Joy shows the way. Freedom begins with a single step.

Dirk didn’t impose anything.
He listened, reflected, and held space – until what truly mattered became clear. What made the difference wasn’t the solution, but the clarity it emerged from.

S.

Über mich Dirk Ottenheym

Who I am – and why I do this

I’m Dirk. Someone who takes responsibility – for himself, for decisions, and for the spaces he enters.

My path hasn’t been linear. It has led through breaks, changes of direction, and doubt – and through the conscious choice not to adapt where it would have cost me my inner truth.

I don’t believe in quick answers. I believe in clarity that emerges when you look closely, stay present, and take responsibility for your own life.

From this stance, I now accompany people and systems through phases of transition – not as an expert above them, but as an equal, grounded counterpart.

Clarity instead of adaptation

Self-reliance instead of dependency

Experience instead of theory

Presence instead of method

Practice. Outdoors. With people.

10-day canoe expedition · Lake District

Small group, outdoors, self-organization

Ten days on the move with young people.
Responsibility. Weather. Conflict. Decisions.

No fixed program – but a space where self-reliance had to emerge.

Learning

We can do this. We grew. Outside the comfort zone.

1:1 accompaniment into self-reliance

From vision to reality

Accompanying a person at a turning point.
Not through ready-made solutions – but through clarification,

reflection, and consistent self-responsibility.

Learning

Living his dream for years now.
Courage – and the first step – made the difference.

Alpine Crossing · Large Group

Leadership under real conditions

Multi-day alpine crossing with a large group.
Planning. Safety. Group dynamics – and leadership with commitment.

Learning

Staying with it pays off. In community, it becomes easier.

School Trips & Group Work

Many years of practice

Years of working with school classes, groups, and teams.
Holding conflict. Reading dynamics. Creating safe spaces – even when it’s uncomfortable.

Learning

The unfamiliar can also bring joy.

Background & Qualifications

My work is grounded in practice, responsibility, and relationship.
In contexts where formal qualifications are relevant, I bring the appropriate training and documentation.

Much of the experience I draw on today was gained long before formal degrees — in real-world settings, with real people, and real consequences.

I later chose to complement this practical foundation with targeted training and further education — to deepen my work and, where required, formally anchor it.

Over several years, I completed extensive advanced training, including in systemic consulting and Gestalt therapy.

These processes were practice- and experience-oriented and included more than 180 documented one-on-one sessions, group processes, and continuous peer work — even when they were not concluded with formal certificates.