MASTERSON INSTITUTE READING GROUP SERIES – MAY SESSION
Led by Clinical Psychologist Sena Soysal
“The Personality Disorders” – James F. Masterson
READING ANALYST: Clinical Psychologist Sena Soysal
BOOK OF THE MONTH
The May session of the Masterson Institute Turkey Reading Group Series will focus on James F. Masterson’s book “The Personality Disorders.”
Addressing personality disorders such as the narcissistic, borderline, schizoid, antisocial, paranoid, histrionic, and obsessive-compulsive disorders, this book aims to fill the need for a coherent, in-depth, and contemporary definition of the personality disorders. In addition, as Masterson notes, the book reassesses and updates the status of the author’s “developmental self” and “object relations” approach in light of twenty-five years of developments. The book addresses the following questions:
How has the view of the mother’s role in the development of the normal self changed over the past twenty-five years? What is the basis of the challenge that Stern and the attachment theorists have raised against Mahler’s theory? How has this challenge affected Mahler’s theory and the clinical work partly based on it? Should the theory be modified, or should it be disregarded and set aside? What contributions has A. N. Schore’s work on the neurobiology of the self made to this question? Which developmental theorist’s perspective fits which personality disorder?
READING LIST
FORMAT
Online, via the ZOOM platform.
Participants can confirm their registration by completing payment. The ZOOM link will be shared with registered participants via a WhatsApp group.
We expect participants to have read the session’s book before the session. The session will be held in an interactive format designed to create a shared space for thinking together and exchanging ideas. The most important point we would also like to emphasize: please send any questions you may have about the book’s content to our institute via WhatsApp at 0 542 504 22 42 no later than one week before the session.
DURATION AND SCHEDULE
The session will be held on Monday, May 4, 2026, from 8:00 to 10:30 p.m.
PARTICIPATION FEE
The registration fee for the session is 1,000 TL + VAT.
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Clinical Psychologist Sena Soysal
Clinical Psychologist Sena Soysal, who practices on the Asian side of Istanbul, graduated with high honors from the undergraduate program in Psychological Counseling and Guidance at Yeditepe University and completed specialization through a master’s program in Clinical Psychology. During undergraduate studies, Soysal worked actively as a psychological counselor at various counseling centers, schools, and hospitals. Through volunteer projects, Soysal was in continuous contact with children, adolescents, and adults, gaining experience in working with every age group. While serving as training coordinator at Masterson Institute Turkey, Soysal gained diverse insights through various projects. Soysal worked as a psychotherapist at several psychotherapy centers in Ataşehir and specialized in personality disorders, couples and family therapy, and sex therapy. Soysal writes for Psikeart and Psikesinema, prestigious psychology publications in Turkey, and since 2016 has continued to work actively with adolescents and adults as a clinical psychologist at the Mutlu Nutrition and Counseling Center.
For registration and detailed information, you can contact our institute by phone or email:
Training Coordinator Defne Behar
Phone: 0 542 504 22 42
Email: mastersonturkey@gmail.com
4 May 2026, 20:00
Zoom
