Mascha Lehr-Bozovic

Studying psychology was not only a long-held dream, but also a deeply personal journey - one that continues to shape how I understand others and myself. I’ve always been drawn to exploring the mind and human behaviour, and I find meaning in being alongside people through their suffering and their joys. As a young adult in Belgrade, Serbia, I had the opportunity to volunteer in a psychiatric clinic and other innovative group initiatives, where I supported people facing severe psychiatric difficulties, organised anti-stigma campaigns, and advocated for their empowerment. At the same time, I began working through my own story and learning from inspiring mentors. It was during this period that psychoanalysis entered my life and left a lifelong impact. Coming from a working-class background and growing up with financial hardship—like many others from former Yugoslavia—I remain deeply grateful for these early experiences. After completing my studies, I worked in both hospital and private settings with a wide range of clients—individuals, couples, and groups—supporting them through various life challenges such as attachment difficulties, relationship issues, anxiety, depression, and more. In 2016, I moved to Berlin and experienced a demanding yet transformative period of building a new life. From 2016 to 2023, I held a role at the psychology hub Stillpoint, where I actively contributed to blurring the borders between academic psychology and community-based mental health. This experience deepened my commitment to making psychological thinking more accessible and socially aware. In 2023, I continued my training in Systemic Family Therapy. Since 2024, I’ve been working with families facing extreme life circumstances, shaped by health, social, economic, or migration-related stressors, as well as couplehood and parenting challenges, and complex divorces.