Manuela Osterburg

Roles & Affiliations:
Prof. Dr. rer. med. Manuela Osterburg is a Professor of Painting at the Department of Fine Arts, specializing in Art Education Therapy at Alanus University in Bonn-Alfter since September 2024. She combines academic teaching with artistic practice, focusing on the therapeutic and cultural impact of art.

Education & Training:
- Art studies at Kassel Art Academy
- Further studies in visual communication/graphics
- Distance learning in cultural management at FU Hagen
- Part-time continuing education in curative education (anthroposophy)
- Art therapy (comprehensive approaches including group resonance methods)
- Family constellation according to Hellinger
- Training as a grief counselor
- Seminars on self-learning skills and career orientation.

Research & Practice:
Her work examines the necessity of art in holistic healing contexts, particularly in palliative care and grief counseling. Key areas include:
- The role of art in stress reduction and health promotion.
- Resource-oriented coping processes through artistic expression.
- Art's impact on identity formation and intergenerational communication.
- Site-specific art projects (e.g., healthcare settings, schools).
Her doctoral thesis focused on "Designing Life and Death" within theoretical medicine, linking art to end-of-life care.

Professional Experience:
- 12 years as lecturer at Technical University of Kaiserslautern (art communication, art market, self-learning skills).
- 4 years working on palliative care wards at University Hospital Homburg/Saar.
- Extensive work in addiction prevention, non-profit sectors, and kindergarten projects.
- Founder of art projects involving up to 500 young people.
- Regular exhibitions and competitions (paused temporarily to focus on research and painting style development).

Labs & Initiatives:
- Studio on the Middle Moselle for artistic creation and consultations.
- Art communication projects in healthcare settings.
- Individual support in grief counseling and salutogenesis.