Opportunity for therapeutic conversations: “The service is available”
Your thoughts are going in circles, even your closest friends don’t have a solution, and besides, you don’t want to go around telling everyone about your problem: For anyone who needs someone to talk to and would like to get an “outside” perspective, there’s been a new point of contact at Steinmühle since the start of the school year: Maria Sideraki. She’s available to anyone who’s stuck on an issue that’s really weighing on their mind or that they’d like to change.
Support in various life situations can mean many things. A student feels bullied, parents are worried about their daughter’s development, a teacher feels on the verge of burnout, an administrative staff member is struggling with a poor relationship with colleagues. — All of these examples are fictional. They are meant to illustrate just one thing: Anyone, regardless of their role within the Steinmühlen community, can take advantage of Maria Sideraki’s services. Frank Wemme, the head of the lower secondary school, is aware of the prejudices that persist to this day: “No, you’re not crazy just because you seek therapeutic help once in a while. There are many situations that can pull the rug out from under you. This could include the loss of a loved one due to separation or even death, or, for example, a medical diagnosis. The offer of counseling is there. You just have to accept it.”
Maria Sideraki has lived in Germany since she was 7 years old. Born in Athens, she initially lived in Kassel with her parents and siblings, attended high school there, and, after graduating from high school and completing a voluntary social service year, went on to study psychology and education in Marburg. “That was when I first came into contact with the Steinmühle,” she recalls. At the time, she was living in the Bremerhaus.
A few months after she graduated, her son was born. The two years of parental leave that followed are the only “personal” period in Maria Siderakis’s life, which otherwise features an impressive range of professional activities in the fields of psychotherapy and education, complemented by a dozen or so internships, continuing education courses, and volunteer work.
In summary, it can be said that the quadrilingual therapist (Greek, German, English, Arabic) has led many therapeutic interventions, provided support in many situations, and cared for many people over the years and decades—regardless of their age or nationality. Notable examples include her work in the field of psychogeriatrics at a nursing home in Marburg, conducting literacy courses for young adults in Wetzlar, and leading training sessions for children and adolescents on ADHD and social skills at a pediatric practice in Giessen. Parents were also involved in some of these courses. Since 2015, Maria Sideraki has been working at a practice for psychiatry and psychotherapy in Giessen, conducting psychological testing and diagnostics. At the same time, she works at the Rhön-Klinikum Gießen-Marburg, Giessen campus, in the Center for Social Pediatrics/Neuropediatrics. There, she specializes in educational and psychological assessment and therapy for children and adolescents and serves as the director of the Regulation Clinic.
Appointments with Maria Sideraki:
All students, parents, teachers, and staff at Steinmühle are welcome to take advantage of Maria Sideraki’s counseling services. If necessary, she may also observe classes. Individual sessions are scheduled for 45 minutes. Follow-up appointments are available as needed. Maria Sideraki is bound by confidentiality. She will not discuss the content of the sessions with any third parties. The costs of this service are shared equally between Steinmühle School and Steinmühle Boarding School. Appointments with Maria Sideraki can be scheduled through Frank Wemme via email frank.wemme@steinmuehle.net. Confidentiality is also guaranteed when contacting us.
