My primary focus lies in the study of awareness expansion (a.k.a. insight): understanding how it comes about and how to facilitate it strategically within and between therapy sessions. Having a background in cognitive (neuro) sciences, I try to combine knowledge from these fields with psychotherapy to uncover the cognitive processes behind these transformative moments. All of my papers written so far work toward this goal.

Before entering academia, I worked as a counseling psychologist, both in private practice and with Football Club Shakhtar. Although my passport name is Mykyta, everyone calls me Nick. For more information, feel free to explore additional information below.

09/2022 – 06/2024
University of Tartu | Tartu, Estonia
MA: Philosophy with Focus on Cognitive Sciences
Grade: Summa cum laude (5 out of 5)
Thesis: “How does psychotherapy work? A cognitive neuroscience-based framework for understanding therapeutic change”
Recognition: Awarded a 3rd best master's thesis nationwide by the Estonian Research Council.

01/2023 – 05/2023
University of Milan | Milan, Italy
Exchange Semester: Focus on Cognitive Science
Traineeship: Cognition in Action Lab

09/2018 – 06/2022
“KROK” University | Kyiv, Ukraine
BSc: Psychology
Grade: 86 out of 100 (very good/upper 2nd class Hons)
Thesis: “The influence of the emotional state on sports performance in young football players”

Peer-reviewed

Kabrel, M., Tulver, K., & Aru, J. (2024). The journey within: mental navigation as a novel framework for understanding psychotherapeutic transformation. BMC psychiatry, 24(1), 91. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-05522-8

Pre-prints

Michael J., Dvorkin D., Kabrel M. (2023). Do Collectivist and Individualist Primes Affect the Sense of Commitment in Joint Action. https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.13226.

Under review

Kabrel M., Aru J. (2024). Internal exploration and awareness expansion: understanding psychotherapeutic transformation on conceptual and neurobiological levels. 

Kabrel M., Aru J. (2024). Neurocognitive mechanisms of psychotherapeutic change: a three-stage process. 

Michael J., Kabrel M., Montanari F.A., Dvorkin D. (2023). Experiencing Coordination and Commitment in Joint Action: A Cross-Cultural Qualitative Study.

In preparation

Kabrel M., Aru J., Wolf M. (2025). How Psychological Counselling Clients Experience Awareness Expansion (and How to Facilitate it Strategically): A Qualitative Study.

• 1st Annual Web Conference of the International Society for the Philosophy of the Sciences of the Mind (live talk). “Explaining away the Aha! moment: the phenomenon of insight is just a novel prediction.” Hosted by Cisco WebEx, December 1-2, 2023. The program.
• Berlin Workshop on Neuroscientific Explanation 2023 (live talk). “Exploring Mental Navigation: Cellular, Cognitive, and Philosophical Perspectives.” Technical University of Berlin, October 12-13, 2023. The program.
• 7th Annual Graduate Philosophy Conference for Nordic Universities (live talk). “From Spatial Navigation to Mental Navigation: Developing a Unified Theory of Cognition.” University of Tartu, September 15-16, 2023. The program.
• 30th Annual Conference in the European Society for Philosophy and Psychology (live talk). “Extending the Mind: The Neural Basis and Phenomenology of Introspective Insight.” Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, August 28-31, 2023. The program.
• 10th Annual Conference in the European Philosophical Society for the Study of Emotions (live talk). “How We Created the Hero Narrative From Our Emotional System of Fear.” University of Tartu, June 15-17, 2023. The program.

I currently teach a seminar for bachelors called "Chronification of Mental Disorders" each Fall semester. In addition, I supervise bachelor's theses in clinical psychology.

• 3rd best Master thesis nationwide awarded by the Estonian Research Council (2024)
• Teaching Micro Innovation Grant awarded by ULF UZH (2024-2025)
• Achievement stipend for the University of Tartu students 2023 (two times)
• Erasmus+ internship grant (2023)
• Erasmus+ study grant (2022)