Institute for Transgenerational Trauma Transfer Research

Our Transgenerational Transmission of Trauma Research Institute is dedicated to exploring the intricate link between psychotherapy practice and empirical research amid pressing global challenges. In an era marked by extremism, pandemics, and geopolitical tensions, we investigate transgenerational trauma’s nuances and implications.

Recognising the urgency of understanding trauma’s pervasive effects, our mission revolves around harnessing empirical insights to refine psychotherapeutic approaches. We aim to aid individuals and communities impacted by these complex challenges, designing interventions that extend beyond therapy rooms to create significant social impact.

In navigating the complexities of trauma amidst escalating global unrest, our research institute empowers not only therapists by integrating research-derived knowledge into their practices, but also other stakeholders of society, such as policy makers, social scientists, activists working in the NGO sector, etc. This fusion allows for culturally sensitive and targeted interventions addressing transgenerational trauma within contemporary turbulences.

Moreover, amidst pandemics and geopolitical disruptions, our institute serves as an innovation hub. Through research-practice synergies, we develop advanced therapeutic methodologies, aiming to effectively mitigate trauma’s multifaceted impacts. Committed to both scholarly inquiry and practical application, we stand firm against the profound psychological burdens imposed by contemporary global adversities. Our dedication to bridging psychotherapy practice and empirical research underscores our unwavering commitment to addressing and alleviating the multifaceted impacts of trauma within our global community.

Team

Ass.-Prof. Dr. Erzsébet Fanni Tóth

Erzsébet Fanni Tóth is former Vice Dean for International Affairs at the Faculty of Psychotherapy Science, Head of the Institute for Transgenerational Trauma Transference Research and Lecturer for Research Methods and University Didactics in the International Programme Psychotherapy Science at SFU Vienna.

Mail: erzsebet.toth@sfu.ac.at

Dr. Kamila Midor

Kamila Midor is a polyglot scholar, linguist and professional translator who has lived and studied in Poland, the United States, Spain and Austria. She has conducted research at the intersection of cognitive linguistics, psychology and cultural studies. She studied Spanish Studies (Bachelor), English Studies (Bachelor), Translation Studies and Intercultural Communication (Master) and Linguistics (PhD). Visiting researcher at the University of California at Berkeley in 2015/2016.

Mail: kamila.midor@sfu.ac.at

Lara Lik, MA

Lara Lik is a psychologist from Hungary and holds a master’s degree in psychology from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest, specialising in clinical psychology and adult health psychology. She has professional experience in clinical and diagnostic work in the hospital environment, especially at Szent János Hospital in Budapest. In addition to her clinical work, she has completed method-specific training in family therapy through the Hungarian Family Therapy Association and an externship in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) accredited by the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT). She is currently a researcher at the Institute for Transgenerational Trauma Transmission at the Sigmund Freud Private University in Vienna.

Mail: lara.natasa.lik@sfu.ac.at

Stéphanie Larchanché, PhD

Stéphanie Larchanché is a medical anthropologist and psychoanalytic therapist. She teaches at SFU Paris, where she specialises in psychosocial and transcultural approaches to mental health care. Her research and publications focus on access to and provision of mental health services for migrants in France and on trauma in the context of asylum procedures.

Selected Research Projects

Ongoing research projects:

Mental Health and Relocation: Coping Strategies for Hungarian Expats in Austria

Funding body: OMAA, Osztrák-Magyar Tudományos és Oktatási Kooperációs Akcióprogram
Funding amount: €15 000
Project duration: 12 months
Project management: Institute for Transgenerational Trauma Transference Research, Sigmund Freud Private University (contact: erzsebet.toth@sfu.ac.at)
Project team: Sigmund Freud Private University (AT), Hungarian research partners: Dr Viola Sallay, Dr Tamás Martos

Project Description (PDF, English)

#outofthebox Workshops

In 2023, our institute launched a new workshop series #outofthebox, which aims to become a critical lab for interdisciplinary topics at the boundaries of psychology, psychotherapy, law, media, literature, art and the world of tech developers. The basic idea on which this initiative is based is that thinking and acting #outofthebox is a creative skill that is essential to face the challenges and provide creative answers to the challenges of the future. In our workshops, participants will have the opportunity to interact and work with well-known personalities from different disciplines, thinking and acting #outofthebox.

Overview of previous #outofthebox workshops

Hesna-Al-Ghaoui presents at the trauma workshop in a brightly lit lecture room at SFU. She wears an elegant jacket over a colourful top.

1. Fear bravely

13 October 2023 | Workshop with Hesna Al Ghaoui
Find out more: Fear Bravely

Group of people dancing in a circle on grass in front of bushes and trees.

2. Developing empathy through JOY and dealing with our traumas

20 November 2023 | Workshop with Dr Virág Suhajda
More about this: Developing Attunement

Four children gather around a camera on a tripod, engaged in a creative project.

3. Identity research through the medium of film

9 March 2024 | Workshop with Klára Trencsényi
Read more: Identity research through film

Two women engage in a collaborative discussion, with one pointing at a document and the other listening attentively in a bright workspace.

4. Experience mapping: exploring the healing power of places in health and transgenerational trauma

24 April 2024 | Workshop with Prof. Dr. Tamas Martos & Dr. Habil. Viola Sallay
More about this: Experience Mapping

5. LGBTIQ+ Minority Stress as a Relational Trauma through the Lenses of Gestalt-Integrative Therapy

17 June 2024 | Workshop with univ. spec. Iva Žegura, clin. psych., mag. psych.
More about this: LGBTIQ+ Minority Stress

6. The Educator's Experience at Memorial Sites - Psychological Aspects, Challenges and Difficulties

18 November 2024, 15 – 17:30 | Workshop with Joanna Brusik, MA
Read more: The Educator’s Experience at Memorial Sites

Portrait Dr. Zuzana Vasičáková Očenášová

7. Movement Shadow in Diagnostics & Intervention: Use of Movement in Therapeutic Work with Trauma

23 January 2025 | Workshop with Dr Zuzana Vasičáková Očenášová
More about this: Movement Shadow in Diagnostics & Intervention

8. The Intersection of Trauma, Culture, and Mental Health: A Workshop on Inclusive Practices

25 March 2025 | Workshop with Jason Izadi, BA
Read more: The Intersection of Trauma, Culture & Mental Health

9. Oral History and Holocaust Memory Research in Slovakia

22 April 2025 | Workshop with Dr Monika Vrzgulová
Read more: Oral History and Holocaust Memory Research in Slovakia

10. The nightmare of the biomedical approach to mental health in Slovenia

12 June 2025, 15:30 | SFU Vienna, Freudplatz 3, Room 116
Workshop with Prof Dr Miran Možina, SFU Ljubljana
Read more: The nightmare of the biomedical approach to mental health in Slovenia

Trauma Research Insights

In 2025, our institute launched another workshop series entitled Trauma Research Insights. The idea behind it is that experts talk about their research on trauma and share their findings and expertise with other researchers at our university. This provides an opportunity for expert discussion, exchange of thoughts and experiences and mutual feedback on different research ideas.

Four people attentively listening to a speaker during a meeting in a bright, modern room with large windows.

1st Trauma Research Insights Workshop with Deepti Ramaswamy

How can understanding childhood trauma and adverse experiences promote the exit and reintegration of extremists?

On 20 March 2025, we organised the first workshop of the new series aimed at SFU researchers. Our speaker was Deepti Ramaswamy, a visiting researcher from the UK who is currently conducting her research at our institute. She is a psychotherapist and researcher investigating how trauma-sensitive approaches can facilitate the exit and reintegration of former extremists. In her research, she integrates EMDR therapy to explore how personal narratives change through the therapeutic process. She takes a psychosocial approach to synthesising her professional experiences, examining the recurring perpetrator-victim dynamic and developing strategies to break this cycle. Her talk sparked a lively discussion with many questions, but above all left a deep impression due to her methodological expertise and the passion with which she speaks about her research. We are delighted that Deepti chose to conduct her research at our institute and that she was willing to share her valuable insights with us.

Conferences

Dr. Kamila Midor recently presented at two interdisciplinary conferences on the topic of language & trauma.
Part one took place online on September 10–11, 2025 organized by the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Her talk, titled “Teaching an English Sociolinguistics Course and Raising Awareness of Culturally Sensitive Issues: A Personal Experience”, explored the challenges and insights from her teaching practice.
Part two was held in Wilamowice, Poland, on September 23–24, 2025 where she presented “The Impact of Language on One’s Grief: How to Avoid Traumatization”.
Language and trauma is an emerging field of research, and both events brought together scholars approaching the topic from diverse perspectives. Dr. Midor’s presentations received positive feedback, with discussions continuing informally during the event’s coffee breaks. In addition, since the second event took place at the Museum of the Vilamovian Culture, she had an opportunity to learn more about this ethnic group whose language, Wymysorys or Vilamovian, is endangered.

Kamila Midor standing in front of a poster for the Climate Conference.

On Monday, September 15, Dr. Kamila Midor gave a lecture “‘Flood of the century’ or ‘the century of floods’? How people talked about the flood in Poland in 2024 and how it impacted their mental health, based on the news articles” at the Klimabedingte Katastrophen – Auswirkungen, Bewältigung und Resilienz conference organized by the Institute for Psychoanalytic-Ethnological Disaster Research (SFU Vienna) and Katastrophennetzwerk e.V. (KatNet). It was a two-day interdisciplinary event where scholars and experts explored the impact of natural disasters from various perspectives. Dr. Kamila Midor presented a cognitive linguistic approach, and her talk sparked a lively discussion and engaging conversations afterward.

Erzsébet Fanni Tóth sitting at a desk and holding a presentation at the World Congress for Psychotherapy.

The Trauma Institute scholars actively participated in the World Congress for Psychotherapy: “Polarities of Life” organized from July 16-19, 2025 at SFU Vienna. Dr. Kamila Midor led an extensive interdisciplinary workshop titled “Cognitive Linguistics Meets Psychotherapy: How Metaphors Can Be Useful in Practice”. Dr. Erzsébet Fanni Tóth delivered a comprehensive lecture focusing on inherited wounds, exploring how gender-based violence and institutional betrayal shape transgenerational trauma. Additionally, she co-hosted a panel on Saturday evening with Dr. Sara Kuburic, author of the book “It’s on Me”. This panel placed a special emphasis on the evolving role of psychotherapists – not only in clinical work, but also in authoring best-selling books on existential therapy and in shaping public understanding of mental health through therapist engagement on social media.

Seven participants in the MSA Working Group in Prague standing next to each other.

The SFU Trauma Institute is proud to highlight the active participation of its scholars and students at the Memory Studies Association’s 2025 Annual Conference, held in Prague from June 26 to June 29, 2025. This prestigious international gathering brought together leading experts in memory studies from around the globe.

Deepti Ramaswamy

is a UK-based psychotherapist and doctoral researcher investigating how trauma-sensitive approaches can facilitate the disengagement and reintegration of former extremists. Her research integrates EMDR therapy to explore how personal narratives change through the therapeutic process. She began her career working with children and adolescents facing social, emotional and behavioural challenges in educational settings before moving into the clinical field. Her experience includes work in child and adolescent psychiatry, eating disorders, correctional facilities, veterans care, and supporting torture survivors. More recently, she has worked as a mental health specialist in conflict zones such as Iraq, Syria and Myanmar. In her doctoral thesis, she is taking a psychosocial approach to synthesise her professional experiences. She is investigating the recurring perpetrator-victim dynamic and exploring strategies to break this cycle.

Internship | Trainees

Eight women stand in a row, some wearing black tops, others patterned or light-coloured shirts. A woman in the middle wears a floral dress.

We’re thrilled to welcome brilliant young talents who are starting their internships and traineeships with us in the academic year 2025/26. Coming from Hong Kong, USA, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Bosnia, they bring diverse perspectives and languages that will enrich our research on transgenerational trauma. We’re excited for all the learning and collaboration ahead.

Current Trainees

Yuliya Kostadinova

My name is Yuliya Kostadinova. I was born in Bulgaria and am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at Sigmund Freud Private University. My research interests include the interplay between communication and technology, particularly how symbolic systems and language shape perception. Outside of my academic work, I consider nature an essential source of energy and inspiration, and enjoy spending my free time backpacking, birdwatching, and caring for animals in need.

Anita Bozsó

My name is Anita Bozsó, I am 50 years old. I am currently retraining as an office administrator at the BBRZ in Vienna. As part of this retraining, I am fortunate to be doing my internship as a research assistant at the Research Institute for Transgenerational Trauma Transfer under the supervision of Dr Erzsébet Fanni Tóth. As I have always been interested in psychology and, within that field, in the processing of human trauma through art and theatre education, I am very grateful to be here. I feel that I am gaining a lot from my internship, not only professionally but also personally.

Youhui He

My name is Youhui He, and I am a junior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychological Science and Computer Science at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. During this Fall 2025 semester, I am completing an internship at the Transgenerational Trauma Institute while studying abroad through the IES Vienna European Society & Culture program. My academic interests include clinical and developmental psychology, and I plan to pursue graduate studies in one of these fields. Outside of academics, I enjoy solo traveling, hiking, reading, and journaling.

Hana Zuzčáková

My name is Hana Zuzčáková and I am a Psychology student at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. From a professional point of view, I am interested in psychological research – getting to the bottom of how and why people respond to certain stimuli the way they do – and would like to pursue this path in the future as well. Additionally, the biological aspect of psychology and the human mind is something that fascinates me. In my free time I enjoy connecting with people, doing sports, and traveling. I am grateful to Dr Erzsébet Fanni Tóth for giving me the opportunity of getting first-hand experience and opening the doors to trauma research for me, through a research internship at the Trauma Institute of Sigmund Freud Private University.

Madison Zoernack

My name is Madison Zoernack, and I am pursuing a degree in Psychology and Philosophy at Bryn Mawr College in the United States. I am very interested in phenomenological psychology and psychoanalysis, and I enjoy reading about the applications of these approaches to personality disorders, particularly those on the schizophrenia spectrum. Most of my hobbies revolve around stories, as I love reading and writing philosophical and detective fiction, but I also like fashion! My summer internship with Dr. Erzsébet Fanni Tóth was facilitated by IES Abroad Vienna, and it was a lovely experience for my first internship and my first time abroad. I especially enjoyed attending lectures on existential psychotherapy at the World Congress for Psychotherapy and developing my psychological interview skills using the EMOTH research method.

Noor Werndly

I am Noor Werndly, 20 years old, and I am currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Data Science at Bryn Mawr College in the United States. I love to travel, and I enjoy playing field hockey and piano. Academically, I am particularly interested in emotional regulation research, forensic psychology, and family therapy and would like to pursue a career in one of these fields in the future. Working at the Trauma Institute at the Sigmund Freud University was an amazing experience, as it was my first research internship. Attending the World Congress for Psychotherapy and working with the Emotional Mapping Of The Home (EMOTH) method were definite highlights of my time at SFU.

Orsolya Kolozsvári-Dörögdi

My name is Orsolya Kolozsvári-Dörögdi. After completing my Master’s degree in Design and Art Education at the Moholy-Nagy University of Arts and Crafts and Design (MOME), I am taking part in a further education programme at SFU Vienna from January to June 2025 as part of the Pannonia Professional Scholarship. Under the mentorship of Dr Erzsébet Fanni Tóth, I am focusing on supporting the cultural identity, successful integration and mental well-being of children who have moved abroad. My aim is to develop workshops that use art education methods to promote personal and social competences – at the intersection of art education and psychological support – and can be used both in the public education system and in independent workshops.

Anna Pisoni

I’m Anna Pisoni, 23 years old, and I recently graduated in sociology from the University of Bicocca in Milan. I’m attending the Erasmus+ Mobility Traineeship at the Institute for Transgenerational Transmission of Trauma Research at Sigmund Freud Private University. I have a passion for travelling, and before pursuing further studies, I wanted to do research on stimulating topics. Luckily, I got the opportunity to conduct research in Vienna. I believe it’s a lovely city. I’ve just done one day of work and I’m already enthusiastic as I participate in the workshop ‘Exploring the healing power of places in health and Transgenerational Trauma‘.

Nadin Kranicz-Jona

My name is Nadin Kranicz-Jona, I am 14 years old and I attend the Flora Fries educational campus in 1150 Vienna. I was very happy to complete my practical work experience days with Dr Erzsébet Fanni Tóth at SFU Vienna in September 2023. I learnt many new things, including researching Sophie Scholl, Anne Frank and Eva Heyman, reading and summarising an interesting book, and creating a list of interview questions for the third-party funded project “Arriving in the City“.

Klára Trencsényi

From Sept. 2022 to August 2023, Klára Trencsényi, a filmmaking student from the Hungarian University of Theatre and Film Arts SZFE, participated in the Erasmus+ Mobility Traineeship at SFU Vienna. Her practice-based research focussed on the transmission of collective memory through her documentary, “The Missing Tale (2022).” Together with her mentor Dr Erzsébet Fanni Tóth (SFU), she researched how Hungarian teenagers in Austria perceive their family histories amidst post-Covid restrictions and Vienna’s integration policies.

Institutional Collaboration

From July 15 to July 24, 2025, the Institute for Transgenerational Trauma Transfer Research hosted Dr. Andrew Wooyoung Kim, a scholar from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Kim is a successful and experienced biological anthropologist interested in the lifecourse and intergenerational health consequences of historical trauma and the contributions of such knowledge to movements for collective healing and racial justice.

Final Theses

Our students are currently writing a number of BA, MA and PhD theses on the subject of transgenerational trauma. Below you will find some selected theses:

Manuel Kolanowitsch | BA thesis on “Transgenerational stress disorders in grandchildren and great-grandchildren from World War II soldier families”
Denis Mekolle | PhD thesis

Events

Unspoken memories: exploring the senses of ethnic Hungarian deportations in post-WWII Czechoslovakia
21st Oct. 2024, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno

Holocaust Literature and Ego Documents Conference (PDF)
11th & 12th December 2023, Centre for Jewish Studies, University of Graz

30th Anniversary Conference of the Kek Vonal Foundation
15th November 2023, Budapest, address by Erzsébet Fanni Tóth

“Exploring Home and Alienation – Conversations on Children’s Literature, Trauma and Identity”
16th November 2023, University in Nitra, Slovakia, guest lecture by Erzsébet Fanni Tóth

Workshop “Modes of Expression. Testimonies, Metaphors, and Music”
21st November 2023, Sigmund Freud Museum

7th Annual Conference of the Memory Studies Association
3 – 7 July 2023, Newcastle University

Media Reports

Erzsébet Fanni Tóth über transgenerationale Traumata – vorarlberg.ORF.at – Radio Vorarlberg (06/09/2025)
Hogyan őrzi egy apró cérnababa a diktatúra emlékét? (04/08/2025, Napunk/DennikN Slovakia)
Traumata sind oft „Teufelskreise“ (16/07/2025, ORF Science)
Beszéljünk végre a nőkről is! –Második világháborús női sorsok (13/05/2025, https://vasarnap.com)
Horror that remains (03/05/2025, Salzburger Nachrichten)
Populists name diffuse fears and play with them (25/02/2025, DerStandard)
https://volksgruppen.orf.at/magyarok/stories/3281759 (25/11/2024, in Hungarian)
https://sound.orf.at/radio/bgl/beitrag/7533534/magyar-hirmagazin (26/11/2024, in Hungarian)

Contact

Stéphanie Larchanché, PhD

n/a

Institute for Transgenerational Trauma Transference Research
Faculty of Psychotherapy Science
Sigmund Freud Private University
Freudplatz 1, 1020 Vienna
transgentraumaresearch@sfu.ac.at

Institute for Transgenerational Trauma Transfer Research

Ass.-Prof. Dr. Erzsébet Fanni Tóth

Dr. Kamila Midor

Lara Lik, MA

Stéphanie Larchanché, PhD

Ongoing research projects:

Overview of previous #outofthebox workshops

1. Fear bravely

2. Developing empathy through JOY and dealing with our traumas

3. Identity research through the medium of film

4. Experience mapping: exploring the healing power of places in health and transgenerational trauma

5. LGBTIQ+ Minority Stress as a Relational Trauma through the Lenses of Gestalt-Integrative Therapy

6. The Educator's Experience at Memorial Sites - Psychological Aspects, Challenges and Difficulties

7. Movement Shadow in Diagnostics & Intervention: Use of Movement in Therapeutic Work with Trauma

8. The Intersection of Trauma, Culture, and Mental Health: A Workshop on Inclusive Practices

9. Oral History and Holocaust Memory Research in Slovakia

10. The nightmare of the biomedical approach to mental health in Slovenia

1st Trauma Research Insights Workshop with Deepti Ramaswamy

Deepti Ramaswamy

Current Trainees

Yuliya Kostadinova

Anita Bozsó

Youhui He

Hana Zuzčáková

Past Trainees

Madison Zoernack

Noor Werndly

Orsolya Kolozsvári-Dörögdi

Anna Pisoni

Nadin Kranicz-Jona

Klára Trencsényi

Ass.-Prof. Dr. Erzsébet Fanni Tóth

Dr. Kamila Midor

Lara Lik, MA

Stéphanie Larchanché, PhD