Short bio
Dr Joel Vos is a multi-awarded psychologist and philosopher, who conducts research, writes books, lectures, and offers consultancy and psychotherapy about how people can live a meaningful and satisfying life despite societal challenges. His expertise spans various fields, including fundamental research on meaning and purpose, the helping professions (e.g., coaching, therapy, counselling), business and economics, politics and social change.
· Global leadership & Advocacy: Serving as an international speaker, university lecturer, conference organiser, and movement leader in psychology, philosophy, politics, business & economics.
· Rigorous Academic Research: Leading clinical trials, systematic literature reviews, meta-analyses, and handbooks on psychological therapies, mental and physical well-being, social justice, meaning and purpose.
· Evidence-Based Innovations: Developing validated psychological questionnaires, treatment manuals, university training courses, competency frameworks, and conceptual models.
· Project leader, mediator & consultant: Advisory roles for governments, politicians, small-to-large corporations, educational and socioeconomic development projects.
· Research supervision (current & past): 87 Doctorate, 13 MSc, and 17 Bachelor students; examiner of 68 final doctorate vivas & 150 doctorate progress vivas
International Existential Psychology Research Award
Distinguised Contribution to Existential Therapy Research
World Congress of Existential Therapy
First Global Existential Leadership Awards, 2026
"Your scholarship has been among the most influential empirical contributions to contemporary existential psychology and psychotherapy.
You were selected for this award in recognition of the breadth, depth, and originality of your contributions to existential therapy research.
Your meta-analyses of existential therapy outcomes, research on meaning and mental health, development of assessment measures, and numerous empirical studies have substantially advanced the evidence base for existential therapy.
Your impact extends well beyond your own impressive program of research and scholarship. Through mentoring emerging researchers, providing thoughtful editorial leadership and constructive feedback on the work of others, and authoring methodological resources, you have helped strengthen the quality and future direction of research across the field.
By integrating rigorous scientific methodology with existential theory and practice, your work has helped demonstrate the effectiveness and relevance of existential psychotherapy while inspiring a new generation of researchers."
(Selection of citations from WCET Award Committee)
International Transactional Analysis
Research Award
International Transactional Analysis Association 2026
"No other authors, in the history of Transactional Analysis produced a body of evidence of such value, extension, complexity and organicity.
The contribution of Joel Vos is to date the most important contribution made by a researcher to the TA community in order to be recognized as a psychological model empirically supported, evidence based and effective in the treatment of mental suffering.
The work of Joel Vos can now be fruitfully used by TA practitioners, delegates and presidents of national associations at any level [for example] when they are required to support the scientificity of TA model in front of national mental health institutions (as is happening now). (...) The body of research made by Vos, suggest a way that all other national associations can follow.
His contribution had and will have a very positive effect on TA theory.
(...) He had also a strong impact on TA practice. (...)
His entire body of researches has been conducted in accordance with international golden standards and the best available guidelines. His body of research are not only a sum of research, but represent a whole methodology that any model of psychotherapy (but also counselling, organizational and educational) should adopt to be defined a scientific approach."
(Selected citations from ITAA Nomination Committee)
Other Academic Awards & Endorsements
(selection)
Approx. 2,500,000GBP in research grants
E.g., European Association of Transactional Analysis, Health Foundation, KWF/Alpe d'Huzes.
Most talented young philosopher in the Netherlands, Brandstof, 2012
Leo Polak National Humanistic Thesis Award, 2006, NL
First Prize Serge Heederik Prijs for Philosophy, 2003, 2001 , NL
Prof Carol D. Ryff, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2020, US
"Joel Vos is a brilliant scholar with an astonishing sweep of knowledge across economics, history, philosophy, psychology, and culture.”
Prof Mick Cooper, University of Roehampton, 2020, UK
“This groundbreaking [work] draws together a range of historical, philosophical, and therapeutic sources to provide a uniquely detailed and comprehensive guide to meaning-centred practice. The go-to guide for counsellors, psychotherapists & researchers for many years.”
Prof Paul Wong, Toronto University, INPM Chair, 2020, CA
“He has made an important contribution to defining existential competency as essential for practitioners"
Political Awards & Endorsements
(selection)
Council of Europe, EU
Nomination Democracy Innovations Award (Shared), 2022
Northern Ghana House of Chiefs, 2007, GH
Chief of Peace ('Suuglo Naa'), 2007
Dr Andre Rouvoet, Dpt. Prime Minister, 2006, NL
"[Vos' work] is the cornerstone of the coalition agreement and policies of our government".
Prof Michael Lerner, Rabbi of the White House, 2020, US
"Joel Vos (...) is the vanguard of a revolutionary new approach to economics.”
Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, 2006, MM
“Important for the Saffran Revolution and democracy movements worldwide.”
Prof Noam Chomsky, MIT, 2020, US
“Fascinating work. Vital.”
Prof Henry Giroux, co-founder of critical pedagogy, 2020, US
“A powerful voice for radical transformation.”
Dries Van Agt, Fmr. Prime Minister of the Netherlands, 2006, NL
"You are a rare visionary with the unique capacity to unmask the deeper existential mechanisms underlying the great maladies of our era—from citizens' angst and bitter polarization to marginalized voices and corporate lucre—and you promise a profound roadmap forward. (...) Society requires your practical skills and burning passion to translate this blueprint into our complex reality: lifting souls from despair, breaking fierce conflicts, empowering the voiceless, and nudging our economic systems toward purpose and justice."
Employment
(selection)
2026-... Researcher, KU University Leuven, Belgium
2023-... Mediator
Mediator in Media & International Meaning Events & Community, UK
2018-... Senior Lecturer & Senior Researcher
Metanoia Institute, Counselling Psychology Doctorate DCPsych, UK
E.g., Programme Ethics Committee Chair, Research module leader, Research consultant, Examiner, Research supervisor, Research.
2005-... Therapist, Asessor, Trainer, Director, Conference chair
International Meaning Events & Community (IMEC), UK
2015-... Research supervisor & Lecturer
Fmr. leader Doctorate Existential Psychotherapy & Counselling DProf
New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling, UK
2011-2018 Reader (=Ass. Prof.), Dpt. Director CREST Research Centre
Roehampton Uni, Counselling Psychology Doctorate DCPsych, UK
2011-2013 Senior Researcher
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Clinical Psychology, EMGO+, NL
2007-2010 Lecturer, Leiden University, Child & Family Studies, NL
2000-2026 Psychological treatment & diagnostics (selection)
· Psychologist & therapist via JP2 Network for Catholic Clergy
· EASE Well-being, UK
· Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, US
· Psychomedical Center Parnassia, NL
· NOA & Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, NL
· Leiden University Chaplaincy, NL
· Psychologie Praktijk Vos, NL
2000-2003 Research assistant
Erasmus University, Medical Psychology & Psychotherapy, NL
TNO Leiden, NL
Volunteering
(selection)
· Leader Global Meaning And Purpose Movement
· Chair Meaning And Purpose in Education Research Consortium
· Associate Editor for the Humanistic Psychologist (APA)
· Editor for the Journal of Constructivist Psychology (Taylor & Francis)
· Affiliate Member and Chartered Psychologist at the British Psychological Society (CPsychol, AFBPS)
· Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
· Board member & consultant for Mind Meaning & EASE Wellbeing
· Reviewer for various peer-reviewed scientific journals
· Political consultant, e.g. on extremism, health care policies, education
Historical volunteer roles
· Chair music charity Punk4MentalHealth, UK
· Co-founder Extinction Rebellion & Radical Assembly, UK
· Member Psychologists Against Austerity, UK
· Board member Communications in the Middle East (COME), NL
· Project coordinator, Max Havelaar / Fair Trade, MANGGO, Tamale, GH
· Project member, YfC, Dodoma, TZ & Mbarara, UG
· Co-founder of a local youth branch of a political party, NL
(NB: opinions expressed on this website and in publications, public lectures and videos are the author's and may not reflect employers and other professional associations.)
Education history
(selection)
2004-2026 Psychological skills (selection of post-master CPD)
E.g. RINO Amsterdam, Turnhout Uni, D&M Associates, Oxford Uni.
· Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (2 years)
· Contextual family therapy (2 years)
· Existential psychotherapy & counselling (1 year)
· Group dynamics & group psychotherapy (1 year)
· Psychologically-informed mediation
· Trauma-focused therapy
· Compassion Focused Therapy
· Personality assessment & Psychodiagnostics (NIP reg., NL)
2004-2025 Leadership skills (selection of post-master CPD)
E.g. Leiden Uni, Vrije Uni Amsterdam, CityLit London.
· Ethical leadership
· Academic leadership
· Entrepreneurship & marketing
2004-2025 Research skills (selection of post-master CPD):
E.g. Leiden Uni, Vrije Uni Amsterdam, Essex Uni.
· Writing School schrijversvakschool.nl (2 years)
· Epidemiology (1 year)
· Advanced statistics, e.g. meta-analyses, AI, complex science
2000-2024 Acting skills (selection)
E.g. Leiden Uni, Uni of Amsterdam, City Acting London, CityLit.
· Basic, advanced, and screen acting and production
· Physical acting (2 yrs), Improv, Method Acting, Meisner, Lecoq
· Member of various theatre groups
2005-2011 PhD Psychology, Leiden University
1998-2005 MSc Philosophy of Social Sciences
Leiden University. Cum laude (= Distinction).
·1998-2004 MSc Clinical psychology
Leiden University. Cum laude (= Distinction).
Incl taught modules in social & organisation, and cognitive psychology.
Impact & platform
(Figures)
· £2,500,000+ in research grants & awards
· 600.000+ readers of newspaper articles (2006 top read Dutch newspaper articles)
· 250.000+ viewers and listeners from videos, podcasts, radio interviews
· 150.000+ online responses to Dutch newspaper articles
· 20.000+ sold books
· 10.000+ followers on social media
· 3377+ times cited in scientific journals
· 2500+ therapists trained
· 1500+ clients supported via psychotherapy, coaching & training
· 250+ scientific conference keynotes, workshops, lectures
· 150+ articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals
· 100+ public lectures & workshops
· 100+ interviews & podcasts
· 51 publications cited at least 10 times in scientific journals
· 50+ journalistic & opinion pieces in newspapers
· 35 publications cited at least 35 times in scientific journals
· 21 invited chapters to edited books
· 10 books with top ranking academic publishers
· 1 Authentic human-being, trying to live a meaningful life by helping others to live a meaningful life in our all-too-often challenging and overwhelming society