Marie Karlsson
Associate Professor/Senior lecturer

Presentation

Ph.D. in clinical psychology; associate professor; licensed psychologist and psychotherapist.

My research focuses on interpersonal trauma, abusive relationships, female victimization, and trauma sequelae and treatments. Within these domains, I have a special interest in underserved and at-risk populations. My research is community-based and practice oriented and combines perspectives from psychology, social work, and sexology to understand interactions between health (psychological, social, and sexual health and functioning related to experiences of trauma and violence) and society (vulnerability, marginalization).

Some current projects focusing on:

• Trauma-focused treatment for incarcerated women with sexual abuse histories, mainly according to the SHARE model (Survivors Healing from Abuse: Recovery through Exposure).

• Traumatized women who have experienced armed conflicts and forced migration, aiming to develop available treatments to fit women’s needs. Project in collaboration with the Swedish Red Cross Treatment Centre in Malmö.

• Associations between sexuality and substance use, aiming to include sexual health in evidence based treatment and care for substance use disorders. Project in collaboration with Social Services in Piteå municipality (Drug-and alcohol group).

I practice psychology as a consultant at a sex therapy clinic in Malmö, primarily treating consequences of sexual victimization.

I am originally from Sweden but lived in the USA for an extended period of time. Received my PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Arkansas, completed my clinical internship at the Medical University of South Carolina, and worked as an assistant professor at Murray State University (Kentucky) before returning to Sweden in 2019.