I am a second-year Master’s student visiting the Forensic and Clinical Cognition Lab for six months to conduct my Master’s thesis as part of my clinical and research focussed program at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Since completing my undergraduate degree in Psychology at Humboldt-University Berlin, I have become particularly interested in memory and trauma-associated disorders, like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dysfunctional memory processes. As our memory and past experiences constantly form our cognitions and emotions, I find understanding their mechanisms crucial for improving and developing treatment.

For my Master’s thesis, I am not investigating memory dysfunction related to the past but how PTSD symptoms relate to difficulties remembering future intentions. Evidence for the association of PTSD with this type of memory – prospective memory –  remains mixed, depending on the assessment method. Thus, we developed a novel paradigm to investigate this relationship in real-life. Because people with PTSD often have negative beliefs about themselves and their memory ability, I will also examine their influence.

Alongside my studies, I enjoy bouldering, yoga, dancing salsa and bachata, and exploring the nature of South Australia.