Dora Luminita Vlas Luca, MA

Dora Luminita Vlas Luca (Romania) is a psychologist, trainer, supervisor with a private practice in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. She is a Master Trainer in Positive Psychotherapy (World Association for Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy certification). She is also specialized in Psychodrama and Ericksonian Hypnosis. She is a graduate of the Faculty of Philosophy and has a Master in Psychoanalysis. She is also in training in Psychoanalysis.

Raluca Ursica, MA

Raluca Ursica M.A. (United Kingdom) is a Counselling Psychologist, Positive Psychotherapist, and Master Trainer for Positive Psychotherapy with over 15 years of experience in bridging Western psychotherapeutic approaches with transcultural perspectives. Raluca serves as an Executive Board Member of the World Association for Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy (WAPP) and is the Director of the London Centre for Positive Psychotherapy. In these roles, she contributes to the advancement of PPT on a global scale, supporting training initiatives and the integration of transcultural perspectives into therapeutic practice. With extensive therapeutic experience, Raluca specializes in trauma, early childhood abuse and neglect, PTSD, and relationship issues. She has provided psychotherapy in various settings, including the UK National Health Service, voluntary organizations, and private practice. As a speaker, Raluca offers a wealth of knowledge, practical insights, and a compassionate perspective to discussions on mental health, Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy, and integrative therapeutic strategies. Her goal is to inspire professionals and individuals alike to embrace holistic approaches to psychological well-being and personal development.

Dr. Hamid Peseschkian

Dr. Hamid Peseschkian (Germany) MD, DM, DMSc, IDFAPA, ECP, is the Academic and Managing Director of the Wiesbaden Academy of Psychotherapy (WIAP) and Medical Director of the Wiesbaden Psychotherapy Center, both in Wiesbaden, Germany. He serves as President of the World Association for Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy (WAPP), overseeing its work with over 2,600 members in 60 countries and its global postgraduate training programs in 22 nations. The Wiesbaden Academy has become one of Germany’s leading state-licensed postgraduate psychotherapy academies, having trained over 1,000 residents. A triple German Board-certified specialist in psychiatry, neurology, and psychotherapy, Dr. Peseschkian is an International Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, an Associate of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK), and an honorary member of the German Association for Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. His expertise spans transcultural psychiatry, humanistic psychodynamic psychotherapy, family education, marital therapy, and stress management. He has authored five books, including "Psychovampires," translated into six languages, and co-edited influential works on positive psychiatry and psychotherapy. Dr. Peseschkian’s previous roles include Vice-President of the German Association for Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, head of Mental Health Services at the American Medical Center in Moscow and Visiting Professor at Northern State Medical University in Russia. Born in Germany to Iranian parents, he is married with two adult children.

Liudmyla Moskalenko

Liudmyla Moskalenko is a psychologist, psychotherapist, supervisor, and trainer in Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy, with over 25 years of experience in clinical practice and psychotherapy education. She holds a Ph.D. and is an Associate Professor with a specialization in child and educational psychology. She is a co-author of the international publication “Positive Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychology” and is deeply engaged in integrating Positive Psychotherapy into contemporary mental health systems, education, and professional standards.

She serves as Chairman of the Board of the Ukrainian Institute of Positive Psychotherapy, President of the Ukrainian Association of Positive Psychotherapy, and a member of the Executive Board of the World Association for Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy (WAPP), actively accompanying therapists and trainers in their professional development.

Her professional interests include transcultural psychotherapy, resilience, and meaning-oriented approaches in a modern world marked by multiple crises.

Prof. Dr. Erick Messias

Professor Dr. Erick Messias, MD, PhD, MPH (United States of America) was born and raised in Brazil, where he completed medical school and practiced family medicine in rural areas before moving to Baltimore for residency training. He then completed a psychiatry residency at the University of Maryland, in 2001, and preventive medicine training at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in 2003. While at Hopkins he also received a master’s in public health and a PhD in Psychiatric Epidemiology. Since graduation he has held academic positions at his alma mater in Brazil, and later in Georgia and Arkansas where he was medical director of the Walker Family Clinic and responsible for the House Staff Mental Health Service at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock. Dr. Messias served as VP and Medical Director for Beacon Health Options, overseeing the mental health care received by Arkansas Medicaid recipients. Dr. Messias has over 50 publications in scientific journals, has published several book chapters, and edited a volume on schizophrenia for psychiatrists and a textbook on Positive Psychiatry, Psychology and Psychotherapy. He is the recipient of many research and teaching awards. Dr. Messias also served as the Associate Dean for Faculty Affair for the UAMS College of Medicine and Program Director for the Baptist-UAMS psychiatry residency program, in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dr. Messias is currently the Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the St. Louis University School of Medicine.

Gabriela Hum, MA

Gabriela Hum (Romania) M.Sc. is a clinical psychologist, positive psychotherapist and international trainer and supervisor in Positive Psychotherapy, based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. She serves as the president of Romanian Positive Psychotherapy Association and had been a Board member of the World Association for Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy for more than twenty years. Gabriela has extensive experience in self-discovery and training for psychotherapists, with involvement in training initiatives across China, Ethiopia, Kosovo, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine. Additionally, Gabriela co-edited the book "Facing The Mirror: Positive Psychotherapists Revisiting Their Past", a collection of interviews with successful Positive Psychotherapists from Germany, Russia, Ukraine, and Romania, focusing on their journeys in the field, and is an author of the book “Positive Psychiatry, Positive Psychotherapy and Positive Psychology” together with other 75 authors from 19 countries.

Prof. Dr. Claudia Christ

Professor Dr. Claudia Christ (Germany), MD, DM, MPH is a medical doctor, psychotherapist, and leadership trainer with extensive experience in psychosomatic medicine, coaching, and healthcare education. She is the founder and director of the "Akademie an den Quellen" in Wiesbaden, where she provides psychotherapy, supervision, and executive training. As a professor and lecturer, she has contributed to various universities and medical institutions. Her expertise spans integrated healthcare, crisis management, and professional development in interdisciplinary teams. She has worked with leading medical organizations and clinics, focusing on mental health, resilience, and effective leadership in healthcare. Dr. Christ is also an active researcher and author, contributing to numerous publications on psychosomatic therapy and public health.