Psychosocial work with people who acquired a brain injury

The exchange is intended to take place in Sydney, Australia at the Ingham Institute for Applied Health Research (Brain Injury Rehabilitation Research Group, Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research) with Associate Professor Grahame Simpson.

He has a dual professional background as a social worker and licensed psychologist, with almost 35-years of research experience in the field of traumatic brain injury.

Dr Simpson is Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney (ranked 19th in the world) and leader of the Brain Injury team, at the John Walsh Center for Rehabilitation Research. Simpson is also a professor at the Menzies Health Institute, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.

He is the Director, Brain Injury Rehabilitation Research Group (BIRRG), Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Sydney Australia; the institute is located adjacent to Liverpool Hospital. BIRRG conducts extensive research with more than 20 projects in the area of brain injury. He has over 134 publications including books, chapters and articles and has been very successful in research funding.

Grahame Simpson and Marie Matèrne (Örebro University, Social Work) have collaborated since 2016. Simpson was also in Örebro, Sweden in the spring of 2023 for five weeks of exchange.

Marie was responsible for the planning and implementation of the stay together with Professor Thomas Strandberg who applied for and was granted funds for the stay by Forte.

The purpose of the exchange is to:Deepen and refine collaboration around people with acquired brain injury.Continue the research project on people with stroke living in Kumla, Sweden.

Continued work with project to create customized and evidence-based psychosocial interventions for women with traumatic brain injuryFurther develop the cooperation within Social work between the countries through workshops, seminars and research meetingThe exchange is planned for summer/autumn 2024 for six weeks.