Katharina Burger Photos by Manuela Tessaro
Katharina Burger
Trauma-informed art therapist
Born in 1984 and raised in Vienna, Croatia and Italy, Katharina’s life has been shaped from the outset by movement and by the interplay of languages and cultures.
She knew early on what she wanted from her work: to be with people, in a way that was both artistic and communicative. Her studies in theatre, film and media at the University of Vienna were followed by years of learning and travelling, theatre work and artistic exchange.
It became clear to her that art and working with people mattered most. In 2016 she completed her art therapy training at the Vienna school, and in 2023 the 4art® specialist course in trauma therapy.
Since 2017 she has worked as a trauma-informed art therapist, mainly in Vienna and South Tyrol and in a wide range of settings: in private practice, in a psychiatric rehabilitation centre, in paediatric oncology, and with adolescents in school social work. In art therapy, whether one-to-one or in groups, the work is about strengthening resources and creative expression, opening new perspectives, unfolding potential, supporting the search for identity, and much more.
With EKLEKTIKA, Katharina wants to open up space for exchange, give young people tools for greater safety and self-worth, and strengthen South Tyrol’s LGBTQI+ community.
Working in schools, she saw how much ignorance, prejudice, racism and homophobia there is towards people who don’t fit the expected image — who don’t want to be squeezed into narrow categories and roles.
To counter this and create something new, she focuses on projects in violence prevention and anti-discrimination, empowerment and support — particularly for young people who identify as queer, and for girls* and young women*. Offering Safer Spaces to this group matters a great deal to her, so that they can move through life more freely and more safely.
Her workshops are also aimed at professionals across different fields, passing on the knowledge behind trauma-informed practice.
