Field of work

As a researcher, I work within three areas: Health promotion and public health, mental health, and user involvement. My publications can be found on Google Scholar 

I am a teacher and supervisor for students in the Master's programs in Collaboration and Public Health, Clinical Physiotherapy, and the Ph.D. program Health, Function, and Participation. I also collaborate on research and supervise Ph.D. candidates at the University of Bergen (UiB) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). As a researcher, I have extensive experience in applying foundational thinking in practice-oriented, health science research, qualitative research designs and methods, research communication, and research-driven innovation.

Furthermore, I have developed and digitized a research-based learning resource, Active Clinical Reflection, focusing on the relationship between patients and healthcare professionals in outpatient treatment.

In my role as a supervisor and collaborator, I contribute to various projects:

  • NorseImpact - Continous digital care in mental health (Helse Førde)
  • Evaluation of a mobile health intervention for promoting self-management in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HVL).
  •  Development and validation of a digital checklist for personalized self-management support and stepped aftercare in bariatric surgery (Helse Førde/HVL).
  • Personalized and data-driven specialist care. Health services research based on patient data in routine monitoring (Helse Førde).
  • Partnership building in user-led research agenda setting for improved health care services with weight loss surgery patients (UiB).
  • The Weight of Shame. Development and evaluation of treatment options in specialist healthcare for women with eating disorders and obesity (NTNU).

I defended my doctoral thesis at UiB in 2015, titled "Carrying the weight of uncertainty: Patients’ long-term experiences after bariatric surgery":  https://rb.gy/r8c8oq

My educational background includes University Pedagogy at UiB/HVL (2023), Postdoctoral Program at the Faculty of Medicine, UiO (2022), Ph.D. in Health Sciences, UiB (2015), Master's degree in Health Sciences from UiB (2010), Pedagogical Supervision from the University College of Sogn and Fjordane (1999), and Physiotherapy education from the University College of Bergen (1996).

I hold extensive clinical experience as a physiotherapist in specialist healthcare (1996-2011), particularly in rehabilitation and intensive/lung physiotherapy. I have held positions in teaching and learning within higher education since 2012.

 



Courses taught

  • MS1-320 Public Health and Health Promotion
  • MS1-328 Project Plan
  • MS1-307 and MS1-306 Master Thesis, Collaboration and Public Health
  • MAFYS602 Master Thesis, Clinical Physiotherapy
  • PHD903 Research Methodology and Design


Research areas

  • Ethical and Responsible Innovation in Mental Health, User-Participation
  • User experiences with innovation and digitalization of healthcare services
  • User Involvement in Research, application of the Dialogue Model
  • Collaboration between Patients and Healthcare Professionals
  • Patient Experiences, Treatment in Obesity Management
  • Patient Experiences, Treatment in  Mental Health Care Services (Eating Disorders, Borderline Personality Disorder)


Research groups

Deputy leader of the research group for Personalized health services (PERSONFORSK).

Personalized health services (PERSONFORSK) - Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (hvl.no) 

Research group for personalized health services (PERSONFORSK) - Helseforsking Sogn og Fjordane

Courses taught
  • ANE510, Anaesthetist Nursing. Quality, Patient Safety, and Clinical Governance , Fall 2024
  • ANE512, Anesthetist Nursing as Discipline and Role. Observation, Assessment, Decision- and Executive Skills, Fall 2024
  • MS1-307, Master's Thesis in Cooperation and Public health, Fall 2024
  • MS1-307, Master's Thesis in Cooperation and Public health, Spring 2025
  • MS1-320, Public health and health promotion , Fall 2024
  • MS1-328, Project plan, Fall 2024
  • MS1-328, Project plan, Spring 2025
  • PHDH903, Research design and methods, Fall 2024
  • PHDH909, Health, function and participation, Spring 2025
  • PHDH909, Health, function and participation, Fall 2024
  • TPHR501, Perspectives on Mental Health, Substance Use and Addiction, Fall 2024