Sandesh Dhakal, PhD is a lecturer at the Central Department of Psychology, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He has a PhD in Psychology from Tribhuvan University, where he also completed his Master’s degree. He has extensive experience in teaching, research, and mentoring.
Sandesh has been a Lecturer at the Central Department of Psychology since 2016 and has previously served as a Teaching Assistant and Part-Time Lecturer. He has also worked as a Psychology Teacher at Xavier International College and GEMS Institute of Higher Education, both affiliated with Cambridge University. Additionally, he has served as a part-time lecturer in the Department of Social Work and the Counseling Psychology Program at Tribhuvan University.
Sandesh has been involved in various research activities, collaborating with international partners from institutions such as King’s College and Queen Marry University of London in the UK, The University of Maryland in the US, Zurich University, Switzerland, Stockholm University in Sweden, and the University of Gdansk in Poland. His research interests include, adverse childhood experience, mental health of institutionalized children, ethnic identity, sustainable human resource management, crowd social support and help-seeking behavior, the impact of COVID-19, collective actions and cultural dimensions, and body image in nature. He has also conducted research on topics such as posttraumatic growth, psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, and mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of persons with disabilities.
In addition to his teaching and research work, Sandesh has contributed to the field through his membership and appointments in various committees and organizations. He is a member of the Tribhuvan University Subject Committees for Psychology, Social Work, and Counseling. He is also a member of international organizations such as the American Psychological Association, the Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, and the Society for Research on Adolescents. Sandesh is actively involved in the promotion of reproducible science and increasing representation in research as a member of the ABRIR Executive Committee.
Sandesh has authored and co-authored several books, manuals, book chapters, and research articles in national and international publications. His research articles cover a wide range of topics, including mental health literacy, child labor, juvenile delinquency, gendered self-views, suicide risk, and psychological distress among adolescents.
He has presented his findings at various national and international conferences. Sandesh has also provided training and coordination for programs related to psychosocial counseling, disaster mental health, and child psychology.
His contributions to the field have been recognized through awards and grants. Sandesh was awarded the Nepal Vidhya Bhushan (Gold Medal) by the President of Nepal for his outstanding academic performance during his Master’s degree. He is a recipient of Bridging Grants with South Asia and Iran 2019 for the project: Social development and social change in Nepal: Can inclusive education reduce social inequalities? Funded by ZHAW Leading House, Switzerland, and. Active Ingredients 2021, Underpinning interventions for youth depression and/or anxiety, funded by The Wellcome Trust, London.
Sandesh Dhakal is an enthusiastic psychologist and educator who is committed to conducting research, imparting knowledge, and advancing the mental health and well-being of various communities.