PSIHOLOGIJA USPJEHA Dubravka Pešorda

Guest Dubravka PešordaHosted by Tanja PuretaMay 3, 2026

Dubravka Pešorda

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

The past few years have etched a deep mark on mental well-being, shifting how people perceive and seek help. Dubravka Pešorda, a psychologist and the owner of Madrugada, a psychological counseling and diagnostics center in Split, has witnessed this shift firsthand. Her clinic's experience reveals the hidden dynamics behind why people eventually reach out, what they're truly seeking, and the surprising role of unexpected factors like waiting lists in determining who is ready for deeper work. Pešorda offers a clear view into the evolving landscape of mental health support, particularly among younger generations. She explores how societal crises act as catalysts for personal growth and how social media, often maligned, is playing a quiet, positive role in destigmatizing the search for psychological support. Readers will walk away with a fresh perspective on the true nature of seeking help, the power of a crisis, and the subtle signals that indicate genuine readiness for change.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

Clients initially seek therapy for surface-level anxieties or life crises like relocation or divorce. However, the initial reason rarely remains the focus, as Pešorda notes the true work often begins only after uncovering deeper issues like past traumas, relationship patterns, or fundamental self-distrust.

Madrugada's waiting list for an initial appointment can stretch to several months. This friction, rather than deterring clients, acts as a natural filter: those who endure the wait are typically more committed to deeper, sustained psychological work, while those seeking quick fixes often self-select out.

Adolescents are increasingly initiating their own requests for psychological help, asking parents to take them to Madrugada. This trend suggests a significant shift in mental health awareness, where social media platforms like TikTok have played a surprising role in normalizing discussions around anxiety and depression symptoms.

Many clients initially perceive seeking psychological help as a personal failing, often arriving with an attitude of 'let's try this too' after exhausting all other options. Pešorda observes that while this reluctance leads to unnecessary suffering, a crisis often becomes the necessary catalyst for individuals to finally engage with professional support.

Dubravka Pešorda advocates for early, positive experiences with psychologists, likening it to taking children to the dentist before they develop toothaches. The goal is to normalize the act of seeking advice in a comfortable, non-judgmental environment, building a foundation of trust that makes future, more serious interventions easier.

When asked if it has become 'fashionable to be anxious' due to social media trends, Pešorda clarifies that it is more 'commonplace' given the collective stress of recent years. The value of seeking help lies not in validating a trend, but in empowering individuals to develop resilience and navigate future challenges more effectively.

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