The quality of couple and family relationships - reflected in processes such as relationship satisfaction, constructive communication, intimacy, and the absence of escalated conflicts - has consistently been shown to be central for mental health, physical health and overall life satisfaction, not only for partners but also for their children.

My research seeks to advance understanding of how major life transitions (e.g., becoming parents, or experiencing mental or physical illness) shape relationship functioning over time. In addition, I examine how different interventions may alter these trajectories and how couples perceive and engage with opportunities for support and inspiration in their relationships. 

Within the Lab of Couple and Family Research, in collaboration with Assistant Professor Tea Trillingsgaard and colleagues, my work has focused on:

• Adapting, developing and evaluating accessible interventions for couples (both web-based and face-to-face) in real-world and clinical contexts, including:
  • The Marriage-Checkup (Partjek): an assessment and feedback intervention for couples
  • OurRelationship (Parfokus): a web-based, problem-focused self-help program
  • The Stepped-Care model (VoresParfohold): A three-level framework providing tailored support to parents based on their level of relationship distress.
  • The Family Startup Program: a support program for first-time mothers and fathers
• The transition to parenthood, including:
  • Trajectories of relationship satisfaction during early parenthood, with attention to stressors and vulnerabilities during pregnancy
  • The role of maternal and paternal postpartum depression for parental stress, attachment, and involvement in the child – both within and across partners
  • The impact of division of leave on fathers’ childcare involvement over time.

My teaching is closely aligned with my research and focuses on:

• Family transitions and close relationships across the lifespan
• Gender roles and identities
• Couple therapy approaches, including Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT) and OurRelationship (Parfokus)
• Online interventions for couples
• Specific and non-specific factors in therapy