay of psychological, social, and societal aspects. In: M. Kruse & Hartmann, K. (Eds.). Trauma and Violence in Obstetrics – A Handbook for Professionals. Stuttgart: Klett-Cotta.
• Gerstenberg, F. & Röhrbein, A. (2023). "Sometimes it's worth looking in the mirror" – Guided interview questionnaires that invite dialogue. In: Averbeck, B. et al. (Eds.). Cooperation in Child Protection – Handbook for a Systemic Practice. Paderborn: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

Current Research Areas:

• Child Protection: Research on risk situations, protective factors, and professional intervention strategies in child and youth welfare services
• Parentification: Assessment and psychological effects of role reversal in family systems, as well as validation of diagnostic instruments
• Justice Psychology: Subjective justice perceptions of professionals in psychosocial work settings and their significance for professional practice

Methodological Orientation:

• Integration of quantitative and qualitative research methods
• Practice-oriented research with knowledge transfer
• Interdisciplinary collaboration between psychology, social work, and early childhood education

Master's Theses: I supervise theses exclusively when they are integrated into my current research projects and areas of focus.