PhD Solfrid Raknes is a Norwegian Clinical Psychologist, Researcher and Innovator. She is the driving force behind prize winning cognitive behavioral based material which is widely used in school health services, schools and kindergartens, as well as in specialised mental health services for children and adolescents. Since 2004 she has lectured extensively both in universities and a variety of health- and school-systems in Norway and internationally. In doing so, she provides continuing education opportunities for psychologists, GPs, social workers and teachers. Raknes is involved in a wide spectrum of humanitarian and research projects focused on improving mental health, and reducing poverty. After having spent the last 4 years mainly in Lebanon with Syrian refugees, she is now splits her time between Bergen, Beqaa, and Washington DC.
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Work
2007 - ? Project leader, Helping Hand projects.
2020 - 2022 Project leader in developing, implementing and evaluating the digital game “The Happy Helping Hand”. Partially financed by Innovation Norway through NORAD Vision 2030. First through with Lebanon and Norway as a base, then Washington DC, and from autumn 2022 from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Main collaborators: Attensi and Gyldendal.
2018 – 2020 Project leader in developing “The Happy Helping Hand App”, financed by Innovation Norway. Collaborators: Gyldendal (Norway), Attensi (Norway), The Syrian American Medical Association, Lebanon and MultiAid Programs, Lebanon
2017 – 2020 Project leader in developing and implementing The Helping Hand Program in Arabic. Collaborators: Dar El Fatwa Relief, Lebanon, The Syrian American Medical Association Lebanon and MultiAid Programs, Lebanon
2018 – 2019 Researcher at a project developing and evaluating a school based group program for anxious children in Baerum, financed by The Norwegian Health Directory
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
Lectures, Keynotes, Workshops, Training of Trainers
2009 – 2022 Lectured extensively in all parts of the health- and school-system in Norway; more than 400 workshops for clinical psychologists, GPs, psychiatric nurses and teachers.
2017 – 2022 Lectured extensively in several NGOs in Lebanon, on The Helping Hands Program, a psycholsocial program for Arabic refugee children.
Selected presentations
2022 Sept 13th Keynote speaker at Women´s International League for Peace and Freedom, webinar, Stop War. The Helping Hand for the Social and Emotional.
2022 Sept 13th Webinar i regi av RKKYH: Psykologisk førstehjelp og Hjelpehånda.
2022 Aug 11th - 12th Nannestad kommune, oppvekst: Opplæring i Grønne tanker - glade barn, Psykologisk førstehjelp og Hjelpehånda for alle tilsatte i Nannestadskolen.
2021 Dec 16th Keynote speaker at Universidade dos Valores - Palácio dos Marqueses: Overcoming Exclusion and Trauma: Rooting learning activities in fundamental values
2020 Nov 26th Hvordan bruke digitalspillet Hjelpehånda med ungdom i Libanon og Norge? En praktisk gjennomgang, RBUP Øst, Nasjonal nettverkssamling; Traumer, kultur og migrasjon
2020 Nov 24th Situasjonsrapport for syriske flyktninger i Libanon nå. Forelesning for UDI, Enhet for overføringsflyktninger
2020 Nov 24th Kan et simuleringsspill forebygge selvmord? Erfaringer fra utvikling og implementering av spillet Hjelpehånda med syriske flyktninger i Libanon. Nettverk for global mental helse i Norge
2020 June 9th The Helping Hand - Collaborating across divides. Speech at the launch of The Helping Hand, an app for Arabic adolescents, Beirut, Lebanon.
2019 March 13th "Psykologisk førstehjelp for barn med funksjonsnedsettelser". Plenumsforelesning på Nasjonal Aktiv Ung konferansen, Bergen.
2018, September 14th. "Engstelige unge: Prevalens, korrelater og forebyggende kognitive atferdstiltak." Disputas. Universitetet i Bergen, Norge.
2018 April 20th "Psychosocial Cognitive Behavioural Program for Children at Risk. A pilot study with Syrian refugee Children in Non Formal Education in the Beqaa Valley, Lebanon. The Middle East Medical Assembly: Mental Health Across the Lifespan Conference. American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
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
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 The Clinical study of Psychology, University of Tromsø
Published scientific work
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.
Nordgreen T og Raknes S (2021). Veiledet selvhjelp og internettbehandling for barn og ungdom. I Martinsen & Hagen (red). I Håndbok i kognitiv atferdsterapi i behandling av barn og unge, kap 17, s 459-474. Oslo: Gyldendal.
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
Endrerud, K.P. & Høydal, H.M. (2021). Mestringskurs for ungdom med autismespekterforstyrrelser i videregående opplæring. Spesialpedagogikk, 6.
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.
Raknes S & Gjertsen OB (2020). Kognitive tiltak - tilpasning til kultur og kontekst. I Berg & Holt (red) Kultur og kontekst i praktisk psykologarbeid, kap 12, s230-250. Oslo: Gyldendal.
Raknes S, Marki Å, Leborg S, Næss J. (2020). Jeg tør! Utprøving av et kort Psykologisk førstehjelps-basert kurs for engstelige skolebarn. http://www.forebygging.no/Artikler/2020/Jeg-tor/
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
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,Norway
Raknes, S., Pallesen, S., Himle, J., Bjaastad. J. F., Wergeland, G. J., Hoffart, A., Dyregrov, K., Håland, Å. T., & Haugland, B. S. M. (2017). Quality of life in anxious adolescents. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 11:33,1-11.
Raknes, S., Pallesen, S., Bjaastad, J. F., Wergeland, G. J., Hoffart, A., Dyregrov, K., Håland, Å. T., & Haugland, B. S. M. (2017). Negative life events, social support and self- efficacy in anxious adolescents. Psychological Reports, 0(0) 1-18.
Raknes, S., Dyregrov, K., Pallesen, S., Hoffart, A., Stormyren, S., & Haugland, B. S. M. (2017). A pilot study of a low threshold, low intensity CBT intervention for traumatized adolescents. Scandinavian Psychologist 4,e8.
Haugland, B., Raknes, S., Haaland, A., Wergeland, G., Bjaastad, J., Baste, V., . . . Hoffart, A. (2017). School-based cognitive behavioral interventions for anxious youth: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 18(100).
Raknes, S, Johansen, K.W, Tørnes, H. & Håvardstun, T. (2016). Psykologisk kunnskap for barnehagebarn. Psykologi i kommunen, 1,45-53.
Haugland, Mauseth, & Raknes (2013). Psykologisk førstehjelp i førstelinjetjenesten. Implementering og evaluering. Rapport til Helsedirektoratet. RKBU Vest og R-BUP Øst og Sør.
Tilden, T. og Raknes, S. (2010). Psykologisk førstehjelpsskrin i par- og familieterapi. Fokus på familien, 3,212-225.
Raknes, S. (2008). Åtferdseeksperiment som metode. I Berge og Repål (red.) Håndbok i kognitiv terapi, kap 4, 111-131.
Raknes, S. (2007). Åtferdseksperiment som metode i behandling av sosial fobi. Tidsskrift for norsk psykologforening, 2,139-147.
Selected popular science
Raknes, Hansen, Cederkvist & Nordgaard (2017). Psykologisk førstehjelp i skole og skolehelsetjeneste. I Kvarme (red). Sårbare skolebarn.Bergen: Fagbokforlaget.
Repål, A & Raknes, S (2015). Islamifisering av psykoterapi. Tidsskrift for Norsk Psykologforening 52,141-144
Raknes, S. (2015). Atferdseksperimenter og hjemmeoppgaver. I Berge og Repål (red). Håndbok i kognitiv terapi 2. utgave. s 71-81,Oslo: Gyldendal Akademisk.
Raknes, S (2014) Grønne tanker om helsesøsterarbeid. Tidsskrift for helsesøstre, 3,54-56
Neumer, Raknes, Martinsen, Haugland, Matre, Dahl (2013). Tre KAT-baserte forskningsprosjekter for barn og unge. Tidsskrift for kognitiv terapi, 4,6-19
Raknes, S & Haugland, B (2013): Psykologisk Førstehjelp. Veiledning for bruk i førstelinjen.Oslo: Gyldendal Akademisk.
Raknes, S (2014). Grønne tanker – glade barn.Oslo: Gyldendal Akademisk.?
Raknes, S (2014). Sint og glad i barnehagen.Oslo: Gyldendal.?
Raknes, S. (2010a). Psykologisk førstehjelp. Barn.Oslo: Gyldendal Akademisk.
Raknes, S. (2010b). Psykologisk førstehjelp. Ungdom.Oslo: Gyldendal Akademisk.
Apps and digitalized learning programs
Online psychoeducational game Hjelpehånda for adolesvcents 13 - 17 years, Norwegian
The app Happy Helping Hand; الید المسا ِعدة, for adolesvcents 13 - 17 years, Arabic
Digitalized learning program for kids, Grønne tanker i Salaby, for children 4 - 8 years in Norwegian
The app Glade Maur, for children 4 - 8 years (Norwegian, Spanish, Sápmi, English and Arabic)
Digitalized learning program, "Selvsnakk" for kids, teachers and parents.
Book reviews
Raknes, S. (2020). Å sette sosial og emosjonell kompetanse på timeplanen. Forebygging.no
Raknes, S. (2020). NISSEM Global Briefs: Educating for the Social, the Emotional and the Sustainable. forebygging.no
Raknes, S. (2020). Alt skal brenne. forebygging.no
Raknes, S. (2010). Sprell levande om disseksjon og død. Espen Stueland | Gjennom Kjøttet Disseksjonen og kroppens kulturhistorie, Oktober. Psykologtidsskriftet.no
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
Positions, representation and volountary work
2020 - ? On the board in Reaching across borders
2019 – ? Representing Norway in EFPA, Board of Prevention and Promotion
2017 – ? Fundraiser for school and health services for Syrian refugees in Lebanon. #skolepåflukt
2019 Initiating Crochet Community Collective in collaboration with MAPS, Lebanon
2016 - 2017 Member of the board in Forening for Interkulturell Psykologi, The Norwegian Psychology Association
2013 - 2018 Representing Norway in Low intensity CBT in EABCT
2004 - 2017 Member of the board in The Norwegian Association for Cognitive Therapy
2007 - 2010 Inititating and member of the board of Lesehug