— Martin, back when you were choosing a profession was psychology a popular choice?

— There was not much demand for the profession of psychology at that time in Malta. Psychology as a science and a profession was still at its inception phase. Of course, there was Dr. Edward Debono, the world renowned founder of Lateral Thinking. There was also Fr. Alfred Darmanin who set up the Psychology Department at the University of Malta. But I was more driven by my desire to pursue a career in a profession that would hopefully provide some answers to the innumerable questions which troubled me, primarily related to the search for the meaning of life and existence and to a better understanding of human behaviour in different situations. I was particularly perplexed by the relationship between a person as an individual and society, the influence which both had on one another. I have always nurtured in me a yearning for human empathy and solidarity and later on this led me to a more person-centred approach as a practicing psychologist.

— Was psychological education back then focusing on something in particular?

— A lot of importance was given to the experimental aspect of the study of human behaviour, hence to the building blocks of human behaviour and the human psyche, namely perception, memory, thinking processes, learning etc. A thorough understanding of these individual processes is important before integrating them together as human personality. The co-existence or, rather, a fusion of the objective reality and the subjective reality has always been very intriguing.

Martin with his wife Victoria and son Sayan who is trying to call his grandma in Tuva.

— You were among the pioneers who founded the psychological support services in Malta, is that right?

— Yes, I have contributed significantly towards the development of psychological services in Malta especially in the realm of state services in mental health and neuro-developmental disabilities. These services, both within the Education Department and the Department of Health are still functioning. In fact they are in the process of further development so as to be able to address the needs of psycho-emotionally challenged persons. The term “psychologist”, obviously, has already existed in Malta, however, the profession of a clinical psychologist was not that well known to the Maltese public.

It is interesting that on my graduation a substantial number of psychologists had also concluded their studies in France, the UK, Italy, Australia. Of course, a psychologist who had studied in Russia was a real novelty back then, but not entirely one, as two years before my colleague Paul Sciberras had actually been the first Maltese psychologist to graduate from a Soviet higher educational institution.

— Do you think there could be an opportunity for cooperation between psychologists from Russia and Malta?

— Definitely. There is a scope of cooperation between Russian and Maltese psychologists in such fields as addiction and neuropsychology.

Martin with his classmates trekking in Alatau mountains, Kazakhstan

— Going back to your student years, what were your most enjoyable moments in Russia?

— When I used to go skiing with my Russian classmates at the University skiing resort at Kavgolovo and when I once spent the summer building a school in Central Russia as a part of a stroyotryad (student construction brigade). Something I will never forget.

— Did you have to learn Russian?

— Yes, I took up the study of Russian language as a challenge. My journey with the Russian language started when I was accepted at the Foundation Faculty of Kiev State University in 1980. I still remember with respect my first teacher of Russian Language, Valentina Vasielevna Bespalenko. Her patience with us, "foreign students", knew no bounds. Mindful and convinced that knowledge of this language will facilitate my study of psychology and open up a whole new world of opportunities of communication I embarked upon the study of the Russian language with all my youthful enthusiasm and interest. That affinity, almost passion, towards the language of Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Leo Tolstoy,Turgenev, Yesenin and Marina Cvetaeva has not ceased at all.

— What doors has the Russian language opened for you?

— It has helped me not only to obtain my professional training but also to keep abreast with research in Russia in this field. Proficiency in the Russian language has put me in an advantageous position to understand and communicate better with Russian-speaking clients as well.

Martin and Victoria on their wedding day, on the frozen Neva River, Leningrad (St. Petersburg)

— And you met your wife in Russia too?

— Yes, me and Victoria met when we were studying in Leningrad in the 1980s. She is a specialist in Turkic studies and a bastion of support for me, both during my student days as well as a spouse.

— As a professional psychologist can you give advice to young mixed couples?

— I come from the Positive Psychology position. For me sustaining a relationship in a multicultural context means being always cognizant of each other's diversity and strengths and celebrating them as much as possible whilst at the same time giving each other opportunities to constantly engage in a process of self development.

— This year we are fighting COVID-19 and there is no guarantee that it will never come back. What, in your opinion, is the lesson we can learn out of this situation?

— This pandemic brought us very close to our own humanity and fragility. It made us realise that we as Homo sapiens are definitely not masters of nature and let alone of the universe but a part of a wider experience to which we need to relate with respect.