Case study no. 8: Zola (age 45), Researcher

She is a researcher in one of the Italian universities. She started this work about ten years ago with a very unstable position but was happy to enter such an important institution after a few years of continuous chopping and changing from one company to another. She earned less than before, but she had the opportunity to optimize her position.

After four years she was able to win a fixed-term contract for three years. She was really happy, but in few month there was a disaster; her marriage was complicated and she decided to finish it, meaning more care for the children; then there was trouble with her boss and she had to move to another department. Her brother the died and the sorrow was very heavy for her.

Mrs Hatmanov at that time looked like a “zombie”, started to avoid friends, was irritable and inattentive with the children, and if you spoke to her she would not answer properly or in time. It was good she had an intensive programme with a psychotherapist and the strong support of two friends of hers. Now she is like before, very nice and sympathetic, a very good mother, open and helpful with the students and six months ago she won a full time position at the University.