Dr.rer.nat. Martin Polák
I pursued my studies in psychology, with a specialization in clinical psychology and psychotherapy, at the universities of Trnava, Munich, Graz, and Vienna. My doctoral research focused on evaluating the effectiveness and implementation of innovative forms of cognitive-behavioral therapy, specifically examining Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) and Internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in treating panic disorder, social phobia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. As an active member of the European Society for Internet Intervention Research and the Society for Virtual Reality Therapy, I have had the privilege to present my findings at numerous scientific conferences across Europe. Additionally, I garnered my professional experience over a five-year period working with clients experiencing behavioral and emotional disorders with onset occurring in childhood and adolescence (F90-F98). I gained this experience within a multidisciplinary team setting in Vienna, where I also served as a team coordinator for two years. My professional journey also includes valuable experiences gained at the Philip Pinel Psychiatric Hospital in Pezinok and the Veľké Zálužie Psychiatric Hospital in Slovakia. Currently, I work as a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist at the Ambulance of clinical psychology and psychotherapy in Bratislava, while pursuing further psychotherapeutic training in cognitive-behavioral therapy. I am currently enrolled as a participant in the Clinical Psychology Specialization program at Comenius University in Bratislava.