Anna Babl is an assistant professor at the Clinical Psychology Department. She studies mechanisms of change underlying psychotherapy, the therapeutic alliance, and psychotherapy training.

More information about Anna Babl

Anna Babl earned her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Bern in 2019, where she continued her career as a postdoctoral researcher for three years. During this time, she also completed a postgraduate master’s program in psychotherapy and in 2021, received a certificate of advanced studies in higher education from the University of Bern. By means of a 2-year postdoc mobility scholarship by the Swiss National Science Foundation, she worked at Adelphi University in New York together with Catherine Eubanks and her team from 2022 to 2023. Since January 2024, she is an assistant professor of clinical psychology at Leiden University.

Research

Her research program revolves around three core pillars: mechanisms of change underlying psychotherapy, the therapeutic alliance, and psychotherapy training.

Through empirical studies, meta-analyses, and innovative methodologies, her work seeks to shed light on the mechanisms that contribute to positive therapeutic outcomes. By understanding these mechanisms, we can optimize treatment strategies and enhance the overall effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions.

She has delved into understanding the nuances of the therapeutic relationship, examining how aspects of the alliance such as alliance ruptures and repair impact the alliance and treatment outcomes. Her work not only contributes to the theoretical understanding of the alliance but also provides practical insights for clinicians aiming to cultivate and strengthen this essential aspect of the therapeutic process.

Complementing her interest in the mechanisms of change and the therapeutic alliance is her dedication to studying and advancing psychotherapy training. She has engaged in research initiatives that explore innovative and evidence-based approaches to training psychotherapists. This includes the development and evaluation of training programs, the integration of technology in training methodologies, and the exploration of factors that facilitate the transfer of therapeutic skills from training settings to real-world clinical practice. By addressing the challenges in psychotherapy training, her research aims to foster the growth and competence of emerging therapists, ultimately contributing to the elevation of the entire field.

Other professional activities

• Ad-hoc reviewer: Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Journal of Clinical Psychology, BMC Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Clinical Psychology in Europe
• Editorial board member for the Journal Psychotherapy Research (since 2023)

Approved grants and projects

• Incentive grant by the University of Leiden for the project “Development and Evaluation of an online Emotion-Focused Training” (2024)
• Norine Johnson Grant for Early Career Psychologists by the American Psychological Association for the project “Developing, Implementing, and Testing an Online Alliance Focused Training for Mental Health Providers” (2023)
• Two-year Postdoc.Mobility Scholarship by the Swiss National Science Foundation for the project “Understanding and training the effects of the therapeutic alliance via rupture and resolution processes” (2022-2023)
• Support for female habilitation candidates by the Faculty of Philosophy and Human Sciences at the University of Bern to employ a research assistant (2021, 2022)
• Research funding by the Society for Psychotherapy Research and the German Psychoanalytic Society for the project „Understanding changes in functioning of psychotherapy patients: Reflective functioning, defensive functioning, and psychosocial functioning“ (2020)

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Prices and awards

• Most Valuable Paper Award for Psychotherapy by the American Psychological Association (2023)
• Emerging Scholars’ Program by the Society of Psychotherapy Research (2021, 2022, 2023)
• Travel Award by the Society for Psychotherapy Research (2019)
• Award for outstanding teaching in the seminar course „Important findings of psychotherapy research“ of the University of Bern (2016)
• ​​​​​​​Lester Luborsky Poster Award and Travel Award by the Society for Psychotherapy Research (2016)

Publications