Life mottos
Because everybody deserves to live a meaningful life
Life is too short to look boring

Global thought leader on meaning and purpose in society
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 in society. His expertise spans various fields, including fundamental research on meaning and purpose, the helping professions (e.g., coaching, therapy, counselling), business and economics, formal mediation, politics and social change. 

Awards & endorsements (selection)
-International Leader in Existential Therapies Research WCET 2026
-International Research Award International Transactional Analysis Association 2026 
-Nomination Council of Europe Democarcy Innovations Award 2022 (shared)
-Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dr Rouvoet:"cornerstone of coalition -government agreement and government policies" 2006
-Most talented young philosopher in the Netherlands Brandstof 2012
-Chief of Peace ('Suuglo Naa') Northern Ghana House of Chiefs. 2007
-Leo Polak National Humanistic Thesis Award 2006
-Serge Heederik Prijs for Philosophy 2003, 2001 
-Approx. 2,500,000GBP in research grants (e.g., European Association of Transactional Analysis, Health Foundation, KWF/Alpe d'Huzes, Rene Vogels)

Fundamental Research on Meaning and Purpose 
-Systematic literature reviews, meta-analyses, handbooks on meaning and purpose across the globe and in different fields
-Speaker, lecturer, leader, bridge-builder, conference organiser
-Research leadership & supervision
-Questionnaire development 
-MOSAIC Framework: Meaning Oriented Social And Individual Changes
-Neurocognitive research on meaning and purpose
-Role of meaning and purpose in mental and physical health

Psychotherapy & helping professions
-Systematic literature reviews, meta-analyses, handbooks
-Development of systematic treatment manuals based on literature reviews ('evidence-based common denominator therapies')
-Existential therapies
-Meaning-centered therapies, including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Meaning in life and Existential distress
-Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy
-Humanistic therapies, including the role of the cilent-therapist relationship

Politics & social change
-Formal mediation for conflict (registration expected in June 2026)
-Systematic literature reviews, meta-analyses, handbooks
-Existential compassion & dignity (the human right to live a meaningful life)
-Interventions for prevention and countering of radicalisation and polarisation in crises and conflict zones, e.g. Meaning Making App
-Consultancy to politicians, governments and pro-democracy social movements, about radicalisation, extremism, conflict, division and polarisation, crises in mental health, meaning and purpose, COVID-19 policies, democracy, economics (details avilable on request)
-Former chair of mental health charity Punk4MentalHealth, London, United Kingdom.
-Former coordinator of MANGGO Education & Development project. Tamale, Ghana.
-Former memebrs of education and development projects, such as YfC, Dodom Tanzania, Mbarara, Uganda. 

Business & economics
-Systematic literature reviews, meta-analyses, handbooks
-Meaningful work, organisations, corporations, economics
-Consultancy to small and large corporations (details avilable on request)
-Consultancy and lecturing in business and economics schools (details avilable on request)

Research 
-Research supervision (87 current or past doctorate students, 13 MSc, 17 BA)
-Doctorate final viva examinations (68 final vivas; 97 doctorate progress vivas)

Work affiliations (selection)
-Metanoia Institute UK
-Kathoiieke Universiteit Leuven Belgium 
-Private Consultancy, Coaching & Psychotherapy Practice
(NB: opinions expressed on this website and in publications, public lectures and videos are the author's and may not reflect or represent the employers)

Memberships & associations (selection)
-Leader Meaning And Purpose Conferences & Movement
-Director, organiser and chair of world conferences and workshops via International Meaning Events and Community (IMEC)
-Mediator via Mediator in Media
-Psychotherapist and clinical psychologist, via JP2 Network for Catholic Clergy UK
-Associate Editor the Humanistic Psychologist (APA)
-Editor Journal of Constructivist Psychology (Taylor & Francis)
-Affiliate Member and Chartered Psychologist at British Psychological Society (CPsychol, AFBPS)
-Fellow of Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
-Board member & consultant for Mind Meaning, and former EASE Wellbeing
-Chair International Meaning And Purpose in Education Research Consortium
-Regular reviewer for various peer-reviewed scientific journals

Employment history (selection)
-2026-... Researcher KU University Leuven Belgium 
-2018-... Senior lecturer & senior researcher Metanoia Institute, Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (DCPsych) London UK. Selection of roles: chair of the DCPsych Ethics Committee, teaching research methods, research consultant, examiner of doctorate final vivas, examiner and co-coordinator of doctorate progress panels, doctorate research supervisor, research. 
-2015-... Various positions New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling, e.g. research supervisor, lecturer, former leader of the Professional Doctorate in Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling. London UK
-2011-2018 Deputy Director of Centre for Research on psychological and Social Transformations (CREST), Roehampton University London UK
-2011-2018 Reader (=Associate Professor) Roehampton University Dept of Counselling Psychology London UK
-2011-2013 Senior Researcher Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Dept of Clinical Psychology / EMGO+ Netherlands
-2007-2010 Lecturer Leiden University Dept of Child and Family Studies
-2005-2011 PhD Student (Funded) Leiden University Medical Center
-2000-2003 Researcher Erasmus University Dept of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy
-2000-2004 Research assistant TNO Leiden, the Netherlands
-2000-... Individual, group, relationship, and family clinical psychological treatment, psychotherapy, in various positions, such as Psychomedical Center Parnassia The Hague the Netherlands, Assessor NOA/Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Group psychotherapy Leiden University Chaplaincy Netherlands, Group therapist Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands, clinical psychology and psychotherapy treatment EASE Well-being UK, private practice Psychologie Praktijk Vos & IMEC International Meaning Events & Community.

Training
-2026 Psychologically Informed Mediation, D&M Associates, Oxford University, UK
-2005-2011 PhD Psychology, Dept of Medicine, Leiden University Netherlands
-2004-...Continuing Professional Post-Master Development in psychological therapies (e.g., Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Group Dynamics and Psychotherapy, Narrative therapy, psychodynamic personality assessment, RINO, Amsterdam; Compassion Focused Therapy (basis), Compassionate Mind Foundation UK; Existential psychotherapy and counselling Turnhout University Belgium, Contextual family therapy, Lerenoverleven Belgium, Trauma and Resilience, Hebrew University & Israel Center for Trauma and Resilience, Jerusalem, Israel). 
-2004-... Continuing Professional Post-Master Development in leadership and research methods: e.g. ethical leadership, entrepreneurship, academic leadership, personal leadership, supervision, workshops, using AI in research, complex science research methods, meta-analyses, epidemiology
-1998-2005 MSc Philosophy of Social Sciences Leiden University Netherlands. Cum laude. 
-1998-2004 MSc Clinical psychology Leiden University Netherlands. Cum laude.