My work is driven by one conviction: lasting social change begins with expanding our capacity for empathy.

I am a psychologist, independent researcher, and founder of the Empathy-Based Society Institute in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Throughout my work, I explore one central question: how does normalized violence shape our societies, and what would become possible if we cultivated empathy instead? My research focuses particularly on violence toward non-human animals and children, and how these forms of harm influence culture, institutions, and our collective capacity for empathy.

I have published in respected academic journals and books, including recent collaborations on ethical dilemmas at the intersection of AI, technology, animal killing, and social change.

I believe we have created a world that normalizes violence toward people, animals, nature, and the planet, and built economic systems that depend on it. Neuroscience shows that violence and empathy cannot coexist in the human brain: strengthening empathy suppresses violent responses, while disengaging empathy increases our tolerance for harm. This insight lies at the heart of my work.

In 2024, I founded the Empathy-Based Society Institute, a nonprofit with a global vision. I believe that creating a thriving future for all beings requires more than technological innovation and sustainable investment, it demands a fundamental shift in how we relate to one another, to other animals, and to the living world. Through research, education, collaboration, and public engagement, the Institute advances empathy as a practical foundation for social, economic, and environmental transformation.

My mission is to help place empathy at the center of how we think, lead, educate, innovate, and shape society. By bridging scientific research with real-world action, I bring together psychology, ethics, education, and systems thinking to inspire cultural change and contribute to a more compassionate, just, and sustainable future.

Outside my professional work, my rescue cats, Taxi and Bubica, are a daily reminder of the rich emotional lives, individuality, and sentience of the animals with whom we share the world. They are a personal connection to the questions that also guide my research: how we perceive, value, and relate to other living beings.

You can connect with me on LinkedIn or explore the work of the Empathy-Based Society Initiative here.