Professor Winfied Rief is a Head Professor of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy in Germany. At the University of Marburg, he leads the Outpatient Clinic for Psychological Interventions, as well as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy training.

Professor Rief is internationally renowned for research on anxiety, patient expectations and the placebo response. Professor Rief is an accomplished scholar, with over 900 scientific publications and five books on psychotherapy and mental disorders. His specific areas of interest include placebo and nocebo effects, pain perception and coping mechanisms, and somatoform conditions.

Professor Rief is the Editor in Chief of Clinical Psychology in Europe and has taught throughout the USA and New Zealand. In 2014, Professor Rief was recognised as a Distinguished Scientist by the International Society of Behavioral Medicine (ISBM). He has co-chaired an IASP Task Force and been awarded by the Biofeedback Foundation of Europe for excellent scientific contribution. Professor Rief is a Distinguished International Affiliate of APA’s Division of Health Psychology. In collaboration with the NIH and WHO, he was an Invited Expert at the “Somatic Presentations of Mental Disorders'' Conference. This year, Professor Rief hosted a panel discussion with EACLIPT and SWPS University on new concepts in mental health.