Dr. Coletta Damm PhD holds a Doctorate in Psychology and is trained in psychoanalysis as well as counselling, Gestalt therapy, hypnotherapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). She has run training courses for doctors on interacting with patients and has worked for many years in the corporate sector. For 40 years, she has coached leading economists, academics and people working in politics, as well as providing counselling for clients in situations of personal or professional conflict. She has also taken part in numerous national and international seminars, including as a speaker for CEWS (Bonn University).

Main fields of activity:

• Coaching in conflict situations and personal crises
• Alcohol withdrawal
• Hands-on training for executives and staff
• Intercultural and interreligious cooperation

Dr. Coletta Damm is the founder of the Vida Libre project, so it is especially close to her heart. She is particularly happy about former guests who have managed to remain sober, as well as those who have stayed at the Finca due to burnout and have subsequently been able to organise their lives in a more balanced and joyful way.

Watch the interview with Dr. Coletta Damm PhD

Olivia Damm grew up in Germany and Spain. She studied International Relations, Politics, and Arabic at the University of Edinburgh (BA) and the University of Oxford (MPhil).

After working internationally in education, social initiatives, and intercultural dialogue, she returned to Mallorca, where she completed her yoga teacher training and became manager of Vida Libre in 2021.

She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in psychology at Northumbria University, while also supporting individuals on their personal journeys through equine-assisted therapy.

Julia McElheney is our American-Austrian psychologist. She studied psychology in Austria and completed additional training as a clinical and health psychologist. She worked as a forensic psychologist and lectured at the University of Vienna and the Sigmund Freud Institute.

She also served as psychological director of the Vienna Juvenile Justice Centre. Furthermore, she trained as a systemic family therapist and worked as a psychotherapist in her own practice. Addiction has always been a central focus of her psychological work.

Julia has been part of the Vida Libre team since autumn 2021. Her highly empathetic and professional approach quickly earned the trust of both our team and our guests.

Dr. Karolin Hundt has lived and worked in Majorca for the past ten years. Over the course of her medical career, she has also worked as a doctor in Germany, Switzerland, Canada and the United States, giving her extensive international experience in different healthcare environments.

With 25 years of professional experience, Dr. Hundt brings a high level of medical expertise to her work. Her patients particularly value not only her professional knowledge, but also her open, accepting and empathetic approach.

We are very pleased to have Dr. Hundt as part of the Vida Libre team and greatly value the experience and medical perspective she brings to our work.

Rebecca Erb is our on-site nurse and provides nursing support to our guests throughout their stay at Vida Libre.

If you need to detox at the beginning of your stay, Rebecca will be there to support you whenever nursing care is medically necessary. During this phase, she can regularly monitor vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse and breathing and help ensure that your physical condition is closely observed.

Her presence also means that guests have a familiar contact person available if they feel unwell or have concerns about their physical well-being during their stay.

Rebecca’s nursing support is an important part of the medical care available at Vida Libre, particularly during the early stages of alcohol withdrawal.

Toni Mayol obtained his Higher Technical Degree (FP) in Sports and has since continued his professional development through a range of additional courses, with a particular focus on personal training and group activities.

As a successful triathlon competitor, Toni has trained extensively across different sports disciplines. In 2021, he opened his own sports centre, where he combines his professional expertise with his enthusiasm for an active lifestyle.

For Toni, sport is much more than fitness or work – it is a genuine passion and an important source of energy and enjoyment.

Our guests greatly appreciate his positive attitude and the way he adapts each activity to the individual abilities, needs and preferences of the person in front of him. His sessions are motivating, personal and, above all, enjoyable.

Ancke Kohlschmidt has been helping people through her soothing and restorative massage work for more than 25 years. Our guests greatly appreciate the relaxing and beneficial effects of her treatments and are often surprised by how much tension and physical discomfort can be released through her work.

Ancke draws on a wide range of training, professional experience and personal influences, including:

• TouchLife training in holistic massage
• Hawaiian bodywork
• Aquatic bodywork and aqua wellness
• Reflexology
• Training as an IDL practitioner according to Dr Joseph Dillard (Dream Yoga)
• Many years of work at the Toskana World Therme in Bad Sulza, Thuringia
• A deeply formative journey to the Amazon region, including the experience of living with an indigenous community

Her approach combines many years of practical experience with a strong sensitivity to the individual needs of each guest.

Manfred Kleemann worked with Vida Libre for almost ten years. We would like to thank him for his many years of support and wish him all the best for the future as he leaves us at the age of 75.

As a former addict and trained addiction therapist, Manfred brought both personal experience and professional knowledge to his work. His experience has been a very important part of our work at Vida Libre and has enabled him to support people facing alcohol addiction with a particularly personal understanding of their situation.

In his book “Süchtig leben – Trocken Sterben” (“Living as an Addict – Dying Sober”), Manfred writes about his own experience with alcohol addiction. His story has already helped many people to find a new path for themselves.

Watch the interview with Manfred Kleemann