The Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) hosted three major events aimed at strengthening evidence-based psychology practices in Indonesia. Organized by the Association of Indonesian Higher Education Providers in Psychology (AP2TPI) and supported by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), these events took place from July 28–31, 2025.

The three agendas included the Regional Workshop, Comprehensive Systematic Review Training, and the AP2TPI Board of Directors’ Working Meeting. Altogether, these activities served as a strategic step toward realizing stronger, standardized professional psychological practices.

The first agenda, the Regional Workshop: Evidence-Based Psychological Practice, was held on Monday (07/28) in room A-203. Serving as the opening event, it involved representatives from the Indonesian Psychological Association (HIMPSI). The workshop focused on aligning perspectives and formulating an action plan for developing evidence-based psychological services in Indonesia.

The Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada, through its Publication Unit, recently held a capacity-building event titled “Workshop on Manuscript Conversion Strategies for Book Publication” on Friday, July 25, 2025. Conducted online via Zoom Meeting, the workshop was attended by lecturers, researchers, and postgraduate students actively engaged in academic writing within the Faculty of Psychology UGM.

The workshop featured Abdur Rahim, S.S., M.Pd., Head of Cooperation, Manuscript Acquisition, and Senior Editor at Intrans Publishing, as the main speaker and was hosted and moderated by Syahrul Fauzi, S.Pt., M.Pd. This activity was designed as part of the faculty’s ongoing efforts to disseminate scientific knowledge, aiming to ensure that academic papers and research manuscripts do not remain merely as academic documents, but are further developed into scientific books accessible to a broader academic and professional audience.

The Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) once again held its graduation ceremony for postgraduate programs alongside the professional oath-taking for psychologists of Academic Year 2024/2025, Term IV. A total of 44 graduates were officially released during the event held at Hall D of the Faculty of Psychology UGM on Wednesday (July 23). This number includes three graduates from the Doctoral Program in Psychology, 19 from the Master of Psychology Program, and 22 from the Professional Master of Psychology Program.

For many postgraduate students, graduation is not always accompanied by clarity regarding their career direction. After completing a master's degree, it is not uncommon for graduates to feel uncertain or lack a clear picture of their next professional steps. The dilemma of choosing between becoming an academic, a practitioner, or even venturing into a different field altogether often becomes a unique challenge.

To address this need, the Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada, through the Psychology UGM Career Center, held a postgraduate graduation preparation session titled "Beyond Graduation: Careers, Skills, and Contributions of Psychology Postgraduates" on Monday (July 21). Held in Room B-104 of the Faculty of Psychology, the event was attended by 44 prospective master’s degree graduates and took place from 10:00 to 12:30 WIB.

The Islamic Psychology Study Group (Kelompok Kajian Psikologi Islam/KKPI) of the Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), in collaboration with the Indonesian Family Advocacy Institute (Lembaga Advokasi Keluarga Indonesia/LAKI), held a Parenting Principles Workshop on July 19, 2025, in room D-303 of the Faculty of Psychology UGM, from 09.00 to 16.00 WIB. The workshop was led by Dr. Bagus Riyono, M.A., Psychologist, a lecturer at UGM and author of the book "4 Prinsip Parenting" ("The 4 Parenting Principles"). A pre-workshop was held online via YouTube from July 12–18. The main workshop was attended by 23 offline participants and 20 online participants.

The workshop was initiated in response to the widespread adoption of psychological theories—many of which remain contested—that are often taken up and applied by the public. When these theories are adopted without adequate understanding, they can create new problems and lead to increased confusion among parents about their children's behavior. This workshop focused on fundamental and essential parenting principles, rather than superficial tips, enabling parents to apply them across various family contexts and child conditions.

The Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), in collaboration with TVRI Yogyakarta, has once again presented the “OPSI: Obrolan Psikologi” (Psychology Talks) program, now in its eighth episode, aired on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM. This episode carried the theme “Online Gender-Based Violence: Caring Together, Protecting Together”, discussing the importance of collective awareness in preventing sexual violence in digital spaces. This increasingly prevalent issue in the digital age must continue to be addressed through public education efforts to help create online environments that are safe, equitable, and free from gender-based violence.

Online Gender-Based Violence (OGBV) is a form of sexual violence that occurs in digital spaces and can affect anyone—from children to the elderly. This was conveyed by Lucia Peppy Novianti, M.Psi., Psychologist, a clinical and forensic psychologist as well as a doctoral candidate at UGM. She emphasized that individuals with low digital literacy, especially children and adolescents, are particularly vulnerable to becoming victims because they may not yet be able to distinguish between original content and manipulated content such as AI-edited materials.

Yogyakarta, July 17, 2025 – Bayu Soseno and Prof. Kwartarini Wahyu Yuniarti, M.Med.Sc., Ph.D., Psychologist, successfully published their research titled "Hypnosis for enhancing subjective well-being in ischemic heart diseases: a feasibility study" in the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis (2025), a reputable international journal indexed by Scopus (Q2), with a 2024 SJR of 0.388 and an Impact Factor (IF) of 1.3.

This study explores the effectiveness of Hypnotic Guided Imagery (HGI) as a non-pharmacological approach to enhance subjective well-being in patients with ischemic heart disease. By involving several patients as participants, the study found that the hypnosis intervention is not only safe and well-tolerated but also has the potential to reduce stress while improving calmness and quality of life. This scientific contribution aligns with Universitas Gadjah Mada’s commitment to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the area of mental health and the development of evidence-based integrative therapies.

The Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), in collaboration with TVRI Yogyakarta, presented the sixth episode of the program OPSI: Obrolan Psikologi (Psychological Talks), which aired on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM (WIB). This episode carried the theme "Beyond Nature, Beyond Network: Building Mental Resilience," highlighting the connection between nature-based activities and psychological endurance.

The theme was chosen in response to the rising pressures of modern life, which is fast-paced, highly competitive, and filled with demands. Amid the relentless digital world, reconnecting with nature offers a way to calm the mind and restore inner strength. Outdoor activities not only provide peace but also help sharpen one’s ability to face challenges with patience, calmness, and mindfulness.

The Center for Public Mental Health (CPMH) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held an online lecture (kulon) titled “Teening Your Parent: Embracing Differences, Cultivating Understanding” on Friday (July 4). The webinar, attended by students, university undergraduates, professionals, and educators, aimed to offer insights for teenagers on how to communicate effectively with their parents to avoid unnecessary conflict.

The first speaker, Nurul Kusuma H., M.Psi., Psychologist, presented an in-depth discussion on the psychological development of adolescents aged 10 to 16, and also explored differences in parenting styles between Generation X and Generation Y parents. These two topics served as a foundational framework for participants to understand perspectives from both sides—teenagers and their parents.

The Center for Public Mental Health (CPMH) of the Faculty of Psychology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) organized a Workshop on Clinical Interviewing and Diagnostic Tree over two days, July 10–11, 2025. The hybrid-format workshop was held both via Zoom and at the UGM Center for Environmental Studies building, and was attended by psychology professional program students, lecturers, psychologists, medical doctors, and psychiatrists.

The workshop aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of mental health professionals in clinical interviewing and accurate diagnosis of mental disorders. The Dean of the Faculty of Psychology UGM, Rahmat Hidayat, S.Psi., M.Sc., Ph.D., emphasized the importance of paying close attention to psychological issues and the need for professionals to carefully consider diagnoses in order to design effective interventions.