Nikolina Jovanović is a psychiatrist who is engaged in both clinical and academic work. In 2002 she graduated in medicine from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Zagreb, where she also received her Doctorate and specialized in psychiatry (both in 2010). Since 2015, she has been working at Queen Mary University of London and East London NHS Foundation Trust.

 

 

SR: What is the focus of your work currently? Can you say more about it? 

 

NJ: I work in perinatal psychiatry, which is a relatively new specialist field. Over the last few years, the British government has invested significant resources to ensure that  pregnant women and mothers who have mental health problems receive appropriate care. A report published in 2014 by the London School of Economics made it clear that this is much more cost-effective because untreated mental illness of the mother during pregnancy and early development of the baby can leave severe long-term consequences on the health of mothers, children and extended families. An important part of my work is preventing and helping parents (and children) to ‘break’ transgenerational cycles and traumas. I'm very happy to be a part of this story in England because I think that's where the standards are being set at the moment and they are already spreading globally. My clinical work and research are closely related, I am currently working on several research projects including  exploring perinatal mental health of minority groups in the UK improving treatment of people with psychosis, and implementing psychotherapeutical interventions for women with childhood trauma. . I am also quite interested in the therapeutic potential of (hospital) architecture. 

SR: Can you say more about the potential of results obtained within your field for application in everyday life? 

 

NJ: A good example is the project we are just finishing, it is a large project funded by the European Commission, called IMPULSE, with which we wanted, and I believe managed, to improve the treatment of people suffering from psychotic disorders. The project is taking place in five countries in the Balkans where the dominant treatment paradigm for these individuals is still pharmacotherapy available in hospital settings. In the IMPULSE project, we trained clinicians to deliver psychosocial treatment so that ultimately the approach to the affected people would be holistic. The reactions of patients, their families, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses and other staff are very positive. A lot of effort has been put into the sustainability of psychosocial approach in treatment even after the project is completed. I am particularly pleased that the project has produced a group of about thirty researchers in the field of mental health, from whom we can expect great things in the future. 

 

SR: What obstacles and dilemmas did you encounter during your studies, additional education and research engagement? 

 

NJ: Now that I'm thinking about it, it seems that the obstacles were 'external' and 'internal'. The official education programs that were available in Croatia in my day were quite rigid and outdated, so I tried to further educate myself on topics that interested me in Italy, UK, and USA. There was a lot of wandering, trying, improvisation on my part... I was also quite interested in different aspects of psychiatry and it took me quite a long time until I found an area where I felt like I could work in a productive and creative way.

 

 

SR: What, from the perspective of a now experienced researcher , would you advise young researchers? 

 

NJ: I think it is crucial for young researchers to better educate themselves in the methodology of scientific research. The ideal option would be to obtain this education as part of postgraduate studies and also to attend specialized courses in certain methods (e.g. qualitative research, meta-analysis, etc.). Secondly, it is good to regularly read  scientific journals and books from one ownand complementary fields. Today it is not difficult to identify who are the top experts in the field and their books, webinars and interviews are usually easily accessible. One should learn from the best. 

 

SR: What, from the perspective of a longtime clinician, would you advise young psychiatrists or specialization participants in this field? 

 

NJ: I have worked on topics relevant to young psychiatrists within the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) and other associations for many years. There are still many ongoing issues, but there is something that has the potential to be solution to many problems... I think it's very important that every psychiatric trainee  completes an accredited psychotherapy education. This is something that specialist programs in most European countries do not offer, but people can enroll in parallel with their traning and costs are usually covered from personal funds. This is very demanding but offers unique opportunity to work on personal issues, become skilled in diagnosing and treating psychiatric  patients, and lastly it helps to  prevent burnout syndrome of healthcare personnel. . I think it's by far the best investment psychiatrists and related professionals can make in their professional lives. 

SR: What are your plans for the future in the professional domain? 

 

NJ: In 2020-21, my plan has been to survive because it has been very difficult to balance work and family commitments during the pandemic. I think the pandemic and everything we've been through as a family and the wider community have helped me see the priorities in life clearly. Professionally I have severalideas that I would definitely like to work on in coming years.I'm going to stop here because I've also learned that it's not very wise  to plan too much...