Hi there! I’m Manuel.

Manuel Schlothauer
PgD B.BA RTT RTC C.Med Cl.Hyp (He/Him)

That’s a whole lot of letters but let’s address the elephant in the room:
How on earth do you pronounce Schlothauer?

The name Schlothauer originates in the picturesque mountain village of Ruhla, my home town located in the Thuringian Forest in Germany. Absolutely worth a visit but not why you’re here. Schlot•hauer means chimney puncher and is pronounced like “slow tower” but with a sh. Shlow•tower. Easy.

Once there was a boy.

When I think back to my childhood and teenage years in this sleepy, fairytale-like village, I remember beauty, joy and serenity. Our mind is funny like that: It always tries to protect us. It is only in deep self-reflection and conversations that I remember that I had my fair share of challenges. Challenges that shaped who I am today, that made me resilient and inclusive… but also challenges that created trauma and unhealthy, unhelpful beliefs about myself and the world. Scarcity and poverty, bullying, body image, divorce, loneliness, extremist nationalist or abusive or homophobic or incredibly religious family members, family members in prison and mental institutions, substance abuse, untimely and sudden death of close friends, and hiding my true self for nearly a quarter of my life.

Life is not as straight-forward as they make you believe in school but I have good news for you: You are not defined by what happened to you, not by the amount on your bank account, your weight, your looks, your shape, your age, the colour of your skin or who you kiss goodnight at the end of the day. This realisation has been liberating and brought me on a path of transformation, both of myself and others.

Today as a therapist, coach and consultant I support clients from all walks of life with a specialisation in underrepresented groups and men’s mental health. Next to my work with HeyManuel, I held a number of Senior People & Culture roles during my 8 years at Google’s EMEA Headquarters.