Ida Flink, Professor of Psychology
Ida Flink was born and raised in Årjäng. After spending a few years abroad following graduation from upper secondary school, she moved to Örebro to enroll in the psychology programme. Immediately after graduation, she went on to doctoral studies at the same university, where the first two years were combined with the practical placement required to become a licenced psychologist. After completing her PhD, she stayed at Örebro University as a senior lecturer, and was later promoted to docent and finally held the position as head of Psychology.
As of April 2023, she works as a professor at Karlstad University.
"My research is about understanding psychological factors in relation to pain, and developing cognitive behavioural therapy, CBT, for people suffering from long-term pain. Over the years, I have also used CBT for other forms of illness, such as sleep disorders and stress, but my main focus area is pain. I’m particularly interested in pain conditions that affect women specifically, such as vulvodynia and endometriosis, as these are areas where there has not been a lot of research. Pain is something that everyone can relate to and chronic pain is one of the biggest public health problems in today’s society. It affects both the individuals themselves and society at large, through the costs of repeated healthcare visits and reduced working capacity. Helping people to live a functional and meaningful life despite long-term pain makes a big difference; not least for those affected by pain conditions that lag behind in terms of research and treatment. Since pain needs to be explained based on a biopsychosocial approach, where biological factors interact with psychological and social factors, I need to collaborate with other professionals such as doctors, midwives and physiotherapists. The different disciplinary perspectives complement each other."
The treatments and interventions that Ida Flink is part of developing can be directly implemented in practical healthcare. As an example, she has just completed a study that provided training for managers working in municipalities and regional councils in how to approach and support employees with stress- and pain-related health problems.
"This has now been integrated in Regionhälsan in Örebro, the occupational health services for people who work for the municipality or regional council. I’m also co-researcher in a project where we develop and evaluate a digital treatment programme for people suffering from pain, which will be available via the Swedish health guide 1177. These are just a few examples of how my research is put to direct use in practice. I have always been driven by curiosity, a willingness to learn more and an openness to opportunities that come my way. Depending on who I meet and the opportunities that present themselves, my research can take different directions."
Outside of work, Ida Flink likes to spend time in nature. She enjoys skiing and ice-skating, going for swims and hikes, but her favourite activity is probably running. She goes for daily runs and has reached a running streak of 1,400 days – an activity that gives her time to decompress, often while listening to a good audiobook.