Maria Kleinstaeuber

Maria Kleinstaeuber is an Assistant Professor in the Combined Clinical/Counseling PhD specialization at Utah State University's Department of Psychology. She holds affiliations with the International Society of Behavioral Medicine (ISBM Board Secretary since 2015) and serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Psychosomatic Research since 2021.

Education:

• PhD in Psychology from Johannes Gutenberg-University (Mainz, Germany)
• Postgraduate clinical training in Germany
• Postdoctoral research at Brigham Young University (Utah)

Her research focuses on the intersection of mental and physical health, particularly Somatic Symptom Disorders (SSD). Key areas include:

• Psychological interventions for SSD patients
• Emotion regulation mechanisms in SSD
• Placebo/nocebo effects in healthcare
• Patient symptom perceptions and expectations

Professional Experience:

• 4+ years as researcher/lecturer/clinician in New Zealand institutions
• Mentoring graduate/undergraduate students with clinical/research interests

Teaching Philosophy: Balances support and autonomy, emphasizes trust, team spirit, and professional identity development.