Description
About the Couch or Face-to-Face Seating in Psychoanalysis? Course
This online Couch or Face-to-Face Seating in Psychoanalysis? course may be applied toward our Certificate of Advanced Study in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy if desired. The course consists of reading Önen Ünsalver et al.’s 2021 article, “The Changeable Positioning of the Couch and Repositioning to Face-to-Face Arrangement in Psychoanalysis to Facilitate the Experience of Being Seen,” published in Frontiers in Psychology.
What may be gained—or reduced—when the patient and analyst can see one another? Traditional psychoanalysis has often emphasized use of the couch, minimizing eye contact and access to facial cues. The authors consider this tradition in relation to contemporary neurobiological research on eye contact, arousal, emotion, and interpersonal experience.
Drawing also on object relations perspectives, the article explores whether couch and face-to-face arrangements may serve different functions for different patients and therapeutic circumstances. Rather than treating one seating arrangement as universally preferable, the authors consider how positioning may be adapted in response to patients’ varying needs and their experience of being seen.
The assigned article is open access and available online without charge.
Article Authors and Course Instructor
The article was authored by Barış Önen Ünsalver, Alper Evrensel, Fatma Duygu Kaya Yertutanol, Mehmet Emin Ceylan, and Aslıhan Dönmez. The authors are psychiatrists and academic clinicians with current or recent affiliations with Üsküdar University and Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, Turkey. Their professional work spans psychiatry, psychotherapy, neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and psychological treatment.
Marylie W. Gerson, Ph.D., selected the article and prepared the course description and learning assessment. Dr. Gerson is a licensed clinical psychologist and Professor Emerita who received her Ph.D. in Psychology from Princeton University. Her professional background encompasses clinical and social psychological research, university teaching, and clinical practice.
CE Credits
This course earns 1 continuing education credit.
The Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Conflicts of Interest or Commercial Support
There is no commercial support or other potential conflict of interest for this program, presentation, or instructor.
Commitment to Diversity and Accessibility
We are committed to respecting diversity in all of its forms, including age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, language, socioeconomic status, religion, and disability. We also strive to make all of our activities accessible to individuals with special needs or disabilities. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns regarding any of our programs.
Sources and Relevance
Our programs and teaching methods are supported by current, empirically-based scientific literature, and are designed to provide continuing education that is relevant to psychological practice, education, and/or research, so that psychologists may maintain and expand their ability to serve the public and contribute to the profession.
Target Audience
Our courses are designed for postdoctoral-level psychologists; this course is an introductory-level course. Mental health professionals, educators, and researchers have a variety of educational backgrounds and needs. If you have questions about whether this course would benefit you or is appropriate for your level of training, please contact us.
Course Schedule
This course will be available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you will be able to pace yourself in a manner that is comfortable for you.
Course Format Summary
The course consists of reading the journal article:
Önen Ünsalver et al. (2021). The changeable positioning of the couch and repositioning to face-to-face arrangement in psychoanalysis to facilitate the experience of being seen. Frontiers in Psychology, 12(718319), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.718319.
The article is open access and available online without charge.
After completing the course materials, participants take an online multiple-choice test. A Certificate of Completion is available upon successful completion of the test.
Cost and Refund/Cancellation Policy
The cost of the course is $14. There are no additional fees. Your satisfaction is important to us. If you are not satisfied with a course, please let us know—we will cancel your order and gladly offer you a full refund.
