Experience – Journal of Qualitative Research in Mental Health has been launched, focusing specifically on qualitative research in psychology and psychiatry. Published under the auspices of the ELTE Faculty of Education and Psychology, the journal is based on the premise that, in order to understand mental well-being, it is essential to examine people’s own lived experiences in addition to measurable data.
The journal’s primary goal is to provide an international professional forum for qualitative methodologies and to promote their development. The focus of this approach is not on numbers and questionnaires, but on how those involved describe their difficult life situations, their relationships, and the processes of recovery and change in their own words.
The Professional Legacy of the QRMH Conferences
Published by Akadémiai Kiadó, Experience is closely linked to the international conference series Qualitative Research in Mental Health (QRMH), which in recent years has served as an interdisciplinary forum bringing together psychologists, psychotherapists, health and social professionals, and social scientists. The experiences gained from this series of events, organized by faculty and students at ELTE PPK, highlighted the need for a permanent, written academic platform.
The journal’s editors-in-chief are Zsuzsa Kaló (ELTE PPK) and Viola Sallay (University of Szeged, Sigmund Freud Private University). The editorial board represents an international and interdisciplinary background.
Research Ranging from Psychotherapeutic Experiences to Trauma Processing
Experience embraces a broad spectrum of qualitative research traditions: it includes, among others, narrative, phenomenological, ethnographic, case study-based, theory-grounded, and mixed-methods studies.
The first issue, published in December 2025, features several international studies: the articles examine topics such as psychotherapeutic processes, the experiences of helping professions related to trauma, the psychological effects of the first wave of COVID-19, and aspects of living with a disability.
The journal offers an easily accessible and relevant academic platform for researchers, practitioners, and clients in the field.
The articles in Experience are available to read for free on Akadémiai Kiadó's website.