Mental Health Researcher

Evaluating interventions in real-world settings.

What I do

I evaluate mental health interventions in clinical and organisational settings, focusing on how and why they work, for whom, and under what conditions.

I am particularly interested in depression and chronic illness, and in how people experience and respond to support in different contexts.

My work draws on realist evaluation methods to understand how complex interventions function in real-world settings.

Trained in the humanities and social sciences, with a focus on applied health research, I bring a multidisciplinary perspective to the study of mental health, drawing on academic experience in Germany, the USA, the UK, and Canada. 

Research Focus

  • Complex interventions in clinical and organisational settings

  • Mental health and well-being

  • Depression in chronic illness

  • Person-centred care

  • Realist evaluation and realist synthesis

Academic Background

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Evidence-Based Healthcare, University of Oxford

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Health Research, University of Oxford

  • Master of Studies in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), University of Oxford

  • Master of Arts in History of Art, Humboldt Universität, Berlin

Selected Publications

Peer reviewed articles:

  • Micklitz K, Greenhalgh J, Lo SHL, Sawatzky R, Schick-Makaroff K (2025). How are people undergoing dialysis expected to benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy? A realist analysis. Health Expectations 28(5): e70466. https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.70466.

  • Schick-Makaroff K, Sawatzky R, Greenhalgh J, Cukor D, Wong H, Klarenbach S, Berendonk C, Lee L, Micklitz K, Lo LSH, Kennedy M (2025). Protocol for 'Re: CBT Dialysis': A realist evaluation-why, for whom and in what circumstances does cognitive behaviour therapy work for people with depressive symptoms receiving dialysis? BMJ Open 15(6): e090228. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-090228.

  • Micklitz K, Wong G, Howick J (2021). Mindfulness-based programmes to reduce stress and enhance well-being at work: A realist review. BMJ Open, 11:e043525. https://doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043525.

Conference presentations:

  • Micklitz K, Greenhalgh J, Lo SHL, Sawatzky R, Schick-Makaroff K (2025). Cognitive behavioural therapy for people with depressive symptoms receiving dialysis: A realist evaluation perspective. 2025 International Conference for Realist Research, Evaluation and Synthesis, Atlanta, USA.

Professional Background

I have many years of experience as a consultant, coach, and trainer in mental health, leadership development, and cross-cultural communication across private, public, and non-profit sectors. I continue to give talks and workshops on mental health in organisational settings.

Contact

For collaborations or enquiries, please contact me:
katrinm.micklitz@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrin-micklitz

Full CV (PDF)