Maria João de Castro Soares holds a degree in clinical psychology (obtained in 1984) and a master’s degree in psychology in the specialization area of Psychological Assessment (obtained in 2007), both from the Faculty of Psychology and Sciences of Education at the University of Coimbra, Portugal. She holds professional specializations in Clinical and Health Psychology, Educational Psychology, and Special Educational Needs, awarded by the Order of Portuguese Psychologists, of which she is a member (Professional License Nº 4808). In 1987, she completed the first year of the Painting Course at the “Árvore” Artistic Teaching Cooperative, Porto, Portugal In 1986/1987, she taught psychology classes at the Clara de Resende Secondary School, in Porto, Portugal. From 1988 until 1994, she worked as a clinical psychologist at the Centro de Educação Especial dos Açores and the Equipa de Educação Especial dos Açores, institutions located in Horta, in the Azores Island. In August 1992, she became a member of the Child Protection Commission of the District of Horta, on the island of Faial, Azores, where she worked as a psychologist until 1994. In 1994-1995 she worked as a clinical psychologist at the Cabinet for Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment in Macau, South China, working in both treatment and prevention services (Centro Comunitário para Jovens do Complexo Social da Ilha Verde). Since November 1995 she has been a clinical psychologist and senior technician-researcher at the Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra (Rua Larga, 3004 504 Coimbra, Portugal). Additionally, since December 2016 she has been a collaborating researcher at the Centro de Estudos Clássicos e Humanísticos (CECH), Faculty of Letters, University of Coimbra (Largo da Porta Férrea, 3004 531 Coimbra, Portugal). She is the author/co-author of more than five hundred national and international publications, including oral communications (46), posters (260), abstracts (214), scientific articles (71), books, and book chapters (28). Research Interests: In the field of culture, social, and human sciences her primary research interests focus on interdisciplinary studies, and cultural studies (e.g., Literature and psychology, receptions of Renaissance literature) In the field of psychology/health sciences, her main research interests include Psychiatric Genetics of psychosis, Psychiatric diagnostic assessment, Psychological assessment, Adaptation and validation of psychological assessment instruments, Mental health, Perinatal mental health, COVID-19 pandemic and mental health, Well-being, Quality of life, Stigma, Suicidality, Affective disorders and schizophrenia, Eating disordered behaviors, Sleep, Personality, Stress, Cognitive and emotion regulation processes, help-seeking behaviors and illness; Mental health and spirituality/religion; Statistics applied to human and social sciences.