Armanda Gonçalves

Armanda Gonçalves is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences (FFCS) of the Catholic University of Portugal (UCP) in Braga. She coordinates the Office of Self-evaluation and Quality at UCP's Braga Regional Center since 2015 and assumed coordination of the Bachelor's Degree in Psychology in 2020. As an integrated researcher at the Center for Philosophical and Humanistic Studies (CEFH), she contributes to the Research Line 'Cognition, Intersubjectivity and Human Development.'

Dr. Gonçalves holds a degree in Psychology and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Minho, where she defended her thesis 'Hidden narratives in the therapeutic process - what therapists and clients do not reveal in psychotherapy' in December 2009. She is also a Specialist in Clinical and Health Psychology certified by the Order of Portuguese Psychologists.

Her research focuses on new family forms (reconstituted families, foster families, divorce), child and youth protection systems, professional development of psychologists, grief, and self-inflicted injuries. She has developed significant work in psychotherapy process research, particularly regarding client and therapist concealment in therapeutic settings.

Her recent publications show strong engagement with educational psychology, examining academic achievement determinants, social media impacts on adolescents, and innovative teaching methodologies including Ignatian pedagogy and project-based learning. Her work spans clinical, educational, and social psychology domains with practical applications in mental health stigma reduction and community engagement.

She teaches in both the Bachelor's and Master's Degree programs in Psychology, with courses including Behavioral, Cognitive and Constructivist Models and Research Methodologies in Psychology. Her leadership extends to coordinating quality assurance processes and educational programs at the institutional level.

Dr. Gonçalves actively participates in international conferences and collaborates on interdisciplinary projects addressing psychological health, educational innovation, and social responsibility. Her work demonstrates a commitment to applying psychological knowledge to address contemporary societal challenges through both research and educational initiatives.