Editor-in chief of Mad in Norway
Birgit holds a degree in psychology from NTNU and is a specialist in clinical psychology (children and adolescents). She has had an interest in feedback throughout her career and has taught Feedback-Informed Services (FIT) since 2006. She also has extensive experience giving lectures and teaching at conferences and seminars in the field of mental health. After graduating in 2005, she spent her first five years working in the specialist health service, and subsequently in the municipality. Until September 2019, she was the director of Stangehjelpa in Stange Municipality, a service built on the foundation of feedback. In 2016, she was awarded the Psychologist Award by the Norwegian Psychological Association for her work at Stangehjelpa. She received the Award for the Promotion of Freedom of Expression in Mental Health Care for 2021.
She has written articles, opinion pieces, and newspaper columns. The book «Videre – Hvordan psykiske helsetjenester kan bli bedre» was published in 2014. It was published in English (in collaboration with David Prescott) in 2019 under the title «Beyond Best Practice – How Mental Health Services Can Be Better.» In 2022, she published the book «Hjelp som hjelper». Psykisk helsetjeneste med lav terskel.» («Help that really helps. Mental health low-threshold services») together with her former colleagues at Stangehjelpa.
Birgit teaches, mentors, and gives lectures. In addition, she holds a 20% position at Sortlandshjelpa in Sortland municipality to coordinate the national Hjelpa-network. She is the editor-in-chief of the online magazine Mad in Norway.