About Us (EN)

15036430_1177117015658395_7740069449490680188_n 1. ABOUT US

“Babes-Bolyai – PsyTech” Psychological Clinic (PsyTech Clinic) is a psychology university clinic of Babes-Bolyai University (BBU), that came into existence through a decision of the UBB Senate. PsyTech Clinic represents a premiere in Romania, being the first psychological university clinic in our country. The name “PsyTech” reflects the innovative psychological services that we provide, often completed with advanced technologies (e.g., virtual reality, online therapy, robotics therapy etc.).

PsyTech Clinic was founded by “Aaron T. Beck” Professor, Ph.D., Daniel DAVID, using the design of the university clinics from USA, and from Albert Ellis Institute, USA. Professor David is the Head of the Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Department from BBU; he introduced, at international standards, cognitive-behavioral therapies (including virtual reality therapy, robotics therapy/robotherapy, and genetic conseling) in Romania. Professor David has major innovative contributions to the development of diagnostic and psychotherapy internationally, being the most cited Romanian psychologist in the international literature. At the national level he introduced, and strongly supports, the evidence-based movement in psychological assessment and therapies.

PsyTech Clinic is the services part of a complex Consortium of Excellence formed from:

  • A Didactical (educational) Part – The Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeş-Bolyai University (http://www.clinicalpsychology.ro), by providing a clinical environment for the work of our graduate students ;

  • A Research Part – The International Institute for Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Mental Health (co-founded with Albert Ellis Institute, USA) (http://www.psychotherapy.ro), by the Clinical Research Unit;

  • Behavioral Psychotherapies (member of the European Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies) (http://psihoterapiecbt.ro), by providing clinical training.

Thus, our services present the newest developments in the field at an international level (through didactical and research components), and the highest quality standards (through the training component).

From its beginning, the PsyTech Clinic has been considered an Excellence Center, which will: (1) reunite the best professionals in the field, trained at international standards, (2) offer the most advanced psychological services, and (3) establish the psychological practice standards in Cluj-Napoca, and also in Romania.

Within its “residential program”, the PsyTech Clinic is an excellent environment for training new generations of professionals (e.g., clinicians, counselors, psychotherapists, MA, MD, and PhD students); thus, the PsyTech Clinic represents a foundation for advanced professional training, and an innovative research platform.

The PsyTech Clinic has external units in the following institutions:

  • The “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca;

  • The “Teodora” Hospital for Seniors.

2.SERVICES

The PsyTech Clinic offers the following services:

  • Psycho-diagnostic (assessment) and clinical evaluation:

    • The psychological testing does not necessary imply psychological interventions such as psychological counseling and/or psychotherapy. The psychological testing can be done when psychological problems occur, and/or one aims personal development and self-awareness.

  • Psychotherapy

    • Individual therapy – the person with emotional and/or behavioral problems participates to therapeutic sessions, and meets only the therapist.

    • Couple therapy/ Family therapy – couples and/or families which have psychological difficulties (e.g., regarding their relationship, regarding children, etc.) will benefit from this type of therapy.

    • Group therapy – persons with emotional and/or behavioral problems form a therapeutic group, will meet at the same hour, and will work with one or two psychotherapists.

Typical psychological problems refer to anxiety disorders (e.g., simple and social phobia, panic, general anxiety disorder, acute stress and/or post-traumatic stress), affective disorders (depressive disorders), eating behavior disorders, sexual disorders, adaptive disorders, personality disorders, substance abuse disorders (alcohol, drugs), ADHD, autism. Also psychosomatic disorders are approached, that imply psychological factors (e.g. irritable bowel syndrome, chronically pain, etc.) and also other medical conditions (e.g., the psychological preparation for surgeries).

  • Psychological Counseling

    • Refers to self-awareness and personal development, promoting health and preventing diseases. Clients learn procedures regarding efficient decisions, problem solving, conflict negotiation and management, control and self-control, behavioral and emotional, stress management at work, etc.

  • Genetic Counseling

    • Psychological management of risk regarding the development of diseases that imply genetic factors.

    • Counseling the future parents regarding the genetic risk implied by conception.

    • Assistance for clients in the decisional process regarding situations which imply genetic risks.

Our services aim specifically:

  • Infants, children, and adolescents;

  • Adults;

  • Elders.

Particularities:

  • Specific services that are addresses to the economic/bussiness environment and to the corporations, being adapted for employees that have emotional and/or behavioral disorders that affect their performance at work and for the organization as a whole. These are time-limited and evidence-based, as the Clinic already has experience with important national and international Companies.

  • By its collaboration with important international actors the PsyTech Clinics offers services of robotics/robotherapy and virtual reality psychotherapy that complement the classical psychological treatments (see www.psychotherapy.ro for details). The PsyTech Clinic introduced for the first time these services in our country, having an international experience in this domain. The Robotics/Robotherapy and Virtual Reality Psychotherapy Platform (the PsyTech-MATRIX Platform; www.psytech.ro) isthe most advanced in our country and one of the most advanced worldwide (see for details at http://www.psytech.ro and http://www.psychotherapy.ro).

  • Being a pioneer in this domain nationally, the PsyTech Clinic offers services of online psychological assessment and counseling/psychotherapy (see the specific section at the site).

  • By the Platform for Advanced Imagining – fMRI/EEG – in Clinical Cognitive Sciences, the PsyTech Clinic can complement psychological services by analyses at the implementational (neurobiological) level.

The PsyTech Clinic does not offer the following type of services:

  • Emergency consults, without an appointment;

  • The treatment of psychotic disorders in the active periods;

  • The treatment of substance related disorders during the intoxication or the chemical withdrawal periods.

3. THE TEAM

The team of the PsyTech Clinic is made of professionals trained in the most advanced clinical strategies in our country and abroad, all being certified both nationally (i.e., Romanian Board of Psychologists or Romanian Federation of Psychotherapy) and internationally (e.g., by the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, USA or by the Albert Ellis Institute, USA). They all share “evidence-based” and “scientist-practitioner” paradigms, and are extensively trained in evidence based assessment and psychotherapies, typically cognitive-behavioral therapies (e.g., behavioral therapy, rational emotive behavior therapy, cognitive therapy); and some of them have additional training in more specific cognitive-behavioral therapies (e.g., dialectic and behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, schema focused therapy, metacognitive therapy, reality therapy) and/or more specific clinical methods.

4. THE STEP BY STEP ACTIVITIES

After the appointment is made, the Client/Clients will meet with one of our professionals that during maximum 3 sessions scheduled in one week (diagnosis, evaluation and clinical formulation) will investigate: (1) what are the psychological problems (psychological assessment/psycho-diagnosis and clinical evaluation); (2) why did they appear (clinical formulation), (3) what must be done to minimize them (the treatment scheme). Then, with client’s agreement, there will be implemented the psychological treatment that can last from 4 to 50 sessions or more, according to the problems. Usually, the treatment sessions take place once or twice a week, and each lasts for about one hour.

During the sessions there will be received a series of cognitive behavioral exercises/homeworks in order to generalize the things learned during the session in your every day life.

Some sessions can be developed online or by phone, according to client’s interest, but the final decision belongs to the therapist and his/her clients.

Sometimes, if the Client has access to the internet, after the appointment, he/she can be asked to fill in online the psychological tests of a certain section in order to make the therapeutic process more efficient, so that when he/she reach the clinic we already have information about you problems.

Being a University Clinic, to some sessions there will also attend training psychologists/psychiatrists, as observers, without interfering with the therapeutic process.

Being a Research Base, clients can also be included in some studies that we have on role, with his/her agreement, in which case the treatment will be free.

5. CONTACT, LOCATION AND APPOINTMENTS

The Clinic and its specialists can be contacted only after the appointment!

For appointments please send an e-mail to clinicadepsihologie@gmail.com 

One can make an appointment directly to one of the clinical professionals if they have open spots (the client will be informed by phone) or the client will be distributed to another professional.

The information about fees will be received at the appointment, as they vary from a specialist to another. The first session is free.

The Clinic aims to offer innovative and accessible services to the large community. But some very advanced services that need expertise and technology can be more expensive.

The pressure is very high and it is possible that when we do not have free spots the client will be recommended another professional that offers high quality services.

THE PSYTECH CLINIC LOCATION:

Republicii Street, no. 37, 400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

6. ONLINE SERVICES

The first program of online psychological interventions (a process that does not imply face to face interactions) from Romania was initiated by the members of this team in 2000, in collaboration with “Arxia” Company (the coordinator of the project was Professor Daniel David, Ph.D). The program was suspended in 2001, and it is continued now by PsyTech Clinic.

Based on this experience, the PsyTech Clinic offers the following online services (by internet in real time, on the phone or email):

1. Psycho-diagnosis/assessment and clinical evaluation (screening);

2. Self help psychotherapy;

3. Cognitive behavioral recommendations, as part of the classical treatment;

4. Counseling and psychotherapy sessions, combined with the classical treatment.

We do not offer complete online psychological services, as the studies show that they are not efficient if they are not a part of a classical service (except for mild anxious and/or depresed mood), in which the direct psychotherapeutic relationship is fundamental. Thus, after the appointment, the therapist will decide with his client what part of the psychotherapy will be online.