[2] After finishing school at the Janusz-Korczak-Gesamtschule in Bottrop, she studied psychology, psychopathology and forensic science at the Ruhr University Bochum.

[10] Mark Benecke commissioned her to write Aus der Dunkelkammer des Bösen to create a comprehensive psychological profile for the Colombian serial killer Luis Alfredo Garavito Cubillos.

Die Psychologie des Bösen analyzed the crimes of Rodney Alcala, Richard Kuklinski, Leopold and Loeb, and the murder of Marta Russo.

It focused on sadism and detailed the sadistic crimes of Harry Kendall Thaw, David Parker Ray, John Wayne Gacy, Karol Kot, and the kidnapping of Colleen Stan, among other incidents.

Die Psychologie des weiblichen Bösen centered on female psychopathy, examining the cases of Marybeth Tinning, Aileen Wuornos, Diane Downs, and the murder of Sylvia Likens.

[20] She participated in the evaluation of a series of video recordings recording fatal autoerotic accidents and suicides[21][22] She was involved in suicide and depression prevention, working for the non-profit association Freunde fürs Leben e. V.[23][24] Since 2009 she has appeared as a psychological expert in various television programmes, including TV total, stern TV [de], Explosiv - Das Magazin, Markus Lanz, Bambule, Inka!, Sat.1 breakfast television, the special programme XY - gelöst and the ZDF documentary Dracula lebt!