At the upcoming conference, we are excited to announce a keynote talk by Danijela Ostojić – a clinical psychologist and court expert with over 15 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. Her talk, “Women in the Balkans”, will offer a unique perspective from an expert who has spent years researching and challenging deeply rooted beliefs in our society.
Throughout her career, Danijela has connected clinical psychology, psychotherapy, and forensic psychology. Through fieldwork and institutional engagement, she tirelessly advocates for the importance of mental health and systemic change. Her work focuses on empowering individuals, especially women, to recognize their value, find purpose, and break free from limiting patterns. Passionate about everything that makes life in the Balkans unique, she emphasizes that self-work and prevention are key to real, lasting change – a mission she has dedicated her professional path to.
What would you advise brands and communicators who want to truly understand the emotions and needs of their audience?
There is no universal advice that works for everyone – or, if we speak in terms of brands and business psychology, for a target audience. Who makes up that audience? What kind of people are they? What interests them, and why? I often hear in the business world that brands focus on the emotions of customers or audiences, but I would ask – what exactly does that mean? It’s important to look at the intellectual and cognitive capacities of the target group. What beliefs do they hold? What matters to them? What value system do they live by?
As a digression in the Balkan context, think about how people perceive paying for psychotherapy. Is it a priority for them? Why not – and why would they rather spend money on new car tires than a session with a psychologist? I’ll leave that as food for thought in response to your question.
Authenticity and trust are key words in today’s communications industry. How do you define and build them from a psychological perspective?
Not only in communications, but in society as a whole. I’m glad we have evolutionarily reached the level of authenticity and trust (if we have), but we must learn what those terms truly mean.
I fear that many people, out of ignorance, apply these values in the wrong way – equating authenticity with aggression, manipulation, or hurting others under the excuse of “being authentic” or “speaking one’s mind.” That’s an extremely dangerous territory. We must ask ourselves: have we as a society truly reached authenticity, or do we just think we have?
Being authentic means accepting yourself with all your weaknesses, flaws, and ignorance, as well as your strengths, abilities, and values – and feeling open enough to show yourself as you truly are. But are we all truly ready to dive deep into ourselves and meet that version of who we are? I’m not sure that’s the case in reality.
It seems to me that authenticity, in the context of the communications industry, is more often used as a tool to win people over – so they believe I’m authentic, even if I’m not. Here, I would pose a question: How do I, who consider myself authentic, feel when I’m alone with myself?
Your online community counts hundreds of thousands of people. How do you balance professional content with an accessible, inspiring tone that resonates with a broad audience?
It’s simple. Just be what you are – authentic. :)
Your conference talk focuses on women in the Balkans. Why is this topic so important today, and what do you hope the audience will take away from your lecture?
Since I have limited time for the talk, my idea is to tell one or several real stories from clinical practice that reflect the reality of women’s lives in the Balkans – and how they break free from the learned patterns expected of them. I believe that by presenting these stories, I will both show the factual state of our society and help women understand that things can be different.
How important are events like Snaga komunikacije for the development of the communications industry and strengthening the professional community?
Any event that connects people, enables communication, and exposes different perspectives and opinions significantly contributes to the development of society and community. So, thank you for the opportunity to contribute to this gathering in a way that will be useful to everyone.
Woman.Comm Club brings together leaders in the industry – what does such a network mean for the progress of individuals and the entire industry?
I believe in it greatly – as a support system and a space where anyone can find the courage to embark on a fulfilling path, and also learn from those who have already walked it.
