Gunter Groen

Prof. Dr. Gunter Groen is a Professor of Psychology at the Department of Social Work, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences. With expertise in Clinical Psychology and Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, his work bridges gaps between child and youth welfare and child and adolescent psychiatry. He focuses on interprofessional collaboration, specialist training, and mental health promotion, particularly for youth and working professionals.

Education: PhD in Psychology (University of Bremen, 2002). Research Areas include:

• Depression Prevention in Youth
• Trauma-Informed Interventions
• Mental Health Literacy
• Interprofessional Healthcare Models
• Self-Care in Psychosocial Professions
• Digital Mental Health Solutions

Notable Projects include MentalHigh (EU-funded mental health awareness), Safe4Child (trauma-informed staff support), and MEGA (mHealth solutions for youth mental health in Africa). He has supervised theses on topics like refugee care, sibling relationships in chronic illness, and workplace mental health.

Awards & Memberships:

• Scientific Advisory Board, Childhood and Development (Hogrefe)
• Editorial Board, psychotherapie forum (Springer)
• Advisory Board, Journal of Child & Adolescent Mental Health (Taylor & Francis)
• German Society for Psychology
• Federal Chamber of Psychotherapists

Grant Funding: Erasmus+ (MentalHigh, Safe4Child, MEGA), Horizon 2020 proposals, and regional Schleswig-Holstein grants.