Univ.-Ass. Mag. Elitsa Tilkidzhieva - Practice for Psychotherapy and Personal Growth

About me

I am a psychotherapist, teaching therapist, coach and supervisor, co-founder and director of the "Centrе for mental health Graz", as well as a lecturer at Sigmund Freud University and the Institute for Integrative Gestalt therapy in Vienna. After my psychological studies in Bulgaria, I pursued and finished the psychotherapeutic training at the Sigmund Freud University (in cooperation with the Institute for Integrative Gestalt Therapy, Vienna). I have been working in the field of mental healthcare since 2004 and for years I have led a successful practice in Vienna. My areas of expertise include personality disorders, affective disorders, stress-related and somatoform disorders, chronic stress and chronic diseases, migration and cultural topics, health promotion and quality of life.

I was born in Sofia, Bulgaria. My personal and academic route brought me to Austria in the year 2009, where I specialized in psychotherapy and became a licensed professional, where I found my well-being and where I develop myself further every day. Due to personal reasons I moved to Graz recently, where I live in a happy relationship. I still have no children.

Education

Teaching therapist, group leader, teaching supervisor (IG Wien, Austria)
Entry in the list of psychotherapists of Ministry of Healthcare, Austria

Psychotherapeutic advanced training - Integrative Gestalt therapy (IG Wien, Austria)
Master study Psychotherapy Science (Sigmund Freud University, Vienna, Austria)
Bachelor study Psychotherapy Science (Sigmund Freud University, Vienna, Austria)
Bachelor study Psychology (New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria)
 

Additional Education

Relational living body psychotherapy (Continuing education, Julianne Appel-Opper)
Body-oriented Approach in the Gestalt therapy (Continuing education, IG Wien)

Psychosocial Competences in the Economy (University training, SFU)
The Science of Happiness (Continuing education, Berkeley, USA)
The Origins and Varieties of Group Therapy (Continuing education, Bud Feder, IG Wien)
Gestalt Therapy with Children (Continuing education, Thomas Schön, IG Wien)
Person-centred Couple and Family Therapy (Continuing education, Charles O’Leary)
Emotional Focused Therapy Training – Level one (Continuing education, SFU)
Introduction in Brainspotting (Continuing education, David Grand)
Gestalt Therapy and Personal Growth (Continuing education, Bud Feder, IG Wien)
Psychodrama: Creativity and Spontaneity in Action (Continuing education, Anna Chesner, IG Wien)
 

Research Activity at Sigmund Freud University Vienna

Co-leader of the Institut for Training Research
 

Teaching Activity at Sigmund Freud University Vienna

Teaching group Integrative Gestalt Therapy
Perspectives of Psychotherapy Science

Psychotherapy and Society
Introduction to Austrian Healthcare System
Differential Psychology
Positive Psychology I&II
Integrative Gestalt Therapy Research Lab
Academic Writing I&II
 

Conferences

52nd Annual International Meeting of Society for Psychotherapy Research, Heidelberg, Germany
Conference of the Cooperation Office for Psychotherapy Research, Vienna, Austria
49th Annual International Meeting of Society for Psychotherapy Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Danube Symposium Graz "Psyche and body - a major challenge to modern clinical psychiatry", Graz, Austria
8th World Congress for Psychotherapy ‘Life and Love in the 21th Century’, Paris, France (workshop ‘Embodied Love‘)

Core Competences in the Manifold Practice of Gestalt Therapy, D-A-CH Tagung, Basel, Switzerland
8th European Conference of Psychotherapy Research, Klagenfurt, Austria
Moving Self, Prague, Czech Republic
45th Annual International Meeting of Society for Psychotherapy Research, Copenhagen, Denmark
Practice-oriented Psychotherapy Research, Patient-oriented Aspects and Competence Development, Vienna, Austria
 

Awards & Honors

CEEPUS (University Vienna - New Bulgarian University)
Budapest Semester in Cognitive Science (University training, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary)
Distinction in List of the Best Students of New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria
 

Further Professional Experience

Manager in the Automobile Industry (4 Years)