Dr. Gregor Kowal – Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist

Dr. Gregor Kowal is a German Board-Certified Consultant in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy and Medical Director of CHMC German Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychology.

His medical career spans more than three decades and includes specialist training and senior clinical positions in Germany, followed by his work at CHMC since establishing the clinic in Dubai in 2010.

His professional background combines medical psychiatry with psychodynamic psychotherapy. This allows him to approach psychiatric disorders from both medical and psychological perspectives, considering symptoms in the context of a patient’s physical health, personal history, relationships and current life circumstances.

Medical Education at Heidelberg University

Dr. Kowal studied human medicine at Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, one of Germany’s oldest medical universities.

He subsequently completed his doctoral research at Heidelberg University and obtained his medical doctorate.

Following his university studies, Dr. Kowal undertook postgraduate medical training in several disciplines, including psychiatry, neurology and internal medicine. This broad medical foundation became particularly important in his later psychiatric work, where psychiatric symptoms often need to be distinguished from neurological, medical or medication-related causes.

Specialist Training in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy

Dr. Kowal completed his specialist training in Germany and passed the specialist examination in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Medical Chamber of Koblenz.

His psychiatric education included the diagnosis and treatment of the major psychiatric disorders as well as the use and monitoring of psychopharmacological treatment.

Alongside biological psychiatry, psychotherapy formed an important part of his specialist training.

His psychotherapeutic orientation is primarily psychodynamic and psychoanalytic. This approach examines not only current symptoms but also psychological development, recurring patterns of behaviour and relationships, internal conflicts and previous experiences that may contribute to a person’s difficulties.

Additional Qualification in Family Medicine

Dr. Kowal also completed specialist training and examination in Family Medicine at the Medical Chamber of Hanover.

This additional medical background contributes to a broader clinical perspective in psychiatry. Psychological symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disturbance, poor concentration, anxiety or changes in mood can sometimes occur together with physical illness or be influenced by medication and other medical factors.

For this reason, psychiatric assessment may require consideration of both mental and physical health.

Senior Clinical Positions in Germany

Before establishing CHMC, Dr. Kowal worked in senior positions within the German psychiatric hospital system.

In 2004, he became Senior Consultant and Head of Department at Hochtaunus Hospital for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy near Frankfurt, Germany.

He subsequently worked as Medical Director of a Hospital for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy near Marburg.

These positions involved responsibility not only for the diagnosis and treatment of patients but also for the organization and supervision of psychiatric care. His responsibilities included the training and supervision of doctors and psychologists working within the departments.

This period provided extensive experience in the management of psychiatric disorders across different levels of severity and complexity.

Psychiatric Expert for German Courts

Between 2003 and 2011, Dr. Kowal also worked as a psychiatric medical expert for courts in Frankfurt, Koblenz and Marburg.

His work included the preparation of psychiatric assessments in social and forensic psychiatric cases.

This required systematic evaluation of psychiatric diagnoses, medical history, functional impairment and the relationship between mental disorders and an individual’s ability to function in everyday life.

Psychotherapy and Psychoanalytic Background

Psychotherapy has remained an integral part of Dr. Kowal’s clinical work throughout his psychiatric career.

His main psychotherapeutic orientation is psychodynamic psychotherapy based on depth psychology and psychoanalytic theory.

Psychodynamic treatment considers symptoms in relation to an individual’s personality development, emotional experiences, internal conflicts and characteristic ways of relating to other people.

This perspective complements medical psychiatry. Depending on the condition and individual circumstances, treatment may therefore involve psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of both.

Founding and Medical Direction of CHMC

Dr. Kowal established CHMC German Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychology in Dubai in 2010 and serves as its Medical Director.

The clinic was developed around principles derived from his previous work within the German psychiatric and psychotherapeutic system: comprehensive diagnostic assessment, individualized treatment and integration of psychiatry with psychotherapy.

CHMC brings psychiatric and psychological treatment together within the same clinical setting, allowing collaboration between psychiatrists and psychologists when combined treatment is appropriate.

For information about psychiatric consultations, diagnosis, medication and treatment at the clinic, see our Psychiatrist in Dubai page.

Clinical Areas of Experience

Over the course of his clinical career, Dr. Kowal has worked with patients experiencing a broad spectrum of psychiatric disorders.

His clinical experience includes depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sleep disorders, psychotic disorders and other psychiatric conditions.

His work includes both initial diagnostic assessment and the longer-term management of patients with recurrent or chronic psychiatric disorders.

Professional Profile

Dr. Gregor Kowal

German Board-Certified Consultant in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
Specialist in Family Medicine
Medical Doctorate, Heidelberg University
Former Head of Department, Germany
Former Medical Director, Germany
Former Psychiatric Expert for German Courts
Medical Director of CHMC German Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychology
Working at CHMC in Dubai since 2010