Gerd Sundblad: 1945-2008

Gerd Sundblad, PhD, licensed psychologist and psychoanalyst, died in Stockholm in August 2008 at the age of 63. She is survived by her two children, four grand-children, parents and siblings.

Gerd Sundblad grew up in Stockholm. She began her studies in psychology at Stockholm University and later completed them at Umeå University. Her doctoral dissertation, “Pedagogical research in Sweden. 1948-1971: an explorative study of factors within and beyond the scientific”, was described as a bold and pioneering project and as an “essential contribution to the methodology for paradigm studies”. Her combined psychological and pedagogical expertise was to play a prominent role in several contexts in her later professional achievements.

Gerd returned to Stockholm in 1975 to work as the Director of Studies at the Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts, and Design, after which she was employed as the head of training and education for the transportation agency Stockholm Public Transport (SL). In the 1980s, she embarked on the professional pursuit of a long-time interest in psychoanalysis and, after completing studies at the Institute of the Swedish Psychoanalytical Society, was employed as a public-health psychologist and psychoanalyst at the Stockholm County Council Institute of Psychotherapy. It was here that Gerd was to begin working not only with clinical psychotherapy, but also with the psychotherapy education that this institute conducts in cooperation with Karolinska Institutet. Her comprehensive psychological, psychoanalytical and pedagogical knowledge soon became a strong and highly appreciated resource in psychotherapy education at KI.

Beginning 2005 and until her death, Gerd was the head of the division of psychotherapy at Karolinska Institutet. In this capacity, she was in charge of several educational programs as well as of the division's research and development in psychoanalytical psychotherapy. Gerd was not only committed to the development of pedagogical meth