Resource group - MHHRI | Mental Health and Human Rights Info

Helen Christie

Clinical Psychologist

Helen Christie is a clinical psychologist and former director of the RBUP. She is an expert in trauma, sexual abuse of children, and late effects in adults. Her extensive work includes helping traumatised refugee and war-zone children, and she has co-authored several key mental health manuals on gen ...der-based violence and trauma stabilisation.

Doris Drews

Specialist in Psychiatry

Doris Drews is a specialist in psychiatry, with many years of experience in therapy of severely traumatised clients. She currently works as chief physician and team leader for an emergency team at a psychiatric outpatient clinic in Oslo. In addition, she has taught as well as worked as an expert on ...trauma and stabilisation of traumatised people. Doris is a co-author of ‘Mental Health and Gender Based Violence: Helping Survivors of Sexual Violence in Conflict’.

Wenche Fjeldstad

Clinical Psychologist

Wenche Fjeldstad is a Clinical Psychologist Specialist with long-standing experience in therapy, consultation, teaching, and supervision (IAP and EMDR Norway). She specialises in working with women and men affected by relational trauma.

Sofia Colorado Valencia

Psychologist and Family Therapist

Sofia Colorado Valencia is a Psychologist and Family Therapist with a commitment to helping people in demanding life situations, with particular experience working with refugees, families, and children. Her interests focus on migration, war and conflict, trauma and resilience, parenthood, and human ...rights.

Elisabeth Ng Langdal

Human Geography and Media and Communication

Elisabeth Ng Langdal holds degrees in human geography and media and communication from the University of Oslo, alongside an intermediate degree in anthropology. She has been the General Manager of MHHRI since 2008. She manages MHHRI’s resource database on the mental health consequences of human righ ...ts violations and co-authored two major mental health manuals focused on helping survivors of gender-based sexual violence, including men and boys, in conflict and migration.

Nora Sveaass

Clinical Psychologist and Professor Emeritus

Nora Sveaass is a clinical psychologist and professor emeritus at the University of Oslo (UiO). She chairs Mental Health & Human Rights Info (MHHRI) and is a leading researcher on refugees, human rights violations, and the treatment of survivors of torture and violence. She served as a member of the ... UN Committee against Torture (2005–2013) and has been a member of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture since 2014. She has published numerous works and co-authored key mental health manuals on helping survivors of sexual violence in conflict.

Harald Bækkelund

Clinical Psychologist

Harald Bækkelund is a clinical psychologist and researcher associated with the Norwegian Center for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (NKVTS) and Modum Bad. He has extensive experience working with both survivors of trauma and perpetrators of violence. He has provided trauma training and guidanc ...e for many years, both domestically and internationally, including in conflict zones such as Iraq and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sarah Hakim

Psychologist

Sarah Hakim is a Psychologist originally from Syria, currently working in the specialist health service and offering therapy in both Norwegian and Arabic. She has experience with child welfare and refugee services, focusing on families where minority perspectives are essential. She leads the profess ...ional network for Muslim psychologists in Norway and co-initiated Psychologists Against Genocide in Norway. She has contributed to several mental health initiatives during the genocide in Palestine and participates in projects promoting equitable healthcare. With a background in sports, she conducted the study “Muslim Women in Motion” for the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences and Tverga, where she is part of the Future Network.

Ingeborg Svartsund Arntsen

Psychologist

Ingeborg Svartsund Arntsen is a Clinical Psychologist Specialist and Head of Unit at BUP (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) since 2021. She has also served as the Coordinator for the Norwegian Network for Global Mental Health since 2018 and previously led the Professional Committee for Me ...ntal Health in HimalPartner (2018–2021). Her clinical experience spans various age groups (elderly, adults, and children) in specialist health services. Her core areas of expertise include global mental health, leadership in health services, and elderly psychology.

Hanne Netland Simonsen

Clinical Psychologist Specialist

Hanne Netland Simonsen is a Clinical Psychologist Specialist with over 20 years of experience. She provides therapy for adults, couples, families, and youth, specialising in trauma psychology, attachment, and emotion-focused therapies. She holds a position as a University Lecturer at UiO and leads a ... Specialist Program in Child and Adolescent Psychology. Hanne also offers extensive supervision to professionals and consultancy services focusing on psychological safety and leadership in organisations.

Constance Gaard Storvestre

Psychologist

Constance Gaard Storvestre is a Psychologist educated at the University of Bergen, with research practice from the University of California, Berkeley. She has experience from the Rafto Foundation, as well as projects in Ethiopia and South Sudan through ADRA Norway and the Centre for Crisis Psycholog ...y. She currently works in the specialist health services. She has a interest in global mental health, specifically related to equitable services, human rights, and implementation.