Julia Velten

Julia Velten holds the Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy I.

Clinical psychological sex research

• Aetiology, diagnosis and treatment of sexual dysfunctions
• Cognitive factors in mental disorders and sexual dysfunctions
• Sexuality in the context of pregnancy and the postpartum period
• Development of internet- and mobile-based interventions

Research cooperation between university outpatient clinics

• Effectiveness of outpatient psychotherapy
• Further development of healthcare research at university outpatient clinics

• Lisa Schettgen, M. Sc.
• Julia Sieg, M. Sc.

Current and previous academic positions

• Since 2025: Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy I, Witten/Herdecke University
• 2023 – 2025: Deputy Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ruhr University Bochum
• 2017 – 2025: Head of the Sexual Counselling Service at the Centre for Psychotherapy, Ruhr University Bochum
• Since 2016: Postdoctoral researcher, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Prof. Jürgen Margraf, Ruhr University Bochum
• 2016 – 2017: Visiting Scholar, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Prof. Lori Brotto, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
• 2012 – 2016: Research Assistant, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Prof. Jürgen Margraf, Ruhr University Bochum
• 2010 – 2012: Clinical Psychologist, Psychosomatic Rehabilitation Centre Klinik Lipperland, Bad Salzuflen
• 2009 – 2010: Clinical Psychologist, Specialist Clinic for Eating Disorders Klinik am Korso, Bad Oeynhausen

Academic and clinical qualifications | Further training

• 2020 – 2025: Recognised supervisor within the framework of the further training course in psychotherapy at Ruhr University Bochum
• 2020: Habilitation in clinical psychology and psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum
• 2016: Doctorate (Dr. rer. nat) in Clinical Psychology (summa cum laude), Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum
• 2014 – 2017: Further training as a systemic sex therapist (Prof. Clement), isiberlin, Berlin
• 2013: Licence to practise psychological psychotherapy with a focus on behavioural therapy (very good)
• 2009: Diploma in Psychology (with distinction), Faculty of Psychology, Bielefeld University

Functions | Memberships in professional associations | Honorary positions

Activities in academic self-administration

• Co-editor: Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, Journal of Sex Research
• Member of the editorial board: Archives of Sexual Behaviour, Journal of Sex Research, PLOS ONE
• Reviewer for scientific journals (e.g. Annals of Public Health and Research, Archives of Sexual Behaviour, Biological Psychology, BMC Public Health, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Journal of Sex Research, Psychology and Sexuality, Suma Psicológica)
• Other peer review activities: Fondazione Cariplo, Research Foundation Flanders, RUB Research School PLUS, Virtual University of Bavaria
• Spokesperson for the Clinical Sexual Psychology Interest Group of the Clinical Psychology Section of the DGPs (since 2025)
• Member of the working group on the clinical assessment and treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in pre-, peri- and postmenopausal women of the International Consultation on Sexual Medicine 2024
• Member of the guidelines commission for the AWMF S3 guideline ‘Gender incongruence and gender dysphoria in childhood and adolescence’ for child and adolescent psychotherapy behavioural therapy (KJPVT)

Memberships in professional associations

• German Society for Behavioural Therapy, DGVT
• German Psychological Society (DGPs), Clinical Psychology Section
• International Academy of Sex Research (IASR)
• European Society for Sexual Medicine (ESSM)
• International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM)

Funding | Awards

Scientific prizes

2018 
Best Brief Communication Award from the International Academy of Sex Research for the presentation ‘Assessing cognitive appraisals related to sexual function: A scenario-based approach’ ($500)
Research Prize from the German Society for Behavioural Therapy (€1,500)

2016 
Dissertation Award from the Society of Friends of Ruhr University for the dissertation ‘Sexual Excitation and Sexual Inhibition in Women: Impact on Sexual Risk Behaviour, Sexual Function, and Sexual Concordance’ (€1,600)

2015 
Poster Award (3rd place) at the 45th Annual Congress of the European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies, Jerusalem, Israel

Research projects

2023 
DFG funding for the clinical feasibility study ‘A randomised controlled feasibility study on internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness-based therapy for hypoactive sexual desire in women with comorbid depression’ PI: Velten, J., CO-I: Zarski, A.-C. (VE 1083/5-1; €348,408)

2022 
Scouting for Global Excellence Programme for recruiting excellent young scientists at Ruhr University Bochum based on the Henriette Herz Prize from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation on the topic of ‘Promoting positive mental health in the age of the digital revolution’. PI: Margraf, J. Co-Is: Brailovskaia, J., Velten, J. (€61,000)

2020 
Forschungsförderung des Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Projektförderungszuschuss, „Pilot-RCT für kognitiv-verhaltenstherapeutische und achtsamkeitsbasierte Online-Programme zur Behandlung weiblicher sexueller Dysfunktion“ PI: Brotto, L.A., Co-Is: Stephenson, K., Velten, J., & Zdaniuk, B.

2018 
Novice award from Ruhr University Bochum for successfully securing a DFG research grant (€2,500)
DFG grant for the study ‘Randomised controlled trial to evaluate two online interventions: How effective are cognitive-behavioural and mindfulness-based sex therapy for women with hypoactive sexual desire?’ PI: Velten, J. (VE 1083/2-1; €280,483)

2017 
Research funding from the International Society of Sexual Medicine (ISSM) for the study ‘EYES Study: Investigating visual attention and sexual response in women with and without sexual concerns’. PIs: Velten, J. and Brotto, L.A., Co-I: Milani, S. ($11,000)

2016 
Gateway Fellowship (9-month full scholarship) for a research stay abroad, Ruhr University Bochum, funded by the Excellence Initiative (DFG GSC 98/3; €31,000)

Research-Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Julia_Velten

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.de/citations?user=sA_naXwAAAAJ&hl=de