PhD: Freeze-Fight-Flight Dynamics in Mental Health Care

When people feel threatened, they react by fight, flight, or freeze. Strikingly, freeze is often overlooked in therapy, although it is strongly linked to poor recovery from mental health conditions. Moreover, little is known about how fight–flight–freeze reactions unfold over time. This project maps how patients with personality disorders move between defensive reactions in daily life and treatment, identifies maladaptive patterns, and examines key underlying mechanisms.

Your job

As a PhD candidate you are responsible for the clinical part of this project. You will design studies, coordinate data collection at Altrecht Center for Personality Disorders, and analyse longitudinal EMA data collected both during psychotherapy sessions and in daily life. You will collaborate with therapists and patients through focus groups to define meaningful indicators of defensive states and to ensure clinical relevance throughout the project. You will test proof-of-principle freeze-targeted interventions and contribute to the development of state-specific clinical guidelines. You will also write scientific articles and contribute to dissemination activities. Throughout the project, you will work in close collaboration with a PhD candidate at the Methods and Statistics department, for example on complex data analysis, and the development of personalised visualisations for use by clinicians and patients.

You also contribute to teaching activities within the Department of Clinical Psychology (approximately 10% of your appointment).

Your qualities

• A (Research) Master level diploma in Clinical Psychology or a related education
• Excellent mastery of English, and good writing skills
• Interest in (and preferably experience with) longitudinal or intensive longitudinal data
• Interest in innovative statistical methods (i.e., Hidden Markov Models)
• Experience with statistical software (for example R)
• Affinity with clinical populations

Furthermore your suitability is ideally exemplified by:

• An ambition for high quality research
• The ability to work at the interface of science and clinical practice
• Good social and organisational skills, preferably with experience in (coordinating) data collection
• A teamplayer mentality and enthusiasm for interdisciplinary collaboration

Our offer

• a position for 1 year, with an extension to a total of four and a half years upon successful assessment;
• a working week of 36 - 40 hours and a gross monthly salary between € 3.204 and €4.051 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University also offers a range of its own schemes for employees. This includes arrangements for professional development, various types of leave, and options for sports and cultural activities. You can also tailor your employment conditions through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage you to keep investing in your personal and professional development. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

About us

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is one of the leading faculties in Europe providing research and academic teaching in cultural anthropology, educational sciences, interdisciplinary social science, pedagogical sciences, psychology, and sociology. Almost 7,000 students are enrolled in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has some 1,100 faculty and staff members, all providing their individual contribution to the training and education of young talent and to the research into and finding solutions for scientific and societal issues.

The faculty strives for diversity among its employees and students and is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, as can be read in Utrecht University's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy.

The faculty attaches great importance to the fact that its employees can be widely deployed in the university organization, now and in the future, to further professionalize the support of education and research. To encourage this, every employee is given the time and facilities – for example in the form of training – at some point in their career to participate in projects or work in other departments. Characteristics that the faculty considers important are involvement, the ability to collaborate and flexibility.

The faculty is located at Utrecht Science Park near the historical city centre of Utrecht.

More information

For more information about this position, please contact dr. Muriel Hagenaars by m.a.hagenaars@uu.nl.

Apply now

At Utrecht University, we strive to be a place where everyone feels at home. We value colleagues with different backgrounds, perspectives and identities, including differences in culture, religion or ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, disability and age. We are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and contribute. Read more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion. If you have any questions about accessibility, for example regarding your workplace Martinus J. Langeveldgebouw, the application process or your work, please contact us via our HR contact page.

Knowledge security screening can be part of the selection procedures of academic staff. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology.

To apply, please send your curriculum vitae, including a letter of motivation, via the ‘apply now’ button.

Please note that international candidates that need a visa/work permit for the Netherlands require at least four months processing time after selection and acceptance. Our International Service Desk (ISD) can answer your questions about living in the Netherlands as international staff. Finding appropriate housing in or near Utrecht is your own responsibility, but the ISD may be able to advise you therewith. In case of general questions about working and living in The Netherlands, please consult the Dutch Mobility Portal.

The first round of interviews takes place on Monday October 5 and Tuesday October 6.

Our preferred start date is November 1, 2026.