Camliea Hancheva

Camellia Hancheva, PhD is an Associate Professor of Developmental psychology, at the , founder and director of Master Program Child & Adolescent and school psychology (assessment and counselling). Her main research interests are in the field of relational psychoanalysis and the application of a psychoanalytic methodology for understanding micro-processes of human development within the attachment dyads and macro processes of group and social interactions. Camellia Hancheva is trained as a systemic family therapist and has clinical experience with terminally ill patients and their families and people with traumatic losses. As a part of various research networks, Camellia Hancheva is a node leader for Bulgaria and the coordinator of the Social Trauma Course for seven universities in the Balkans and Germany. The ongoing social and academic mission of her work is to explore the impact of social trauma in post-war and post-totalitarian societies and the enhancement of reflexivity, mentalization and empathy on individual and social levels.

Hancheva's research interests and therapeutic practice for the last decade is dedicated to understanding early parent-infant relationships and prevention of adversities in early childhood. Her two books "Mentalization and early stages of socio-emotional development" (in Bulgarian, 2019) and "The child, the family and the internal world" (in Bulgarian, 2019) are a valuable contribution in research and practical field. She has been a part of COST action focused on Peripartum depression, and organized of the final conference for the action. Camellia Hancheva is currently working on building a European research network focused on maternal stress, prevention and impact on early child development. She is one of the founders of Foundation “Mentalization Based Treatment – Bulgaria”, and leader of several National Projects on Assessment and Prevention of Suicidal ideation in University Students, Screening of Mental Health and Resilience in Emerging Adulthood and many socio-cultural adaptations of diagnostic instruments.