My Background
For the past 14 years, I have worked as trainer/facilitator, coach/mentor and free-lance consultant for NGOs, CSOs, and UN bodies in the realm of conflict transformation and peacebuilding in the Middle East and North Africa, in countries as varied as Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Palestine, Jordan and, most recently, Lebanon. I developed, delivered, i.e., facilitated, and evaluated training on conflict transformation.
My main areas are:
-
Conflict analysis (systemic and other)
-
Design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of peace projects (using Reflecting on Peace Practice)
-
Conflict sensitivity & Do No Harm
-
(Nonviolent) communication skills
-
Negotiation
-
Meditation
-
Team-building
-
Self-care, burnout prevention and resilience.
I have experience working with people from all levels of society, ranging from grassroots activists to members of NGOs/CSOs, UN Organisations, political and tribal leaders, and government representatives.
Furthermore, I worked as a project and programme coordinator and manager, developing and implementing conflict sensitive conflict transformation and peacebuilding projects/programmes, designing country strategies and conducting and facilitating systemic conflict analyses for a large variety of NGOs and UN Agencies in diverse conflict contexts, and thereby developed extensive experience in practically applying and refining all the tools and methodologies I train on.
As a coach/mentor and supervisor, I have furthermore accompanied groups and individuals in conducting conflict analyses, planning and implementing strategies for conflict transformation and implementing peace projects, and led processes of mediation and negotiation.
I am well-versed in online communication tools and am able to create a safe space for participants in online as well as face-to-face settings. I am fluent in written and spoken English and spoken Arabic (Levantine) and facilitate training and deliver consultancies in both languages, online and in-person.
​
​
Qualifications (excerpt)
​​
-
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Jurisprudence, University of Erfurt, Germany
-
Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution, University of Bradford, United Kingdom
-
Training in Conflict Transformation, as trainer and consultant/advisor, Responding to Conflict, United Kingdom and Libya, and Academy for Conflict Transformation, Cologne, Germany
-
Training of Trainers, Institute of Leadership and Management, United Kingdom and Amman, Jordan
-
Brain-based Life and Business Coach (Supervision), NeuroLeadership Institute, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
-
Further training and qualifications (excerpt): Nonviolent Communication; Conflict Sensitivity; Intercultural Communication; Nonviolent Conflict Transformation and Communication for Teachers and Educators; Team-Building, -Development and Leadership; Self-Care, Stress-Management and Resilience; Psychodrama; Trauma and the Nervous System
Training
​
The training approach and methodology I apply is based on adult learning; all training I deliver/facilitate is practical, participatory and experience-based. The insights, existing skills and knowledge of both the facilitator and the participants form an integral part of the process. The tools and methodologies used will be practiced and applied for participants to directly experience them and learn by doing. Participants will be encouraged to adapt and change the tools to make them their own and applicable to their individual contexts. Each session is carefully constructed to ensure that participants’ different learning styles are accommodated.
I make use of large varieties of methodologies and processes, including short plenary sessions, individual reflection, plenary reporting, simultaneous reporting, discussion in pairs or threes, small group activities, simulations, role plays, brainstorming as well as a number of multi-purpose activities to stimulate thinking and self-reflection, drawing on creative methods derived from Theater of the Oppressed, Drama Therapy, Dance Therapy, Psychodrama (such as sketches, short scenes, lineups, etc.), arts and crafting, music and dance. It is in the smaller forums and during group work where individuals will have an opportunity to test and gauge their understanding, apply the new tools, build new skills and engage with one another to exchange experiences.
​
​
Consulting and Coaching
I offer consultancy and coaching for individuals, teams and organisations. This includes, e.g., the planning and implementation of projects, programmes and strategic planning processes, the transformation of team conflicts, the application of conflict sensitivity to your projects and programmes, the institutionalisation of conflict sensitivity, as well as technical advice on peacebuilding and conflict transformation projects.
My consulting and coaching approaches are based on latest research and findings of conflict transformation, neuroscience, brain research and psychology. They are simultaneously process and solution oriented. The focus lies on facilitating and supporting you, your team’s and your organisation’s process of analysing and understanding current challenges, problems and conflicts and developing individual and customised solutions, goals and concrete action plans for working towards these solutions. I support you in this process by offering insights, methodologies, tools and technical advice. I accompany you and your team/organisation in implementing the change you wish to see and together, we will analyse and evaluate your progress towards your goals, and adapt your strategies if necessary. The process will always be driven by you.