The Clinical Psychology Research Team focuses on both professional development and research. Several of the members are specialist psychologists and associate and assistant professors whose main work is teaching and clinical supervision. However, good teaching and supervision also involve professional development. An example of this might be training psychologists and healthcare professionals to successfully communicate and form alliances with patients.
Other professional development projects of the Research Team include mastery support for different patient groups such as chronic fatigue/ME sufferers and women struggling with depression in pregnancy and after childbirth. In collaboration with Tromsø City Council Preventative Health Services, we have developed the low-threshold service Psykhjelpen (Mental Health Help), a psychological counselling service for pregnant women, parents of young children, children and young people up to the age of 20. Psykhjelpen is located at four clinics in Tromsø and is run by ten psychology students under the guidance of psychologists in the Research Team.
The research activity in the team covers a wide range of topics and problems. However, all projects are clinically relevant and practice-oriented. Our interests therefore lie in issues related to clinical psychological work, including research into causes, assessment, prevention and treatment of mental problems and disorders in all age groups.
The Clinical Psychology Research Team collaborates with several other research teams in the Department of Psychology and the Faculty of Health Sciences, and also with other faculties at UiT. We have many national and international partners.
Several members of the Research Team also work at the University Hospital of North Norway (UNN), and some also have their main work there. One member has a 50% position as a suitability assessor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at UiT. Most of the members are involved in the operation of the Mental Health Clinic of the Department of Psychology, and one member is the coordinator of the main practice placement for fifth-year students.