The Istanbul Neuropsychoanalysis Study Group

In line with our integrative goal to build collaborations between specialists from various schools of thought, scientific disciplines, and cultures, the Istanbul Neuropsychoanalysis Study Group enhanced its national and international activities in 2009. Some of these activities are summarized below:

1. Prof. Mehmet Kerem Doksat, the head of the Evolutionary Psychiatry Studies Group and Director of the Mood Disorders Unit at the Psychiatry Department of Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty of Istanbul University, introduced to our group his studies on evolutionary psychiatry and mind-body issues (keremdoksat.com). The members of our group, who are interested in linking these two fields, may register to the interaction group of Prof. M. K. Doksat and follow his excellent publications and activities.

2. In April, counseling psychologist Filiz çetin from Nisan Psychotherapy Center (nisanpsiko.com) invited Dr. Rise Van Fleet for the continuation of their studies on filial therapy education. Van Fleet gave a workshop on “Filial Therapy with Families with Strong Resistances” and together with çetin they gave a four-day training on “Intensive Filial Therapy.” During these activities, the affective neuroscience related to play therapy and Jaak Panksepp's research on the neuroscientific findings on play therapy were also discussed in detail. We noticed that knowing the neuropsychodynamic results of play therapy encourages the specialists and families to utilize this technique more. Filiz çetin continues to carry out supervisions on filial therapy for specialists in children's mental health.

3. On 18 June, clinical psychologist Fatma Gökçe özkarar from Doku Psychotherapy Center () and Prof. Güler Fişek from the psychology department of Boǧaziçi University hosted Dr. David Pincus, a member of the International Neuropsychoanalysis Society from Ohio, who gave a seminar to the specialists in Istanbul on “Attachment and Separation: The Neuropsychoanalytic Perspective of th