Meet the Team

Director Oana David, Ph.D. is Professor in the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, at Babes-Bolyai University, Director of the Babes-Bolyai-PsyTech Psychology Clinic and the DATA Lab. She has received the Ph.D. from BBU in 2011 with a thesis focused on evidence-based parenting programs for reducing child disruptive disorders. Her research is focused on the efficacy of technology based tools for the prevention of emotional disorders in youths and stress management in adults. She was awarded four major research grants, based on which she developed the following therapeutic technology based tools: the REThink therapeutic game, the PsyPills app for stress management, the online Rational and Positive Parenting Program and the roboRETman therapeutic mechatronic device for coaching emotion skills in children. She is clinical psychologist and an accredited practitioner and supervisor in CBT, member of the European Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, founding president of the International Association of Cognitive Behavioral Coaching, and international board member of the International Centre for Coaching Psychology Research, UK. She is also chief editor of the Journal Evidence-Based Psychotherapies, and member in the editorial board of the Journal of Rational Emotive and Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. CV Oana David, Ph. D. Key team members Cristina Tomoiagă is key assistant researcher in the REThink Emotions project. She is currently a Ph.D. student at the Evidence-Based Psychological Assessment and Interventions Doctoral School, Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca. Her research is focused on the efficacy of online interventions using cognitive-behavioral coaching on different types of outcomes, as well as the mechanisms of change in this process. She is a CBT practitioner and professional experience includes soft skills and technical trainings, coaching and e-learning platforms and tools. She is also a member of the International Association of Cognitive Behavioral Coaching. Iuga Ioana Alexandra has a degree in clinical psychology and psychotherapy and is currently a Ph.D. student at the Evidence-Based Psychological Assessment and Interventions Doctoral School, Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca. She is an intern at PsyTech University Clinic and the Institute of Advanced Studies in Science and Technology – STAR-UBB.  Her research interests focus on school burnout and the influence of parental expectations on children’s academic stress. Simona Miron is currently a clinical psychologist at the PsyTech University Clinic and a doctoral student at the Doctoral School of Psychodiagnostics and Scientifically Validated Psychological Interventions at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca. She completed her undergraduate program with a specialization in Forensic Psychology at Tilburg University and her master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, Psychological Counseling, and Psychotherapy at Babes-Bolyai University. Her main research interests focus on the development of disruptive behaviors in children and adolescents and their connection to juvenile delinquency, as well as effective therapy for individuals with personality disorders and aggressive behaviors within couple relationships. Team members Silviu Matu is a senior assistant professor at the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, at Babeș-Bolyai University, and a researcher on the PSYTECH-MATRIX Platform for Robotherapy and Virtual Reality Therapy, also at Babes-Bolyai University. His main research interests are related to emotion regulation and the integration of psychology and technology in order to promote mental health. Silviu has worked as a researcher in several projects on these topics, including the the “REThink” project and the “DREAM” project, financed by the European Commission in the 7th Framework Programme, grant agreement no. 611391, focusing on developing an intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder by using therapeutic social robots (https://dream2020.github.io/DREAM/). Roxana Cardos, Ph.D. is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca and Clinical Psychologist at the PsyTech University Clinic, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. Dr. Cardos was involved as a key researcher in the REThink project. Dr. Cardos’s publications are related to technology-based therapy: Sucala, M., Cuijpers, P., Muench, F., Cardos, R., Soflau, R., Dobrean, A., Achimas-Cadariu, P., & David, D. (2017). Anxiety: There is an app for that. A systematic review of anxiety apps. Depression and Anxiety: The official journal of ADAA, 34(6), 518-525. David, O. A. & Predatu, R. & Cardos, R. (2018). A pilot study of the REThink online video game applied for coaching emotional understanding in children and adolescents in the therapeutic video game environment: The Feeling Better resources game. Journal of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies. 18. 57-68. 10.24193/jebp.2018.1.5. Cardos, R. A. I., David, O. A., David, O. D. (2017). Virtual reality exposure therapy in flight anxiety: A quantitative meta-analysis, Computers in Human Behavior, 72, 371-380. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2017.03.007. Liviu-Andrei Fodor is a research assistant at the DATA Lab within the International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health and a doctoral student at the “Psychodiagnostics and scientifically validated psychological interventions” Doctoral School. He has a degree in psychology and graduated with a master’s degree in “Clinical psychology, psychological counseling and psychotherapy”, both at Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca. His main research interests include meta-research procedures and advanced research methods for evaluating the efficiency / effectiveness of technologically augmented psychological interventions (e.g. virtual reality, PC and mobile platforms) in the treatment of mental disorders. Sorin Stan is a passionate person that connects business needs with technical solutions. He has been involved in implementing commercial products for clients in US and Europe but also in educational projects.Sorin has over 20 years of experience in IT and holds a Master’s degree in AI and Computer Science from UBB in Cluj, as well as an MBA from the Romanian-Canadian Program from ASE in Bucharest. Renata Gheorghiu is currently a Ph.D student at the Evidence-Based Psychological Assessment and Interventions Doctoral School, Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca. Her main research interests are using digital interventions in clinical populations, with a focus on bipolar disorder, and various predictors associated with the disorder. Ph.D Students Georgiana M. Roșca is a cognitive-behavioral psychologist and trainer. Currently, she is a Ph.D. student at the Evidence-Based Psychological Assessment and Interventions Doctoral School, Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca. Her research interest aims at investigating parent child factors and effective and immediate parenting strategies used in children’s compliance and their adequate development on the long term. Her work experience focused on child … Continue reading Meet the Team