Maria Bragesjö

I am an Associate Professor (Docent) at Karolinska Institutet, a licensed clinical psychologist, licensed psychotherapist, and specialist in clinical psychology. My work combines clinical research, research leadership, and specialist clinical expertise in psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD.

Alongside my academic position, I hold a clinical leadership role at the Regional Center for Excellence for PTSD situated at Psykiatri Sydväst where I am responsible for the quality and development of psychological treatments. 

I lead several clinical research projects focused on advancing evidence-based PTSD treatment and translating research findings into clinical practice. I am an certified trainer and supervisor in Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy and serve on the Board of the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ESTSS).

My research focuses on advancing the development, evaluation, and implementation of evidence-based psychological interventions for PTSD and complex PTSD, with a particular emphasis on improving treatment effectiveness, accessibility, and delivery.

I lead several randomized controlled trials investigating innovative approaches to trauma-focused treatment, including intensive Prolonged Exposure (PE), therapist-guided digital interventions, and early psychological interventions following potentially traumatic events. My research spans different clinical populations, including adults, children and adolescents, and individuals with a migrant background.

A central focus of my research is identifying and overcoming barriers to effective PTSD treatment, including patient and therapist avoidance, limited treatment availability, and challenges in implementing evidence-based interventions in routine clinical care. By integrating clinical research with specialist psychiatric services, my work aims to develop scalable, effective, and clinically feasible treatment approaches that can improve PTSD care across different healthcare settings.

I have extensive experience in teaching, clinical training, and supervision in psychological trauma, PTSD, and evidence-based trauma-focused treatments. I teach at undergraduate, postgraduate, and specialist levels and provide advanced clinical training for mental health professionals.

As an internationally certified Prolonged Exposure (PE) trainer and supervisor, I deliver specialist training, consultation, and supervision to clinicians and healthcare organizations nationally and internationally, with a particular focus on treatment fidelity, clinical competence, and the implementation of evidence-based PTSD care.