Nesrin Hisli Sahin
Baskent University, Turkey
Title: Brain-based, mindfully-managed stress counseling: An interpersonal neurobiology based approach to stress counseling
Biography
Biography: Nesrin Hisli Sahin
Abstract
Interpersonal neurobiology is a current, consilient approach, synthesizing information from disciplines like neurology, psychology, anthropology, sociology, mathematics, sybernetics, physics, arts, contemplative practices and theories of human behavior like psychodynamic, behavioral, humanistic, and cognitive, to explain normal and abnormal behavior. It incorporates issues on brain evolution, bio-psycho-social development, attachment, stress, neurobiology, social cognition, and interpersonal communication. We are in the process of developing a new approach to stress- counseling based on this new approach, named as Brain-Based, Mindfully-Managed Stress Counseling. This is a 10-week psychoeducation program conducted in a group setting (each session is conducted in one and a half hours). The next sessions follow in the mentioned order: the role of the mind in stress and how the mind works, the role of personality in stress and how personality is developed, the importance of communication in stress and the workings of the brain in interpersonal situations, the importance and reality of brain plasticity and its role in the change process, and a wrap-up session with a philosophical, humanistic-existentialistic touch, introducing the role of acceptance and commitment as additional coping strategies. Along the way, during each session a new mindfulness practice is taught and practiced between the sessions. In this speech at the Congress, the details of this new type of stress counseling will be discussed and some preliminary results of pilot studies will be presented.