In his research, teaching, and management tasks, Ger Keijsers pursues a number of goals. First, he aims to effectively link research into psychopathology and psychological treatments to clinical practice: building bridges between the two. This involves both disseminating useful research findings and steering useful scientific research. The gap between academic training and practical training for psychologists in healthcare must also be narrowed. Secondly, Keijsers aims to link diagnosis-specific psychological treatments with non-specific treatment factors: . It matters how the clients are approached, what the clients’ expectations are regarding treatment and what treatment goals clientsare pursuing. Finally, Keijsers wants to investigate what psychotherapeutic change is. Does psychotherapeutic change concern increased self-knowledge? Is it about self-control? Or is it about changing automatic mental processes through practice?
As a new professor, Ger Keijsers wants to provide psychologists in healthcare with even better knowledge, skills and professionalism.
The way I see it, society has appointed me to contribute to the task of teaching young psychologists how to help suffering and vulnerable people change.
About Ger Keijsers
Prof. Dr. Ger P.J. Keijsers (1964, Horst-aan-de-Maas) began his academic career at Radboud University, where he obtained a Master's degree in Psychology with honours in 1988. He remained at Radboud University to conduct his doctoral research. In 1993, he completed his thesis Prognostic Factors in the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders: Studies on treatment success and failure in behaviour therapy.
After obtaining his PhD, Ger Keijsers worked as a university lecturer and then as an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Psychology and the Behavioural Science Institute. Since 2008, Keijsers has been chair of the Master's programme in Mental Health Care Psychology (GZP), one of the largest Master's programmes at Radboud University. In 2009, Keijsers was appointed director of the Postmaster Clinical Psychologist Training Program in Nijmegen. From 2013, he worked in this position in Eindhoven. In 2013, he was also appointed professor by special appointment of Psychological Treatments at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience at Maastricht University, funded by RINO Zuid.
Keijsers is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist and, since graduating, has always worked at least one day a week in clinical practice as a practising psychologist. In addition, he is also involved in various educational and management tasks.