Dr. Christine Heinisch

Vita

Dr. Christine Heinisch is currently completing her habilitation at the Chair of Educational and Developmental Psychology at FAU. As she was unable to decide on a single field of study after finishing school, she studied Biology (Diploma) and Psychology (Bachelor’s degree) simultaneously. She completed her PhD in Neuroscience in Bochum at the International Graduate School of Neuroscience (2007–2011). She later also obtained a Master’s degree in Psychology.

She spent shorter research stays at the Leipzig Research Centre for Early Child Development and at Stockholm University. To this day, she enjoys interdisciplinary and network-oriented thinking.

She received a scholarship for her doctoral studies, and her habilitation has also been supported by FAU’s program for the advancement of women. Her joint research project with Dr. Sandra Gabler on risk factors and treatment of postpartum depression was financially supported by the German Association for Systemic Research and the Emerging Talents Initiative. Her own project on parental stress during the COVID-19 crisis was likewise funded by FAU’s women’s advancement program.

From 2021 to 2024, she served as the Women’s Representative of the Institute of Psychology. She also supported the Master’s admissions procedures from 2022 to 2024.

Currently, she can often be found at her desk completing her work on “Parent–Child Interactions in Stressful Situations.” Alternatively, she may be found in the therapy chair, as she is also a licensed cognitive behavioral therapist for children, adolescents, and adults and holds a Master’s degree in Psychotherapy. In her clinical work, she supports individuals experiencing psychological distress—particularly, though not exclusively, during the peripartum period.