Lacanian view of the ambiguous loss: The Signal series review Ilçim Yildiz, Nagihan Bekçi Gökçeoğlu, Faruk Gençöz International Forum of Psychoanalysis, 2025 The Signal is a four-episode Netflix series categorized as science fiction and drama, directed by Sebastian Hilger and Philipp Leinemann. The series begins with the story of Paula, a successful scientist, returning to Earth after her mission at the International Space Station. Paula’s husband Sven and daughter Charlie eagerly await Paula’s return to Earth, but there is no news from Paula after her return. This situation puts Charlie in an uncertain situation and affects the mourning process. The analysis of Charlie’s grief in The Signal illustrates the practical application of these theoretical constructs, particularly Lacan’s perspective. Her initial denial and idealization of her mother, followed by a gradual reconciliation with her loss, demonstrate the journey from the Real to the Symbolic. This analysis demonstrates the applicability of Lacan’s theory of three orders to contemporary media analysis.
A psychoanalytic review of “Sick of Myself” Didem Saraç, Nagihan Bekçi Gökçeoğlu, Faruk Gençöz Scandinavian Psychoanalytic Review, 2025 Kristoffer Borgli’s, 2022 film ‘Sick of Myself (Syk Pike)’ has made quite an impact. Despite considered disturbing by viewers, this film has been widely watched and has received numerous awards. This situation raises the question of what makes this film so appealing. In this study, how psychoanalysis and Lacanian psychoanalytic theory began to be used in film analysis is discussed. Following this, ‘Sick of Myself’ is analyzed within the framework of Lacanian psychoanalytic theory by examining theories of narcissism, aggressivity, gaze, and phantasm in detail. Finally, in light of all this information, the reasons why this film is both disturbing and captivating at the same time are discussed.
Surface and Latent Meanings in Male’s Suicide Notes: A Two-Legged Qualitative Study Fazilet Canbolat, Faruk Gençöz Omega United States, 2023 This study aims to investigate the phenomenon of suicide, which is a global health problem, by utilizing suicide notes. Our main concern in this article is to understand why a person leaves suicide notes before committing suicide; indeed, this question may shed light on particular personal characteristics of the note-leavers. 12 documents containing suicide notes, belonging to Turkish males, were obtained from Prosecutor office. By using an inductive and interpretative method, firstly, we conducted a semantic level analysis; and subsequently, we deeply analyzed the data by conducting latent level analyses from a Lacanian point of view. At the end of this cumulative process, we labelled the latent themes as ‘ambivalence of emotions’, ‘issues associated with separation’ and ‘issues associated with the Law’. Within the scope of those findings, a diagnostic discussion was provided. This discussion designated a picture of narcissism in addition to a psychotic structure, specifically paranoia.
The Experience of Disgust in Women Exposed to Domestic Violence in Turkey Seray Akça, Faruk Gençöz Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2022 In trauma, fear as a basic emotion that evokes avoidance after exposure to a traumatic event is important for posttraumatic process. Another emotion causing avoidance is disgust. Despite the fact that disgust also plays an important role in trauma, there is limited information about how it is experienced during and after exposure to the traumatic event. In this study, the aim was to understand how women experience disgust during and after domestic violence, as a prolonged and repeated traumatic experience, and how they try to cope with disgust evoking situations in this process. For this aim, qualitative methodology was used. With purposive sampling, six women exposed to domestic violence including physical, verbal and sexual abuse were interviewed. With each woman, approximately seven semi-structured interviews were completed. Forty-one interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Data was analyzed by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. At the end of the analysis, three superordinate themes, namely, experience of perpetrator-directed disgust with gustatory expressions of moral disgust and association of disgust in domestic abuse to daily life experiences; experience of self-disgust with two themes of internalization of assault without awareness and contamination by sexual abuse; coping with disgust in domestic violence with four subthemes, namely, avoidance from perpetrator, reidentification of the perpetrator with substitutive identity, alienation from self, reidentification of self with new relationships were constructed. Results showed that disgust is experienced in a repressed way as a result of the aversive nature of traumatic experience. The results were evaluated in psychological, social and cultural contexts. Their implications for understanding disgust in domestic violence were discussed.
Traces of the unconscious in language M. Zuhal Bilik, Eylül Ceren Hekimoğlu, Faruk Gençöz Language and Psychoanalysis, 2021 The significance of language in clinical practice first emerged with the Anna O. case, a study by Freud. Lacan went on to support Freud’s findings. Through the Back to Freud movement, Lacan proved language to be crucial from theoretical and clinical perspectives. According to Lacan, the name of the father in the language used by the mother functions as a signifier for the mother’s desire. It corresponds to the first repression and enters the symbolic register. It refers to Lacan’s famous statement ‘Unconscious is structured like a language’. As such, in his theory, Lacan actively uses the concepts of signifier, signified, metaphor and metonymy and offers new interpretations of these concepts. Therefore, to study the unconscious, working with language is the main method. However, because of repression, the unconscious can only be studied through the traces it shows in language. In this article, traces of the unconscious in language are explained using clinical examples. Clarifications are provided as to how traces of the unconscious can be studied analytically.
The importance of mothers' self cohesion when their children diagnosed were with cancer Sema Yurduşen, Canan Akyüz, Faruk Gençöz Klinik Psikiyatri Dergisi, 2020 Kanser tanısı almış bir çocuğa sahip olmanın anneler \nüzerinde muazzam etkileri vardır. Genelde anneler \nduygularını “bir parçamı kaybediyormuşum gibi” \nşeklinde tanımlarlar. Bu travmatik deneyimin annelerin \npsikolojileri üzerindeki etkilerini anlamak için \nkendilik/kendilik bütünlüğü deneyimleri olarak anılan \npsikanalitik açıklamalar dikkate alınmalıdır. Bu çalışmada \nöyküsel sorgulama ve öyküsel analiz yöntemi kullanılarak \nkarşılaştırmalı vaka analizi yapılmıştır. Çocukları kanser \ntanısı almış iki anne ile yaşadıkları travmatik deneyimler \nve bunların kendilik-kendiliknesnesi ihtiyaçları ile ilişkisi \nkonusunda görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Çocuğu kanser tanısı \nalmış tüm anneler bu travmatik deneyimden aynı \ndüzeyde etkilenmemektedir. Annelerin geçmiş ve şu \nandaki kendiliknesnesi aktarımlarını anlamak klinisyene \ndoğru kişiye müdahale emesi için yardımcı olacaktır. \nAnnelerin yaşadığı stresi psikanalitik bakış açısı ile ele \nalmak ve bu düzeyde müdahale etmek sadece annelerin \niyilik halini yükseltmeyecek aynı zamanda çocukların ve \ndaha büyük ölçekte de toplumun iyilik haline katkıda \nbulunacaktır.
Women's experiences of group intervention with schema therapy techniques: A qualitative process analysis Sevda Sarı, Faruk Gençöz Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 2019 Abstract Aims Our study focused on a self‐soothing system and analysed how women feeling shame experienced compassion‐focused group intervention with schema therapy techniques. Group schema therapy, which is process‐oriented and person‐oriented (Farrell & Shaw, 2012), inspired us to combine schema therapy techniques with Compassionate Mind Training in the interventions for this study. Methods Data were collected through the programme that comprised 2‐hr sessions over a period of 10 weeks and self‐compassion and self‐criticism diaries of women. Analysis Data analysis was conducted according to the phases of thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Twenty hours of group sessions (2 hr per session) and follow‐up sessions were audio recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyse 26 hr of group intervention and follow‐up sessions and also women's self‐compassion and self‐criticism diaries, to understand how shame‐prone women experienced change process. Findings Thematic analysis of the group sessions yielded two superordinate themes: overcoming the threat of compassion and the process of change. Overcoming the threat of compassion was divided into three subthemes; fear of self‐compassion, the difficulty of accessing the vulnerable child side, and feeling anger at others and self. The process of change involved two subthemes; the feeling of acceptance, and recognising self‐compassion and its sources in the self. When the women could access their self‐soothing system, they could better understand the needs of their vulnerable child side and address these needs by transferring the emotions of compassion to their vulnerable child side.
Shame experiences underlying depression of adult Turkish women Sevda Sarı, Faruk Gençöz Qualitative Health Research, 2016 Shame is a major component of many mental health problems and affects symptoms, coping styles, remission, and therapeutic ruptures. There are few qualitative studies aimed at understanding shame and its role for patients diagnosed with depression. In this research, we explored the origins of shame, and the coping strategies that patients diagnosed with depression employ to cope with shame. This qualitative research aimed at an in-depth analysis of shame experiences of adult women who had been diagnosed with depression and treated with cognitive behavioral psychotherapy in a Women Health Center in Turkey. Purposive sampling yielded nine high shame prone adult women who were married and had children. Four semi-structured interviews were conducted with each of the nine participants, and 36 semi-structured interviews were analyzed by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. According to the results of the analysis, four themes emerged. These were “substitution of rage for the feeling of shame and unworthiness,” “perfection struggle to overcompensate the belief of being inadequate,” “feeling shame for their own body and sexual acts,” and “need for individuation.” The results were interpreted by considering the social context and culture of Turkey, and the clinical implications were discussed.
Acculturation and suicidal behavior in college students Acculturation Psychology Processes and Global Perspectives, 2014
Sanal Dünyanın Çekim Gücü: Sosyal Medya Bağımlılarının Deneyimlerinin Yorumlayıcı Fenomenolojik Analiz ile Araştırılması D Aktaş, F Canbolat, F Gençöz Akademisyen Yayınevi Kitap DOI Portalı , 2025 2025
A psychoanalytic review of “Sick of Myself” D Saraç, NB Gökçeoğlu, F Gençöz The Scandinavian Psychoanalytic Review 48 (2), 117-122 , 2025 2025
Lacanian view of the ambiguous loss: The Signal series review I Yildiz, N Bekçi Gökçeoğlu, F Gençöz International Forum of Psychoanalysis, 1-8 , 2025 2025
Bilirkişi Raporu (Ayşe Elif Yavuz Şeker) A Durak Batıgün, S Uluç, F Gençöz 2025
Daha Sağlıklı Olmak için Ne Yapmalı? Yeme Davranışını Düzenlemeye Etki Eden Faktörler ÖÜGZ ÇENESİZ, F GENÇÖZ 2025
Bağımlılık F Gençöz, S Uçar, E Özcan 2024
The issues with psychoanalytic supervision in clinical psychology: Evaluations, criticisms, and recommendations D Aktaş, F Kartal, F Gençöz AYNA Klinik Psikoloji Dergisi 11 (1), 38-51 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
The Experience of Separation: From Mother-Child to Woman MZ Bilik, F Gençöz INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 58, 180-180 , 2023 2023
Can We Distinguish Guilt Proneness and Shame Proneness?: Therapeutic Suggestions E Inan, F Gençöz AYNA Klinik Psikoloji Dergisi 10 (3), 562-588 , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
Surface and latent meanings in male’s suicide notes: A two-legged qualitative study F Canbolat, F Gençöz OMEGA-Journal of death and dying 86 (3), 930-944 , 2023 2023 Citations: 5
Beden modifikasyonunun dövme yaptırma davranışı üzerinden psikanalitik tartışması D Çelik, F Gençöz 2022
Sosyal Medya Bağımlılarının Kurallarla ve Sınırlarla İlişkisi Üzerine Nitel bir Araştırma D Aktaş, F Canbolat, F Gençöz AYNA Klinik Psikoloji Dergisi 9 (3), 656-680 , 2022 2022 Citations: 1
The experience of disgust in women exposed to domestic violence in Turkey S Akça, F Gençöz Journal of interpersonal violence 37 (15-16), NP14538-NP14563 , 2022 2022 Citations: 14
Fetiş nesnesinin fallus ile ilişkisi üzerine bir inceleme S Ergün, EC Hekimoğlu, F Gençöz AYNA Klinik Psikoloji Dergisi 9 (2), 332-350 , 2022 2022 Citations: 7
Lacanyen psikanalizde eyleme dökme: Bir vaka örneği D Can, SU Özsoy, F Gençöz AYNA Klinik Psikoloji Dergisi 9 (1), 259-278 , 2022 2022 Citations: 6
Fetiş Nesnesinin Fallus ile İlişkisi Üzerine Bir İnceleme F Gençöz, S Ergün, EC Hekimoğlu ODTÜ-AYNA Klinik Psikoloji Destek Ünitesi , 2022 2022
Korku filmlerine analitik bir bakış: İlgi görme nedenleri ve izleyici üzerindeki temsilleri üzerine bir inceleme B Ay, EC Hekimoğlu, F Gençöz AYNA Klinik Psikoloji Dergisi 8 (3), 357-375 , 2021 2021 Citations: 1
The Relationship Among Punitiveness, Responsibilty And Psychological Growth Aftermath Trauma M Topcu, F Gençöz null , 2021 2021
The reaction times toward these emotional facial expressions in alcohol dependent inpatients P DURSUN, G GÜLSEREN, R BALKAN, D ÇAKMAK, F GENÇÖZ Alpha Psychiatry 10 (Supplement 1), 71-71 , 2021 2021 Citations: 1
Traces of unconscious in language MZ Bilik, EC Hekimoğlu, F Gençöz Language and Psychoanalysis 10 (1), 27-35 , 2021 2021 Citations: 8
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Are happy people healthier? The specific role of positive affect in predicting self-reported health symptoms JW Pettit, JP Kline, T Gencoz, F Gencoz, TE Joiner Jr Journal of Research in Personality 35 (4), 521-536 , 2001 2001 Citations: 225
Stress generation in depression: Three studies on its resilience, possible mechanism, and symptom specificity TE Joiner, LR Wingate, T Gencoz, F Gencoz Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 24 (2), 236-253 , 2005 2005 Citations: 149
The cognitive, emotional, and social impacts of the September 11 attacks: Group differences in memory for the reception context and the determinants of flashbulb memory O Luminet, A Curci, EJ Marsh, I Wessel, T Constantin, F Gencoz, M Yogo The Journal of General Psychology 131 (3), 197-224 , 2004 2004 Citations: 130
Can positive emotion influence problem-solving attitudes among suicidal adults? TE Joiner Jr, JW Pettit, M Perez, AB Burns, T Gencoz, F Gencoz, MD Rudd Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 32 (5), 507 , 2001 2001 Citations: 110
Suicidality, problem-solving skills, attachment style, and hopelessness in Turkish students EY Zeyrek, F Gençöz, Y Bergman, D Lester Death studies 33 (9), 815-827 , 2009 2009 Citations: 103
The relative specificity of excessive reassurance-seeking to depressive symptoms and diagnoses among clinical samples of adults and youth TE Joiner, GI Metalsky, F Gencoz, T Gencoz Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment 23 (1), 35-41 , 2001 2001 Citations: 101
Hierarchical dimensions of coping styles: A study conducted with Turkish university students F Gençöz, T Gençöz, Ö Bozo Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal 34 (5), 525-534 , 2006 2006 Citations: 91
The effects of basketball training on the maladaptive behaviors of trainable mentally retarded children F Gençöz Research in developmental disabilities 18 (1), 1-10 , 1997 1997 Citations: 85
Use of cinematherapy in dealing with relationship problems İS Eğeci, F Gençöz The Arts in Psychotherapy 53, 64-71 , 2017 2017 Citations: 78
Uyum psikolojisi F Gençöz Kriz Dergisi 6 (2) , 1998 1998 Citations: 75
Specificity of information processing styles to depressive symptoms in youth psychiatric inpatients T Gençöz, ZR Voelz, F Gençöz, JW Pettit, TE Joiner Journal of abnormal child psychology 29 (3), 255-262 , 2001 2001 Citations: 56
UMUTSUZLUK, ÇARESİZLİK VE TALİHSİZLİK ÖLÇEĞİ'NİN TÜRK ÖRNEKLEMİNDE GÜVENİRLİK VE GEÇERLİK ÇALIŞMASI F Gençöz, S Vatan, D Lester Kriz Dergisi 14 (1), 21-29 , 2006 2006 Citations: 52
Psychometric properties of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and other physician-rated psychiatric scales for the assessment of depression in ESRD patients undergoing … F Gençöz, T Gençöz, A Soykan Psychology, health & medicine 12 (4), 450-459 , 2007 2007 Citations: 37
The relation of self-hatred and suicidality in people with schizophrenia-spectrum symptoms TE Joiner Jr, F Gencoz, T Gencoz, GI Metalsky, MD Rudd Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment 23 (2), 107-115 , 2001 2001 Citations: 37
A review of the literature on emotional facial expression and its nature P Dursun, M Emül, F Gençöz Neuropsychiatric Investigation 48 (3), 207-215 , 2010 2010 Citations: 32
Sinematerapinin Mükemmeliyetçilik ve Mükemmeliyetçilikle Ilgili Semalar Üzerindeki Etkisi BT Aka, F Gençöz Türk Psikoloji Dergisi 25 (65), 69 , 2010 2010 Citations: 28
Psikolojik dayanıklılığı nasıl ölçebiliriz?: bir Türk örnekleminde Kişisel Görüşü Ölçeği II’nin geçerlik-güvenirlik çalışması İ Motan, F Gençöz Kriz Dergisi 17 (1), 1-11 , 2009 2009 Citations: 28
A brief research note: Helplessness, hopelessness, and haplessness as predictors of suicidal ideation: A cross-cultural study F Gençöz, S Vatan, R Walker, D Lester OMEGA-Journal of death and dying 57 (3), 315-318 , 2008 2008 Citations: 25
Hopelessness and suicidality in Turkish and American respondents F Gençöz, S Vatan, RL Walker, D Lester OMEGA-Journal of death and dying 55 (4), 311-319 , 2007 2007 Citations: 24
Differential roles of depressive and anxious symptoms and gender in defensiveness TE Joiner, NB Schmidt, DR Lerew, JH Cook, T Gencoz, F Gencoz Journal of personality assessment 75 (2), 200-211 , 2000 2000 Citations: 22