Maria Karekla

Maria Karekla

Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology

University of Cyprus

Maria Karekla, Ph.D., licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor, University of Cyprus is heading the clinical psychology “ACTHealthy: Anxiety disorders and Behavioral Medicine” laboratory. She received her doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from the University at Albany, SUNY. She completed her residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Veterans Administration Hospital. Her research focuses on areas of health promotion and the investigation of individual difference factors (especially psychological flexibility parameters) as they relate to the development and maintenance of various behavioural difficulties (especially anxiety, eating, and health related problems). Additionally, she examines the treatment of these difficulties utilizing Acceptance and Commitment-based principles and innovative delivery methods (e.g., digital interventions, virtual reality). Her research received numerous local, European and international grants, and awards by (among others) the European Council and Pompidou’s group, the Society of Behavioral Medicine, and the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy. She is currently the chair of the Clinical Psychology Doctorate committee, University of Cyprus. She is also the chair of the European Federation of Psychology Associations’ Psychology and Health committee and a member of the e-health task force. She recently completed terms in chairing the Cyprus Bioethics Committee on Biomedical Research, and being a member of the Cyprus Psychologist Licensing Board. She presently serves as the treasurer/secretary of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science, from where she received the status of “Fellow” in 2019. In 2018 she was nominated as Cyprus “Woman of the Year: Academic/Researcher category.”

Interests
  • Individual difference factors and development of Anxiety Disorders and Human Fear Acquisition
  • Assessment and Treatment of Anxiety Disorders (especially in the use of innovative delivery methods, e.g. internet based interventions, use of VR technology)
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
  • Experimental Psychopathology and Emotion- Psychophysiology
  • Quality of life parameters
  • Enhancement of health behaviors and promotion of self-management of health-related conditions (including addictive behaviors such as smoking)

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