Anke Ehlers has been awarded the 2015 Wilhelm Wundt-William James Award by the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA).
The Award was established by the EFPA and the American Psychological Foundation on behalf of late Raymond Fowler as a special recognition for distinguished contributions to the science and profession of psychology and to the promotion of effective cooperation between Europe and North America.
The Wundt-James Award Selection Committee commented that:
Anke is recognized as an outstanding scholar in the field of clinical psychology, who has done research at internationally leading universities and treatment centres in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Through her work she has contributed substantially to psychology in Europe and North-America. She is a leading expert in the field of psychological processes involved in the aetiology and treatment of PTSD. Her ground-breaking experimental studies have identified cognitive and psychophysiological factors which are responsible for maintaining PSTD and other anxiety disorders. On the basis of her model she developed a new treatment program, a cognitive behavioural therapy for PTSD, which identifies inappropriate cognitive strategies and replaces these by adaptive strategies. This treatment is now internationally well established and widely used on both sides of the Atlantic.
Perhaps, more than any single other clinical psychologist, Anke has combined large and successful experimental research programs with treatment research. The method developed by her and her research group has been shown to be highly effective. It was applied in National Health Service clinics in the UK, and has been use with the victims of disasters.
She has written more than 230 international scientific publications and given dozens of presentations at national and international conferences. Her work is widely cited and used in clinical practice.