Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Continue' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Accept all cookies Reject all non-essential cookies Find out more

Contact information


kirsten.smith@psy.ox.ac.uk


+44 (0)1865 618 606

Websites

Collaborators

Kirsten Smith

MA (HONS), DClinPsy, DPhil

MRC Clinician Scientist Fellow

  • Clinical Psychologist

Research Interests

My interests include psychological and neurobiological responses to traumatic experiences and the clinical translation of experimental research. My DPhil research focused on increasing our understanding of the processes involved in an intense or enduring grieving process or Prolonged Grief (PG) with a view to developing more effective psychological treatments to manage distress.

I was awarded an MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship to develop and provide initial empirical support for a new therapist-assisted digital cognitive therapy for Prolonged Grief Disorder (ICT- PG).

I am a trustee on the board of a registered charity providing free facilitated group support to those who have lost loved ones to cancer (www.thelossfoundation.org). In acknowledging the scale and impact of loss to cancer, we aim to encourage discussion, provide information and raise awareness through our bereavement support services across the UK.

Key publications

Effectiveness of a Cancer Bereavement Therapeutic Group.

Journal article

Jerome H. et al, (2019), J Loss Trauma, 23, 574 - 587

Impaired allocentric spatial processing in posttraumatic stress disorder.

Journal article

Smith KV. et al, (2015), Neurobiol Learn Mem, 119, 69 - 76

Recent publications

Internet Cognitive Therapy for Prolonged Grief Disorder (iCT-PG): a developmental case series.

Journal article

Smith KV. et al, (2026), Eur J Psychotraumatol, 17

A 12-month follow-up of a pilot randomized controlled trial examining co-designed unguided internet cognitive behavior therapy for grieving adolescents.

Journal article

Egan SJ. et al, (2026), Death Stud, 1 - 11

When Memories Keep Grief Alive: A Dynamic Model of Memory Characteristics and Prolonged Grief.

Journal article

Lechner-Meichsner F. et al, (2026), Psychother Psychosom, 1 - 16

The process of co-design with children of supporting kids in loss: An unguided internet cognitive behavior therapy intervention for grief.

Journal article

Egan SJ. et al, (2026), Death Stud, 1 - 13

protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial of an online cancer bereavement group.

Journal article

King L. et al, (2026), Pilot Feasibility Stud

More publications

Coping with grief after a bereavement

A science-informed talk for all audiences prepared as part of the Our Mental Wellness series provided by the Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford.