Melissa Striethörster

Melissa Striethörster is a Researcher and doctoral candidate at Leuphana University, affiliated with the Institute for Management & Organization (IMO) and the Professorship for Psychology, focusing on Cognitive-, Social- and Economic Psychology. Her current research explores clinical and business psychology, particularly the application of confrontation therapy in stigmatization contexts and social-innovative transformation through inclusive work environments. She is part of the SinTra research project, addressing workplace inclusivity and social innovation.

Academic Background:

• 2023: M.Sc. Psychology (Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy), MSH Medical School Hamburg
• 2020: B.Sc. Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg
• Clinical internship at a psychosomatic clinic in Bad Bramstedt, focusing on post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Research Interests: Melissa’s work bridges clinical psychology and organizational studies, emphasizing therapeutic interventions in workplace stigma and innovation-driven entrepreneurship. She investigates how confrontation therapy methodologies can mitigate stigmatization in professional environments and supports social-innovative projects like the Leuphana Sustainable Entrepreneurship Certificate (L-SEC).

Projects & Affiliations: Collaborates with teams in entrepreneurship, organization studies, and digital transformation. Engaged in initiatives such as the LIONA REGINNB project on regional innovation and the Digital Entrepreneurship in Professional Services research stream.