Education
| 02/2023 | Dr. phil. in Psychology (equivalent to Ph.D.), Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz Title: “New insights into the symptomatology and treatment of pathological health anxiety – Developments during the COVID-19 pandemic and novel exposure-based approaches” (summa cum laude) Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Michael Witthöft, Prof. Dr. Boris Egloff, Prof. Dr. Thomas Kubiak |
| 10/2020 |
Licensure for psychological psychotherapy (cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt a.M.)
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| 09/2016 | Master of Science (M.Sc.) in psychology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz |
| 09/2013 | Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in psychology, Technische Universität, Dresden. |
Academic and Clinical Positions
| since 07/2021 | Section leader for health anxiety, Outpatient Department of Psychotherapy, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz |
| Since 03/2021 | Study coordination in the Recruitment Center Mainz (behavior therapy) for the multi-center, BMBF-funded study ENHANCE (“PTSD in adults with violence and abuse in childhood”) |
| since 11/2020 |
Clinical psychologist, practice for psychotherapy (Offenbach a.M.) and outpatient department (treatment focus: pathological health anxiety, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz)
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| since 06/2018 | Research assistant, Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy & experimental Psychopathology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz |
| 12/2016 - 05/2018 | Psychological Training, Inpatient Clinic of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, SCIVIAS St. Valentinus-Krankenhaus, Bad Soden. |
| 01/2012 - 02/2013 | Student assistant, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy (ICPP), Technische Universität, Dresden |
Teaching activity
| Summer term 2021 | Praxisseminar Psychotherapie (Master Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie) |
| Winter term 2020 / 2021 | Klinische Psychologie I (Bachelor) |
Publications
Presentations on Conferences
Sauer, K. S. & Witthöft, M (2019). Harnessing inhibitory learning theory for improving exposure therapy in health anxiety – findings from four single-case reports. 9th World Congress of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies (Berlin, 17.-20.07.2019). [Poster]
Sauer, K. S. & Witthöft, M. (2019). Fördert Exposition bei Krankheitsängsten affektive Kontrollprozesse des Arbeitsgedächtnisses?Inhibitionslernen vs. Habituation: ein experimenteller Vergleich [Does exposure for health anxiety facilitate affective monitoring processes of working memory? Inhibitory learning vs. Habituation: an experimental comparison]. 11th Workshop Conference of the German Psychological Society, Section Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy (Erlangen, 29.05.-01.06.2019). [Poster]
Sauer, K. S. & Witthöft, M. (2017). Emotionserleben und somatische Beschwerden – der Effekt einer Induktion von Ärger und Traurigkeit auf den körperlichen Symptombericht [Emotional experience and somatic complaints – the effect of an anger and sadness induction on bodily symptom report]. 10th Workshop Conference of the German Psychological Society, Section Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy (Chemnitz, 25.-27.05.2017). [Poster]
Research Interests
- Illness anxiety disorder, pathological health anxiety
- Inhibitory learning
- Medically unexplained symptoms, symptom report