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About me

Dr. Paul Lucian Szasz

The person behind the role

Beyond the role of psychotherapist, I am a person guided by the belief that everyone has an innate capacity for healing and growth. Therapy is not repair, but rediscovering the resources and meaning that are already in you.

I combine the rigor of the cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT, REBT, CT-R) with a warm presence, inspired by Buddhist philosophy. In the room you do not find an expert who gives you advice, but an empathic partner. I offer you a safe space and respect for your pace, the goal being that, over time, you can continue on your own.

Professional journey

I practise CBT and REBT because they are structured, goal-oriented therapies: we establish what you want to change, each session has a clear focus, and progress shows up in your real life, not only in the discussions.

REBT is the basis of how we work: the distinction between event, interpretation and emotion turns understanding into action. With a doctorate in the field and published research on irrational beliefs and emotion regulation, I stay attentive to the deeper mechanisms, not only to the symptoms.

Credentials & accreditation

Psychologist with the right to private practice in Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapies, practitioner under supervision.

I do not list the registration number here because you can check it directly in the public register.

Accreditation

Degrees

2020
PhD in Psychology
Grade: Excellent / Magna Cum Laude — Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca. 2013 – 2020, doctoral student, Doctoral School of Cognitive Psychology, supervisor Prof. Mircea Miclea, Department of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University.
Thesis title: SELECȚIA STRATEGIILOR DE REGLARE EMOȚIONALĂ ȘI INTENSITATEA AFECTIVĂ
2009 – 2011
Master's degree
Psychological techniques of behaviour control and human potential development — Faculty of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University.
2005 – 2009
Bachelor's degree
BA in Psychology — Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Babeș-Bolyai University.

Training in CBT and REBT

  • Workshop: “Schema Focused Therapy”, 21–23 July 2010, Jeffrey Young, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
  • 20–21 May: Functional Analysis and Motivational Enhancement, Behavioral Activation for Performance, Prof. Ph.D. Carl Lejuez, Maryland University — International Coaching Institute.
  • Workshop: Behavioral Activation. Theory and Practice. Dr. Carl W. Lejuez, 9–10 June, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
  • Clinical Cognitive Neurosciences — Challenges and solutions for pediatric neuroimaging; Making MR Imaging Child’s Play: challenges and solutions for pediatric neuroimaging and clinical research. Nadine Gaab, PhD, Harvard Medical School, USA, 1–2 June, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
  • Workshop: Understanding and controlling emotions. Aurora Szentagotai, PhD. “Current Trends and Perspectives”, National Conference of Psychology Students, 1 April 2009.
  • Acceptance and Mindfulness Techniques in Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapies. ZFPSE3, 25 March 2009.
  • Advances in the Psychiatric Nosological Assessment. Clinical Structured Interviews; SCID I and SCID II. Prof. Michael First, M.D., Ph.D., 27–28 March 2009.
  • Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy in Children and Adolescents. Michael Bernard, PhD, Melbourne University, 5–9 February 2009.
  • “Clinical Cognitive NeuroScience Project” workshop: “The combined use of EEG and fMRI in Psychopathology”. Dr. Giorgio Bonmassar, Harvard Medical School, USA, 27–28 January 2009.
  • Meeting of the Minds Conference Series “New Frontiers in Evidence Based Psychology”, 7–9 November 2008, Cluj-Napoca.
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. A problem of intensity and disability. Dr. Sharon Freeman, Dr. Aurora Szentagotai — International Congress of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapies “Latini Dies”, Cluj-Napoca, 29–30 September 2007.
  • Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy in Personality Disorders. Borderline Personality Disorder. Dr. Arthur Freeman — International Congress of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapies “Latini Dies”, Cluj-Napoca, 29–30 September 2007.
  • International Satellite Symposium of Third National Conference of Psychology, “Developmental Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience”, 20–21 May 2006: Dr. Charles Nelson (Harvard Medical School, USA), Dr. Nathan Fox (University of Maryland, USA), Dr. Heather Henderson (University of Miami, USA), Dr. Leslie Carver (University of California).
  • Personality Disorders in Children and Adolescents. Dr. Arthur Freeman — Third National Conference of Psychology, 18–21 May 2006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
  • Helping Students Succeed. A Multiple Levels Counseling Intervention. Glenn Hirsch, Ph.D., L.P., University of Minnesota, USA.

Other qualifications

  • 2009 – 2010 — Performance scholarship, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, obtained with a research article published in an ISI-indexed journal (impact factor 5.02). Supervisor: Aurora Szentagotai, PhD.

Reviewing activity

  • Ad-hoc reviewer: Psychiatry Research (Elsevier), Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science (APA), International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (Open Access), Appetite (Elsevier), Cognitive Therapy and Research (Springerlink), Anxiety, Stress & Coping (Taylor & Francis).

Publications — ISI articles

  • Szasz, P. L., Coman, M., Curtiss, J., Carpenter, J. K., & Hofmann, S. G. (2018). Use of multiple regulation strategies in spontaneous emotion regulation. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 11(3), 249–261. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-018-0026-9
  • Szasz, P. L., Hofmann, S. G., Heilman, R. M., & Curtiss, J. (2016). Effect of regulating anger and sadness on decision-making. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 45, 479–495.
  • Szasz, P. L., Szentagotai, A., & Hofmann, S. G. (2012). Effects of emotion regulation strategies on smoking craving, attentional bias, and task persistence. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 50, 333–340. DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2012.02.010
  • Szasz, P. L. (2011). The role of irrational beliefs, brooding and reflective pondering, in predicting distress. Journal of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapies, Vol. 11, No. 1, March 2011, 43–55.
  • Szasz, P. L., Szentagotai, A., & Hofmann, S. G. (2011). The Effect of Emotion Regulation Strategies on Anger. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 49, 114–119. DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2010.11.011
  • Szasz, P. L. (2009). Thought Suppression, Depressive Rumination and Depression: A Mediation Analysis. Journal of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychotherapies, Vol. 9, No. 2, September 2009, 199–209.

Google Scholar

Volunteering, interests and personal experiences

  • 2012 – 2014 — Volunteer, Minte Forte organisation.
  • 2014 – present — Volunteer, organising mountain hikes (Drumeții Montane).
  • 2022 – present — Regular practitioner of yoga, meditation and fitness; practising Buddhism.
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