Antonia Bai – Interpersonal & Intercultural Licensed Psychologist / Mentor
Beginnings – Cognitive Approaches
I began my journey as a psychologist at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, where I completed my BA studies. The training was strongly rooted in cognitive psychology — including school psychology, organizational and work psychology, as well as clinical psychology.
Cognitive approaches focus heavily on mental processes such as memory, perception, thinking, and decision-making. Their strengths lie in their rational, grounded nature and in the use of metacognition — the ability to think about our own thinking — which can be an especially valuable tool in consultations.
From experience, I have found that taking a step back from a problem — gaining perspective from above — is often key to finding meaningful solutions.
Magical Asia
After Cluj-Napoca, I lived in Asia for almost 10 years. I lived in China, Japan, and Taiwan: I obtained my master's degree in psychology (social psychology) at the National Taiwan University.
Reading these lines with a European eye, the question may involuntarily arise: what motivated me to learn my profession or the tricks of the trade on a completely different continent, in a new culture? The answer is simple, the National Taiwan University is an extremely strong and recognized university, consistently ranking among the top 100 universities in the world rankings year after year.
My Asian training was decisive in the development of my current perspective in two ways. On the one hand, it was here that I was able to absorb concepts typical of the Asian world, such as gratitude, meditation, mental flexibility, diplomatic problem-solving, and interdependent connection.
On the other hand, since my instructors got their doctorates in the USA, the teaching style of the university, as well as the type of libraries, met the expectations of American education. Thanks to this thorough preparation, I can still follow scientific innovations in the world of psychology and biology. I also regularly touch on these during consultations. Quantitative research strongly related to the topic promotes easier understanding!
When we want to resolve a family conflict with clients during a consultation, we sometimes come to a dead end with the Western approach. In such cases, an Asian approach can come to our aid, which can turn the conflict situation around.
Experience in the World of Sport Psychology
I began working with elite athletes in Transylvania, serving as the psychologist for a second-division football team. Later, I continued this work in Taiwan within the framework of psychological counseling. Initially, I was part of a team of lead teachers, but eventually, I worked as an independent psychologist. Over time, I collaborated with the Taiwanese National Archery Team and the National Lifesaving Association, which allowed me to prepare numerous elite athletes for national and international competitions, including world championships and the London Olympics.
Through the team-building projects I led, I developed and implemented programs tailored both to individual athletes and to entire teams and their coaches. I have worked with athletes from various sports, including football players, archers, martial artists (karate, taekwondo), swimmers, track and field athletes, shooters, and sprinters.
In my sport psychology work, I have had the opportunity to work with over one hundred students, gaining deeper insight into the emotional world and family relationships of adolescents.
This experience remains a key lesson that continues to support my work, especially in sessions where I assist clients improve their relationships with their children.
Indigenous Psychology – An Intuitive Path Rooted in Lived Experience
My intuitive path began more than twenty years ago, when I became deeply interested in meditation and Asian healing practices such as qigong, reiki, tai chi, and zen. During my years living in Asia, I was always looking for teachers — I would ask friends if they knew anyone who taught ancient philosophy or traditional healing arts. Over time, I met and studied with many teachers across different parts of the world, learning about Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Feng Shui, and the flow of energies that connect all living things.
Later, my path led me to Taiwan, where I worked for the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples. This became a defining chapter in my life. Through this work, I was in daily contact with Indigenous communities, often visiting villages and learning from their ways of life. Eventually, I joined the Research Institute of Indigenous Peoples at Academia Sinica, where I researched Indigenous mobility — a journey that brought me deep into remote mountain villages, sometimes staying for a week each month to understand their rhythm, values, and connection to nature.
After this period, I also met local shamans and traditional healers. My curiosity led me to study their worldview — how they perceive balance, health, and the unseen connections between people, land, and spirit. These encounters shaped not only my understanding of healing, but also my sense of what it means to be human.
These experiences became part of my psychology — not just professional knowledge, but lived wisdom. Today, I integrate intuitive and Indigenous perspectives into my sessions when they feel relevant or supportive for a client. Sometimes these elements remain in the background, offering quiet guidance; other times, they become part of our shared exploration.
For me, Indigenous psychology is not a theory — it’s a way of seeing.
A way of remembering that healing does not only come from external factors, but also from the mind, the heart, and the soul.
Summary
Key Activities
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Independent sports psychologist for the Taiwanese National Archery Team – 2 years
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Psychological and anthropological fieldwork among Taiwanese Indigenous communities, ZhongYang Research Center (Taiwan) – 2 years
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Sports psychologist for a third-division Romanian football team – 1 year; contributed to the team's rise from last to first place
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Independent sports psychologist for the Taiwanese National Lifeguard Team – 1 year
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Assistant sports psychologist at Tianmu University of Sport (Taiwan) – 1 year
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Collaboration with the Taiwanese Ministry of Indigenous Affairs on events involving the ministry and Indigenous communities – 1 year
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Co-author of the scientific article “Living with Gratitude,” published in the Journal of Happiness Studies (impact factor: 4.5, 5-year average) – 2023
Major Trainings
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Babeș-Bolyai University, B.A. in Psychology – Cluj-Napoca, Romania
(Focus areas: Clinical Psychology, School Psychology, and Work & Organizational Psychology; QS World University Ranking: 761)
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National Taiwan University, M.A. in Cultural and Interpersonal Psychology – Taiwan
(QS World University Ranking: 63)
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Empretec Entrepreneurial Training Program – Romania
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Interior Design and Real Estate Investment Course – Dr. Patrícia Somogyi
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Real Estate Investment Course – Dr. András Tóth
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Silva Method (Mind Control Training) – Domján László, Budapest
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Chi Kung Training – Lin Kai Ting, Romania
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Doula Training – Réka Dézsi, Budapest
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Vipassana Meditation Retreats – Taiwan
Notable Awards
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Outstanding Student Award, National Taiwan University – Taiwan
(Selected as one of 11 outstanding students out of nearly 41,000; one per department – awarded in the Social Sciences Department)
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National State University M.A. Scholarship
(Full scholarship for the entire duration of the program, approximately USD 25,000)
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Papua New Guinea Scholarship
(Approx. USD 10,000)
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University of Szeged – Visiting Student in Psychology
(1-month academic exchange)
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Babeș-Bolyai University – Full B.A. Academic Scholarship
(Scholarship covering the entire duration of undergraduate studies)
"There is only one simple problem with you
- you believe you have plenty of time."
Carlos Castaneda