Ciao a tutti, hello everyone!
I’m Jennifer, and I’m originally from Italy. I first moved to Finland in 2011 to complete my master’s studies, and, well, something about the Finnish nature, making new friends, and finding a new relationship convinced me to stick around. After finishing my internship as a psychologist back in Italy, I became curious about something bigger: how can we all improve our well-being—not just by fixing mental health problems, but by living our best possible lives? This curiosity led me to dive deeper into my academic journey, and in 2022, I completed my PhD at the University of Helsinki. My research focused on how ordinary people define happiness. In my work, I explored what truly makes us happy, and how we can cultivate more of it.
Now, you might have heard that Finland has been ranked the happiest country in the world for several years in a row, according to the UN’s World Happiness Report. If you’re rolling your eyes, you’re definitely not alone! As part of my research, I explored how Finns themselves respond to this ranking. Interestingly, many are skeptical, and the reason they give is that the report only measures life satisfaction—nothing about positive emotions or life’s deeper meaning. For most people, those things are just as important. So, in my research, I took the side of ordinary people, digging into what happiness really means for them, and how we can take that knowledge and apply it practically in the field of psychology.
As one of the few experts on Finnish happiness, I’ve had the chance to talk about my research in the media, including national newspapers, TV and even the BBC. But what really matters to me is that this knowledge doesn’t just stay in universities. I want it to actually help people in their everyday lives and make a real difference.
After spending so many years in academia, I felt a strong desire to connect with real people and put my research to practical use—helping people work through their challenges and create lives that are genuinely fulfilling. That’s why I completed another internship here at Compass Psychology in 2024. And I can honestly say that every single day I spent providing psychological support for my clients during my internship felt meaningful. It was such an enriching experience that I decided to stay, and I’m truly lucky to be able to continue my clinical work.
Being an immigrant myself, I have a particular sensitivity toward people who have moved to Finland from abroad. In addition to working as a psychologist here at Compass, I’m also involved in an exciting research project at the University of Eastern Finland. We’re exploring how immigrants and native Finns can not only coexist but enrich each other’s lives in the process.
Right now, I balance my time between research and clinical work, seeing clients and providing therapy. I find that these two roles feed each other in the best way, creating a beautiful synergy that keeps me inspired and motivated.
To read more about Jennifer, check out her professional bio here.