Research and teaching

I received in 1993 my appointment as professor in Medical Psychology at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the Erasmus University and as head of the department of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy of the Erasmus MC Rotterdam.

The title of my inaugural speech was: 'Pain in the heart': the dynamics of anxiety.

Research

My main area of expertise is the psychology of pain.

Current research is about determinants of pain-related quality of life. My other topics are: psychology of reproductive medicine, transplantation, reconstructive surgery and palliative care.

Teaching

My teaching concerns lectures and group sessions on psychological aspects of pain, physical malformation, reproduction, cultural differences and physician-patient communication.