Aneta obtained her BSc (first class) in Psychology from London South Bank University in 1999, where she also took up a scholarship funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. The PhD was awarded in the summer of 2004. The topic of the PhD thesis grew out of her interest in the interplay between language use, culture and experience. Specifically, the thesis examines sexual boredom as a viable linguistic resource for interpreting aspects of long-term romantic relationships. It considers ways of re-thinking the notion of sexual boredom with reference to wider cultural representations of wellbeing and intimacy.

Aneta is now a principal lecturer in psychology, and leader for programmes in the field of Guidance, Counselling and Coaching within the School of Psychology at UEL. Amongst other things, she delivers a third-level BSc option module entitled The Psychology of Relationships. In the broadest sense, this module explores

1. the importance of society, culture, and discourse when considering the experience of being a woman or a man in a close, intimate relationship; and
2. the changing nature of ‘modern’ romantic intimacy and the role this plays in shaping partners’ representations and evaluations of relationship satisfaction.

Aneta also has a keen interest in research methods and epistemological debates, with a special interest in expanding the use of mixed methods designs. Since her appointment in 2004, Aneta has been involved in teaching qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches to undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and has supervised many dissertations at BSc, MSc and Doctorate levels. She is currently part of the supervisory team of four PhD students.

Her teaching, consultancy work, and research are centred on the psychology of relating and are informed by theoretical concepts from psychotherapy and counselling, existential, social constructionist, and positive psychology approaches: “To understand the relationship between people, first we need to grasp what it is to be human; seeking a phenomenologically grounded, hermeneutic return to the humanness of psychology.”

Over the past years, Aneta has engaged in numerous consultancy projects with the shared focus on theory development and its applications to real life. Her recent publications include two large research reports commissioned by the Relate Institute in the UK. One was funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and is reviewing a therapeutic programme piloted at Relate centres working with perpetrators of Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA). An associated Good Practice Guide was produced which draws on empirical knowledge to provide recommendations for policy and therapeutic practice. The second report was funded by the Big Lottery Fund and the Home Office and presents findings and recommendations following a two-year research evaluation of a new therapeutic model for tackling DVA in relationship therapy. This has been recently (2009) recognised by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy with the annual Innovation in Counselling and Psychotherapy Award. Currently, Aneta is involved in the evaluation of a Resilience Curriculum delivered in the Newham area. This programme is designed for children affected by a transition process (e.g., to secondary school) and aims to enhance their well-being.

Aneta is a core member of the Positive Psychology in Practice project — a collective of like-minded academics interested in mental, relational and organisational wellbeing and concrete ways of implementing the findings of positive psychology to real-world needs.

Aneta is the academic link tutor for the postgraduate training programme “Counselling Children in Schools” delivered by our collaborative partner The Place2be.

Aneta is involved in the supervision of the following five postgraduate students.

1. Director of studies for Matthew Colahan: PhD candidate researching the topic of relationship dis/satisfaction.
2. Director of studies for Jane Lawrence: Professional Doctorate researching aspects of counselling supervision with an emphasis on de/constructions of victim/abuser and a relational approach to DVA.
3. Second supervisor for Pia Lee-Wilson: PhD candidate researching professional understandings of child neglect.
4. Second supervisor for Calvin Moorley: PhD candidate, School of Health and Bioscience, researching the topic of “quality of life after stroke”.
5. Second supervisor for Francesca Elston: PhD candidate researching the concept of eudaimonic well-being located within positive psychology approaches.

Completions

1. Director of studies for Carla Gibbes researching the topic of stress within the police force. PhD awarded winter 2009.
2. Director of studies for Kuhan Satkunanayagam researching the topic of secondary trauma. Professional Doctorate Counselling Psychology awarded summer 2008.

• Psychology of intimate sexual relationships
• Psychology of relating drawing on concepts from existential phenomenology, positive psychology, and social constructionism
• Counselling and Psychotherapy
• Advanced research methods: conceptual and applied issues (qualitative approaches and mixed method design in particular)

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

1. Satkunanayagam, K., Tunariu, A., & Tribe, R. (2010). A qualitative exploration of mental health professionals’ experience of working with survivors of trauma in Sri Lanka. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 3(1), 43–51. doi:10.1080/17542861003593336
2. Tribe, R., & Tunariu, A.D. (2009). Mind your language — working with interpreters in health care settings and therapeutic encounters. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 24(1), 74–84. doi:10.1080/14681990802666023

Conference Papers

1. Colahan, M., Tunariu, A.D., & Dell, P. (2010). Understandings of relationship satisfaction: an interpretative phenomenological analysis. Paper presented at the Biannual Conference of the International Association for Relationship Research (IARR), Herzliya, Israel.

Reports

1. Owen, R.M., Dell, P., Tunariu, A.D., Priestley, B., & Spiers, L. (2008). A research evaluation of the Responsive Model: a new way of working with DVA in relationship therapy: Relate Institute in association with The Home Office and the Big Lottery Fund.

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

1. Tunariu, A.D., & Reavey, P. (2007). Common patterns of sense making: Interpreting numeric and textual data on sexual boredom qualitatively. British Journal of Social Psychology, 46, 815–837. doi:10.1348/014466607X177669
2. Tunariu, A.D., & Reavey, P. (2003). Men in love: Living with sexual boredom. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 18(1), 63–94. doi:10.1080/1468199031000061272
3. Tunariu (aka Joiner), A.D. (1999). QUALY and the allocation of health care to the elderly: Ethical considerations. Journal of Orthopaedic Nursing, 3(2), 81–84. doi:10.1016/S1361-3111(99)80029-6

Invited Lectures

1. Tunariu, A.D. (2007). Advanced qualitative research methods: Conducting qualitative explorations within clinical settings, Lecture given on the MRCP Psychiatry: King’s College, London.
2. Tunariu, A.D. (2007). Doing counselling research. Advanced qualitative research methods, Set of lectures given on the Professional Doctorate Programme in Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology: New School of Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling, London.
3. Tunariu, A.D. (2006). Experimental design for clinical trials, Lecture given on the MRCP programme for Psychiatrists. King’s College, London.
4. Tunariu, A.D. (2004). Relational sexuality and intimacy as foundations for sex therapy, Lecture given on the MSc in Health Sciences Programme. St George’s Hospital Medical School, London.
5. Tunariu, A.D. (2001). When the presenting problem is loss of sexual interest, Lecture given on the Sex and Relationships Problems Counselling Programme: Porterbrook Clinic, Sheffield.

Conference Papers

1. Tunariu, A.D. (2007). Clients’ inappropriate sexual-erotic behaviour as a potential source of rich therapeutic insight. Paper presented at the Academic Research Forum on Ethics and Professional Behaviour in Sexual Therapy, SARP Clinic, Guy’s Hospital, London.
2. Tunariu, A.D., & Dell, P. (2007). A new therapeutic response to domestic violence and abuse within Relate. The trial of Responsive Model — preliminary findings. Paper presented at the Domestic Violence and Abuse Away Day, The Relate Institute, Birmingham.
3. Tunariu, A.D. (2006). Towards the development of a clinical protocol for relationship problems. Paper presented at the Academic Research Forum on Couple Therapy, Munroe Clinic, Guy’s Hospital, London.
4. Tunariu, A.D. (2006). Working with couples: Towards the development of a clinical protocol. Paper presented at the Academic Research Forum on Problems of Couple Therapy, York Clinic, Guy’s Hospital, London.
5. Tunariu, A.D. (2004). Second-generation sex therapy approaches to problems of sexual desire. Paper presented at the Academic Research Forum on Problems of Sexual Desire, York Clinic, Guy’s Hospital, London.
6. Tunariu, A.D. (2003). The psychology of sexual boredom: Implications for sex and couple therapy. Paper presented at the Research Forum on Sexual Issues and Therapy, Lewisham Hospital, London.
7. Tunariu (aka Joiner), A.D., & Reavey, P. (2000). Sexual boredom: The greatest sin of modern-day sexuality. Paper presented at the Understanding the Social World II Conference, Huddersfield.

Poster Sessions

1. Tunariu, A.D., Reavey, P., & Holland, J. (2002). Clients and non-clients understandings of sexual boredom in romantic long-term relationships. Poster session presented at the Scientific Study of Sexuality 44th Annual Meeting, Montreal.

Invited Lectures

1. Tunariu, A.D. (2007). Advanced qualitative research methods: Conducting qualitative explorations within clinical settings, Lecture given on the MRCP Psychiatry: King’s College, London.
2. Tunariu, A.D. (2007). Doing counselling research. Advanced qualitative research methods, Set of lectures given on the Professional Doctorate Programme in Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology: New School of Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling, London.
3. Tunariu, A.D. (2006). Experimental design for clinical trials, Lecture given on the MRCP programme for Psychiatrists. King’s College, London.
4. Tunariu, A.D. (2004). Relational sexuality and intimacy as foundations for sex therapy, Lecture given on the MSc in Health Sciences Programme. St George’s Hospital Medical School, London.
5. Tunariu, A.D. (2001). When the presenting problem is loss of sexual interest, Lecture given on the Sex and Relationships Problems Counselling Programme: Porterbrook Clinic, Sheffield.

Reports

1. Tunariu, A.D., Jinks, G., & Colahan, M. (2007). Report reviewing the Domestic Violence and Abuse Prevention Programmes (DVA-PP) piloted in association with three Relate Centres: The Relate Institute in association with the Department for Children, Schools and Families.