Dr. Solfrid Raknes, June 3rd1972; e-mail: solraknes@gmail.com
Self-employed clinical psychologist and researcher
Key qualifications
Dedicated, enthusiastic, innovative, and efficient
Languages
Norwegian is my mother tongue, my English is fluent, and I can survive with my French (level B1). I also speak some Arabic, and Sámi language (B2).
FIELDS OF INTEREST
Health promotion and prevention of mental health problems based on the cognitive behavioural model, socio-cultural perspectives of learning, technology enhanced learning
CARRIER
2020 – 2022 Implementing Helping Hand in Norway, Lebanon and US.
2018 – 2020 Project leader in developing “The Happy Helping Hand App”, financed by Innovation Norway, Vision 2030. Collaborators: Gyldendal (Norway), Attensi (Norway), The Syrian American Medical Association, Lebanon and MultiAid Programs, Lebanon
2018 – 2020 Researcher at a project developing and evaluating a school based group program for anxious children in Baerum, financed by The Norwegian Health Directory
2017 – 2019 Project leader in developing and implementing The Helping Hand Program in Arabic.
2014 – 2017 Researcher II, Uni Research Health, Bergen
2011 – 2013 Project leader for ”The Psychological First Aid Kit in Children´s House”, and ”Spreading and Evaluation of the Psychological First Aid Kit”, Uni Research Health, Bergen
2007 – 2010 Project leader “Developing The Psychological First Aid Kit”, Voss, Norway
2001 – 2013 Clinical Psychologist, Voss Hospital
1999 – 2001 Clinical Psychologist, Sør-Trøndelag Psychiatric Hospital
EDUCATION
2014 – 2018 PhD-student, University of Bergen, Norway
2000 – 2004 Training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Supervision, The Norwegian Associatiaon for Cognitive Therapy
1992 – 1999 Clinical study of Psychology, University of Tromsø
SELECTED WORCSHOPS/LECTURES
2009 – 2022 Lectured extensively in all parts of the health- and school-system in Norway; more than 300 workshops for clinical psychologists, GPs, psychiatric nurses and teachers.
2017 – 2022 Workshops on The Helping Hands Programs for Arabic refugees in Lebanon and Syria, more than 100 health/scholl/PSS professionals are trained
2020 The Importance of Play for children in the times of crises. Bangkok International Children’s Theatre Fest, Forum 1
2017 Helping Hands – Happy Kids. Workshop, School of Social Work, University of Michigan, USA
2017 Lecture for The Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs. “Edutainment: Entertainment in education”
2015 Evaluation of a Low Threshold, Brief Intervention for Traumatized Adolescents. 45th Annual EABCT Congress CBT: A Road to Hope and Compassion for People in Conflict, Israel
2014 Self-help Material for Children. The 4th International Conference for International Association of Muslim Psychologists, Jakarta, Indonesia
2014 Psychology to the people: A Norwegian Psychological First Aid Kit. The Eighth World Congress on the Promotion of Mental Health and the Prevention of Mental and Behavioral Disorders, London, England
2014 Low-intesity for Youths who Dare. EABCT congress, Marracesh, Marocco.
2011 Psychological First Aid Kit as prevention: Low-threshold cognitive self-help approach for children, adolescents, and families. EABCT congress in Reykjavik, Iceland
RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS
Schuler, B.R. and Raknes, S. (2022), "Does group size and blending matter? Impact of a digital mental health game implemented with refugees in various settings", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, 18, 83-94. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-07-2021-0060
Townsend, D., Raknes, S., & Hammoud, M. (forthcoming, Oct 2022). Psychosocial support for Syrian refugee youth: Comparing delivery modes of a digital mental health game. In S. Moeschberger & L. Miller-Graff (Eds), Psychological Research on Violence Against Children: Towards Building Cultures of Peace. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Al-Khayat AM (2021): Digitalized Psychosocial Support in Education. Exploring the impact of the Happy Helping Hand app for displaced Syrian adolescents in Lebanon. Master’s thesis in International Education and Development Faculty of Education and International Studies Oslo Metropolitan University.
Husabo E, Haugland BSM, McLeod BD, Baste V, Haaland ÅT, Bjaastad, JF, Hoffart A, Raknes S, Fjermestad KW, Rapee RM, Ogden T& Wergeland GJ (2021). Treatment Fidelity in Brief Versus Standard‑Length School‑Based Interventions for Youth with Anxiety. School Mental Health, Vol 3, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-021-09458-2
Raknes S (2020). The Happy Helping Hand used by Syrian displaced adolescents in Lebanon: a Pilot Study of Feasibility, Usefulness and Impact. White paper.
Raknes S & Kolia, R (2020). Field Realities: Measuring the Impact of Psycho-social Support Services with Refugees and Internally Displaced Populations.
Stavnem AV & Nicolaisen M (2020). Psykologisk Førstehjelp: En kvalitativ studie av implementeringen av forebyggende verktøy i skolehelsetjenesten i Tromsø kommune. Universitetet i Tromsø, Det helsevitenskapelige fakultet – institutt for psykologi. PSY-2901 Hovedoppgave, vår 2020
Husabo E, Haugland BSM, Wergeland GJ, Maeland S. Providers’ Experiences with Delivering School-Based Targeted Prevention for Adolescents with Anxiety Symptoms: A Qualitative Study. School Mental Health. 2020;12(4):757-70.
Haugland B, Håland Å, ...Wergeland G (2020). Effectiveness of brief and standard school-based cognitive behavioral interventions for adolescents with anxiety: A randomized non-inferiority study. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2019.12.003
Telnes SA & Ghebriel SH. (2019). Adolescents’ Perspectives on Well- Being and Mental Health in the Flight Phase: A Mixed Methods Study With Syrian Adolescent Refugees in Lebanon. Graduate thesis in Clinical Psychology at Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Meland M (2018). Psychological First Aid used by school nurses – what importance could it have for students? A qualitative study based on school nurses`experiences in primary schools. Masterthesis. Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.
Raknes S (2018). Anxious Adolescents: Prevalence, Correlates, and Preventive Cognitive Behavioural Interventions. Dissertation for the degree of philosophiae doctor (PhD) at the University of Bergen. Here.
Raknes, Pallesen, Bjaastad, Wergeland, Hoffart, Dyregrov, Håland & Haugland (2017). Negative Life Events, Social Support and Self-Efficacy in Anxious Adolescents. Psychological Reports. doi:10.1177/0033294117699820">doi:10.1177/0033294117699820
Raknes, Dyregrov, Pallesen, Hoffart, Stormyren, & Haugland (2017). A pilot study of a low threshold, low intensity CBT intervention for traumatized adolescents. Scandinavian Psychologist. 4, e8. https://doi.org/10.15714/scandpsychol.4.e8
Raknes, Pallesen, Himle, Bjaastad, Wergeland, Hoffart, Dyregrov, Håland, & Haugland (2017). Quality of Life in Anxious Adolescents. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Ment Health, 11:33. DOI 10.1186/s13034-017-0173-4, here
Haugland, Raknes, Haaland, Wergeland, Bjaastad, Baste, Himle, Rapee, & Hoffart, (2017). School-based cognitive behavioral interventions for anxious youth: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials 18:100. doi:10.1186/s13063-017-1831-9">doi:10.1186/s13063-017-1831-9
Raknes, S. (2007). Åtferdseksperiment som metode i behandling av sosial fobi. Tidsskrift for norsk psykologforening, 2, 139-147.
Apps and digitalized learning programs
2022: Helping Hand, English and French
2020: Hjelpehånda for adolescents, Norwegian
2020: The app Happy Helping Hand; الید المسا ِعدة, for adolesvcents 13 - 17 years, Arabic
2014: Digitalized learning program for kids, Grønne tanker i Salaby, for children 4 - 8 years in Norwegian
2014: Glade Maur, app for children 4 - 8 years (Norwegian, Spanish, Sápmi, English and Arabic)
2013: Digitalized learning program, "Selvsnakk" for kids, teachers and parents.
Honors/Grants
2022 Winner of Top Innovator award in UpLink - World Economic Forum Youth Mental Health Challenge for the Helping Hand app
2020 - 2022 Grant from Innovation Norway through NORAD´s vision 2030
2019 Nominated to "Citizen of the year, Bergen" (Årets Bergenser)
2019 Nominated to "Midsunding of the year, 2019"
2019 Nominated to "Romsdaling of the year, 2019"
2018 – 2020 Grant from Innovation Norway through NORAD´s vision 2030
2018 Nominated to “Romsdaling of the year, 2018”
2018 – 2019 Grant fromThe Norwegian Health Directory through collaboration with Bærum
2016 – 2017 Personal Overseas Scholarship from The Norwegian Research Council
2014 – 2017 PhD grant from The Norwegian Research Council
2014 – 2015 Grant from Extrastiftelsen for developing mental health technology
2014 The app “Helping Hand” won second prize in Klin IKT
2014 Personal grant from Kavlifondet
2011 – 2013 Grant from The Norwegian Health Directory
2013 The Aasa Gruda Skard´s honor. The Norwegian Psychology Association
2012 Health West´s and Bergen University Hospital´s prize for Innovation
2010 Grant from The Norwegian Associatiaon for Cognitive Therapy