Vanja Tolj, better known to the public as Psiholog duše, was born on 12 June 1985 in Mostar, the city where he grew up and from which he carried the values that would later shape both his professional path and his life.
He completed his degree in social work at the Filozofski fakultet of the University of Mostar, after which he continued his education with a master's degree and gained professional experience in Zagreb, where he worked and trained at the Centar za socijalni rad Dubrava. It was in this period that he deepened his interest in working with people, in mental health, and in the field of psychology.
In 2017 he moved to Germany, where he began work on a large project for the integration of immigrants from Syria and Afghanistan. Working with people of different life stories, traumas, and cultures further strengthened his resolve to devote himself fully to psychology. He continued his education in the renowned university city of Heidelberg, while living with his family in Karlsruhe, in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.
During his studies he took part in many projects focused on work with children and young people, especially in nurseries and educational settings. It was then that he first came to know Montessori pedagogy, which soon became one of his greatest professional loves and a field he would remain devoted to in the years to come.
After seven years of living and working in Germany, in 2022 he moved to Vienna, where he began work in child psychiatry. There he gained valuable experience working with children and families, and trained further in autism, ADHD, and developmental difficulties, connecting theoretical knowledge with rich clinical practice.
After four years of intensive work, professional training, and international experience, he fulfilled a long-held wish – he returned to his native Mostar. Today he works as a psychologist and therapist who sees clients from all over the world online, bringing together modern psychology, practical experience, and an individual approach to each person.
