Dr. Natalie O. Rosen
Dr. Natalie O. Rosen
I joined the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience in 2012 after completing my doctoral work at McGill University in 2009 and a pre-doctoral internship at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax in 2009, where I specialized in health psychology interventions. Following my internship, I completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Université de Montréal in 2012, mentored by Dr. Sophie Bergeron.
My research interests focus on understanding how individuals, and especially couples, cope with sexual problems or changes to their sexual relationship. In couple relationships, how one person thinks, feels, and responds to a sexual problem necessarily impacts the experience and reactions of their romantic partner as well as their own experiences. For example, engaging in sexual activity in order to enhance intimacy in the relationship (even in the presence of a sexual problem such as pain) may heighten the sexual satisfaction for both members of the couple. My goal is to identify novel predictors of adjustment to sexual problems in the context of couples’ daily lives as well as over time, and then to translate my findings into targeted interventions to improve couples’ sexual and relationship well-being.
In the Couples and Sexual Health (CaSH) lab, the three key contexts in which I am currently conducting this work are: (1) genito-pelvic pain; (2) the transition to parenthood (i.e., pregnancy and postpartum); and (3) sexual interest/arousal disorder. You can read more about current research studies here. My research and clinical practice is multidisciplinary in nature and I have ongoing collaborations with psychologists, obstetrician-gynaecologists, anesthesiologists, dermatologists, physical therapists, and nurses.
My research is currently funded by operating grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation (NSHRF), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the IWK Health Centre, and the Canadian Foundation of Innovation.
As a registered clinical psychologist, I also maintain a small private practice focused exclusively on sex and couple therapy.
Private Practice - Sex and Couples Therapy
Dr. Rosen is currently offering a limited number of appointments on Thursday mornings for sex and couples therapy, beginning in September 2016.
Current courses taught by Dr Rosen
Graduate Courses
PSYO 6204.03: Psychological Interventions: A Lifespan Perspective, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS This clinical graduate level course is designed to provide you with knowledge concerning various evidence-based treatment interventions and their implementation with children, young adults, and older adults.
Undergraduate Courses
PSYO 4120.03: Topics in Clinical Psychology (Honours Seminar): Contemporary Issues in Human Sexuality This course deals with contemporary issues in human sexuality from a psychological perspective.
PSYO 3225: Health Psychology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS: This undergraduate course serves as an introduction to health psychology theory, promotion, and research. A variety of health-related topics will be covered including: health behaviours, enhancing and compromising behaviours, stress, health services, patient-provider relations, pain and pain management, chronic illness, etiology and course of illness, and challenges in health psychology.
Prospective Students and Volunteers
I am always happy to hear from prospective honours and graduate students. Please use the contact form below to get in touch with me. If you are interested in volunteering please complete our volunteer application.