Educational Program at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zenica “Psychotherapy Counseling for Children and Adolescents at Mental Health Centers in Community”

Today, at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Zenica, prior to the official start of the implementation of education, a press conference was held to present an educational program in the field of Psychotherapy counseling for children and adolescents at community mental health centers.
On this occasion, a speech was held by:
Vice-rector prof. Sabahudin Ekinovic, PhD, MD, In front of the University of Zenica
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, UNZE, prof. Harun Hodzic, PhD, MD
v.asist Mirza Oruč MA
In front of the Federal Ministry of Health – prim. dr. Goran Čerkez, MD
Ahead of the BiH Mental Health Project-Association XY – M.Sc. Irina Puvača
BHIDAPA founder and director – Mirel Badurina, PhD

The press conference was attended by graduates of integrative psychotherapists for children and adolescents, teaching associates: prim. MSc Azra Arnautović, MD, dipl. psych. Belma Žiga, MSc Đana Lončarica, dipl. psych Sabina Zijadić Husić,  dipl. psych Selma Gaši. Colleagues dipl. psych. Senka Čimpo and soc.ped. Mirjana Gavrić were prevented from being with us today.

The educational program started with a module on the topic: Developmental Psychology and Neuroscience, led by Prof. Dubravka Kocijan Hercigonja, PhD, MD, Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatrist and Psychotherapist with a Teaching Assistant, prim. MSc Azrom Arnautović, MD, pediatrician.‬

The training program is aimed for psychologists from the mental health sector, from 20 health centers, and aims to develop academic and professional competences for improving mental health care services for children and adolescents.

We sincerely thank the prim. dr. Goran Čerkez, MD, Deputy Minister of the Federal Ministry of Health, Mental Health Project of BiH under the leadership of MSc Irine Puvača and Faculty of Medicine, University of Zenica, headed by prof. Harun Hodžić, MD, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Science, on recognizing the importance of special education in the field of child and adolescent psychotherapy and counseling.

We believe that this is a significant step forward and the beginning of many years of cooperation to jointly participate in the implementation of educational programs in the field of child and adolescent psychotherapy and counseling, thus becoming the leading in the region in order to provide unique standards of education aimed at nurturing the health, protection and well-being of children and young people, and thus and society as a whole. The plan is to prepare a master’s degree program in the field of child and adolescent integrative psychotherapy.


We must not forget as a society, as our professor Dubravka Kocijan Hercigonja, Phd, MD, says, that the future of every individual and humanity generally depends on the child, his or her development of the creation of the self and the world around it.

We wish a happy beginning of education and successful work to all students!

We take the opportunity to congratulate the University of Zenica School of Medicine sincerely on the membership of the Health Care Study Program, the largest network of faculties in the field of Health Care in the world, the Florence Network.