Dr. Apoorva Adhikari

Dr. Apoorva Adhikari is an Assistant Professor and early career researcher in the field of psychology. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Jamia Millia Islamia, where her doctoral research focused on posttraumatic growth among survivors of domestic violence. Her academic interests center on mental health, interpersonal relationships, and emotion regulation. 

Dr. Adhikari is equally passionate about teaching and is known among students for her engaging pedagogy and innovative approach to the teaching-learning process. She combines academic rigor with practical relevance, creating intellectually stimulating learning spaces that encourage critical reflection, emotional awareness, and meaningful engagement with psychological concepts.

Before joining UPES, Dr. Adhikari served as Assistant Professor of Psychology at the Alliance School of Liberal Arts and Humanities. There, she aligned her commitment to holistic education with the philosophy of liberal arts learning. She designed a range of undergraduate courses and led important initiatives, including a research lab promoting undergraduate research and a co-curricular student club focused on experiential learning. She also served as Head of the Mentorship Program, reflecting her dedication to student well-being and personal development.

Women’s Mental Health; Interpersonal Relationships; Emotion Regulation; Posttraumatic Growth; Gender and Trauma Studies; Social Support and Coping.

Dr. Adhikari’s pedagogical philosophy is rooted in the belief that learning is most meaningful when it is interactive and transformative. She believes in democratizing knowledge through collaborative and discussion-based learning, experiential activities, and project-based assessments. By integrating lectures, case studies, reflective exercises, and real-life applications, she encourages students to actively engage with ideas and become participants in their own learning journey. Her teaching emphasizes the connection between research-based theory and practical understanding.

Introduction to Psychological Disorders; Fundamentals of Psychotherapy; Happiness and Well-Being; Social Psychology; Individual Differences; Gender and Sexuality; Basic Statistics and Research in Psychology; Foundations of Psychology; Applied Psychology; Guidance and Counselling.

Dr. Adhikari received the Full-Term Doctoral Fellowship from the Indian Council of Social Science Research in 2019 for her doctoral research on posttraumatic growth among survivors of domestic violence.

Dr. Adhikari’s doctoral work examined posttraumatic growth, mental health, coping, and social support among survivors of domestic violence, laying the foundation for her broader research on gendered experiences of trauma and recovery. She has published research on the psychological consequences of street harassment, romantic relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic, and posttraumatic growth in the Indian context. 

Her work has appeared in reputed journals such as Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, Indian Journal of Clinical Psychology, and Demography India. She has also presented at leading national and international forums including the APS Global Psychological Science Summit and the National Academy of Psychology. Her evolving research agenda now includes emerging psychological concerns linked to digital life and changing social structures.

apoorva.adhikari@ddn.upes.ac.in