Near-Death Experiences and Past-Life Memories: Inside UVA’s Division of Perceptual Studies with Marieta Pehlivanova, PhD (Episode 168)

Past Life Memories and Life After Death: Scientific Research at UVA

What happens when the University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies applies rigorous psychiatry and neuroscience research to near-death experiences, past-life memories, and the nature of consciousness?

In this episode, Dr. Marieta Pehlivanova, PhD, Research Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, explains what DOPS studies, how the research is conducted, and why it matters for people navigating grief, consciousness, and life-changing experiences.

We explore how near-death experiences are defined and measured in research, the emotional and psychological after-effects many experiencers struggle with, and why cultural stigma still keeps so many people silent.

The conversation then turns to children who report past-life memories, including how cases are investigated, what makes a case verifiable, why many children stop talking about these memories around ages five to seven, and what adult follow-up studies suggest. Dr. Pehlivanova also shares a striking research finding on gender nonconformity in children who report an opposite-sex past life, along with what her team is studying next using lab-based research, memory testing, trauma-related questions, and neuroimaging.

We also address skepticism, academic resistance, and why this research is only recently gaining broader media attention.

Guest Dr. Marieta Pehlivanova, PhD
Research Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences
University of Virginia School of Medicine, Division of Perceptual Studies (DOPS)

Guest Bio:
Marieta Pehlivanova, PhD is a Research Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences within the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. Marieta holds a PhD in Experimental and Cognitive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from American University.

Before transitioning to her current academic research career, Dr. Pehlivanova pursued a career as a biostatistician in a medical research non-profit organization. Her research at the University of Virginia primarily focuses on near-death experiences and children’s reports of purported past-life memories. She is interested in various aspects of these experiences, including cognitive, personality, and genetic factors contributing to their occurrence, veridical perceptions reported by experiencers, their impact on individuals, cross-cultural comparisons, and the development of support resources within healthcare settings for those who have such experiences.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• What UVA’s Division of Perceptual Studies is and why it was founded

• How near-death experiences are defined for research purposes

• Common NDE features, including out-of-body perception, life review, and encounters with deceased loved ones

• Why many experiencers need support after the experience, even when it feels positive

• How DOPS investigates children’s past-life memory reports, and what details matter most

• Why parents can feel distressed, and what helps them feel validated

• A major finding on gender nonconformity in children who report an opposite-sex past life

• What follow-up research shows about kids growing into adulthood

• How research is expanding now, including lab testing, trauma paradigms, neuroimaging, and prevalence studies

  
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• This episode is especially relevant for listeners navigating grief, questioning the nature of consciousness, or seeking evidence-based discussions of mediumship that sit at the intersection of science and spirituality.

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