During her time as a professor, she researched psychodiagnostic decision-making. She formed a bridge between clinical psychology and pedagogy, but also between science and the practicalities of being a psychotherapist. For instance, her dissertation, which led to her doctorate at the University of Utrecht in 1992, looked into how psychotherapists come to their ideas and decisions about the best treatment plan for patients. The theme of clinical decision-making managed to keep her interest for the rest of her life. This is clear from the PhD programmes she supervised and the many articles that she wrote on decision-making. She was especially interested in the distinction between intuitive and rational decision-making strategies, and what role emotions could play in this.
In 2020, Cilia celebrated her retirement with the farewell speech “Diagnostic decision-making” and she said farewell to the university she worked at for many years.
We will remember Cilia as a modest, hardworking woman with clear and strong opinions. Cilia was very loyal to her colleagues and her work. You could always rely on her.
Cilia leaves behind two daughters and a partner.
We send our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all former colleagues at the Faculty of Social Sciences, and we wish them a lot of strength during this difficult time.