Field of work
I am a clinical social worker and a specialist in family therapy, and I hold a PhD in grief and social health. In addition to teaching and research, my work experience includes couples and family therapy, as well as the field of substance use and addiction, where I have particularly worked with team leadership, project management, and professional development related to the involvement of family and social networks in follow-up and treatment. The topics I teach include substance use and addiction, treatment processes, family and network therapy, dialogical practice and Open Dialogue, systemic theory and practice, grief processes, and research methodology.
I have further education in supervision pedagogy and the Gottman Method for couples therapy, in addition to a master’s degree in family therapy and systemic practice.
At HVL, I work as Head of Department at the Department of Welfare and Participation, which offers study programs and conducts research within social work and social sciences, child welfare, social education, family therapy and relational work, and interdisciplinary mental health and substance use work.
At HVL, I work as head of the section for mental health, substance use, and relational work, which houses the master's programmes in mental health and substance use work as well as family therapy and relational work.
Teaches
- Substance use and addiction problems and treatment
- Family Therapy and Systemic Theory
- Network therapy, Open Dialogue
- Solution-focused approach
- Grief
- Reflexive thematic analysis
- Quantitative method
Researching
Grief, health and help needs
- MAF530, Clinical Work with Family and Network, Spring 2026
- MAMET1F, Philosophy of Science, Ethics and Research Methods, Fall 2025
- MARA590, Master's Thesis, Fall 2025
- MARA590, Master's Thesis, Spring 2026
- TPHR501, Perspectives on Mental Health, Substance Use and Addiction, Fall 2025
- TPHR503, Ethics, Relation and Interaction, Fall 2025
- TPHR590, Master's Thesis, Fall 2025
Publications
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Likheter og forskjeller i pasienters og deres sosiale nettverks erfaringer med å delta i dialogiske nettverksmøter
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The social context of grieving: Bereavement following drug-related deaths in Norway and implications for social work
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Sosial helse – en sårbar ressurs ved stigmatiserte dødsfall
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The role of social networks in bereavement support: a proposal for a way forward
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Healing together - Building social support for drug-related bereavement
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The social health of those bereaved by a drug-related death
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Family bereavement from drug-related deaths: Perspectives of family interactions and help needs
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Framing openness: Exploring Similarities and Differences in Patients’ and Their Social Networks’ Experiences with Participating in Dialogical Network Meetings Through the Lens of Mattering
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Refleksiv Tematisk Analyse
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Relasjonelt arbeid i rusmiddeltjenester
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Psychosocial follow-up og people bereaved by substance-related or other traumatic deaths - a proposal for a way forward
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Hva kan Albert Åberg lære oss om skyld, skam og helse? En utforskning inspirert av fenomenologi og mikrososiologi
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END prosjektet sine resultater - etterlatte sin livssituasjon og behov
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Grief and bereavement: an area for social work research?
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Resultat fra END prosjektet. Etterlatte sin livssituasjon ved rusrelatert død
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Kva fortel END prosjektet sine resultat om etterlatte sin livssituasjon?
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Family bereavement from drug-related deaths: perspectives of family interactions and help needs
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The social health and help needs of those bereaved by a drug-related death: Mixed methods research
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Risk factors for prolonged grief disorder in people bereaved by drug-related deaths
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The social health and help needs of those bereaved by a drug-related death: Mixed methods research
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Etterlatte foreldre og hjelpeapparatet
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Den sosiale helsen og hjelpebehov for etterlatte ved narkotikarelaterte dødsfall
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The social health of those bereaved by drug-related deaths
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How do health and welfare services relate to drug-death bereaved persons' needs? A qualitative study.
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Drug Death-Bereaved Parents’ Perspectives on Family Interactions and Help Needs: A Qualitative Study
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Drug-related deaths: help needs of those bereaved and the help services' perspectives
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Familie- og pårørendeperspektiv ved rusproblematikk, og fra pårørende til etterlatt
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Drug-related deaths: Help needs of those bereaved and the help services` perspective
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Hva kan Albert Åberg lære oss om skyld, skam og helse?
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Needs for help and received help for those bereaved by a drug-related death: a cross-sectional study
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Etterlattes hjelpebehov ved narkotikarelatert død og hjelpetjenestenes perspektiv
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The familial needs of those bereaved by a drug-related death
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How to improve services to those bereaved by a drug-related death?
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Etterlatte familiemedlemmer og nære venner sine behov og erfaringer med hjelp fra fagfolk
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Etterlatte ved narkotikarelatert død sine behov for hjelp og erfaringer med hjelpetjenestene
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The social health domain of people bereaved by a drug-related death and associations with professional help: a cross-sectional study
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Etterlatte ved narkotikarelaterte dødsfall - behov for hjelp og erfaringer med hjelpetjenestene
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Etterlatte ved narkotikarelaterte dødsfall: END-prosjektet ved Høgskulen på Vestlandet
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The needs and experiences with professional help of those bereaved by a drug-related death
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Etterlatte ved narkotikarelaterte dødsfall: Hjelpebehov, mottatt hjelp, og sammenheng mellom hjelp, helse, livskvalitet og sosial fungering.
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Samtaler med nettverk
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Venner, sorg og rus
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Drug death related bereavement: Needs for help, received help and predictors for high and low satisfaction with help.
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Terapeuter ser store gevinster ved å involvere familien i rusbehandling
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«Jeg får et helt annet innblikk»: Fagpersoners erfaringer med familieorientert praksis i rusfeltet
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Om å se livene som leves