Prof. Dr. Christian Sell

Research Focus

My research focus is to better understand therapeutic (and other) relationships. Methodologically, I attempt to bring together the hermeneutic strategies of psychoanalysis and empirical methods (such as Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis). I think that it is important to bridge the gap between these traditions in the interest of advancing our understanding of unconscious relationship dynamics. On the one hand, I believe that we must keep refining and reworking the conceptual apparatus of psychoanalysis. On the other hand, I take the combination of quantitative and qualitative methods (mixed method research) to be a promising strategy to foster a more psychodynamic form of psychotherapy and relationship research. On example of the latter would be psychotherapy process research by means of systematic case studies within the context of larger outcome studies (cases-within-trials methodology).

I currently work on the role of medio-passivity in therapeutic relationships, on countertransference and in the inner work of the therapist, on relational dynamics in psychosis as well as on imaginative and intuitive processes in psychodynamic treatments.

Research Focus

since 2021
Medio-Passivity and Psychoanalysis:

Between Activity and Passivity in the Therapeutic Relationship

current publication, commantary (1,2) und reply

since 2021
Inner Working Models in different Schools of Psychotherapy:

Comparative Conceptual Research

In collaboration with Prof. Dr. Timo Storck (Psychological University Berlin) and Prof. Dr. Jana Volkert (Medical School Berlin).

current publication

since 2020
Countertransference and Negative Therapist Behavior:

Antecedents, Dynamics, Consequences

In collaboration with Prof. Dr. Dr. Dorothea Huber (IPU Berlin) and Dr. Matthias Volz (University of Kassel). Partially funded by the International Psychoanalytic Association (IPA).

Current publications (1, 2)

since 2020
Differential Indication of Guided Imagery Psychotherapy (DE-GIP Study):

An RCT with Patient-Component Matching

In collaboration with Prof. Dr. Cord Benecke (University of Kassel), Steffen Müller (University of Kassel) und Prof. Dr. Ulrich Sachsse (Göttingen). Funded by the German Society for Guided Imagery Psychotherapy (DGKIP).

current publication

since 2019
Therapy and Psychodynamics of Patients with Psychotic Symptoms (T3PS Study):

Towards a Psychoanalytic Typology of Psychotic Disorders

In collaboration with Dr. Miriam Henkel (University of Kassel), Dorothea von Haebler (IPU Berlin), Michael Dümpelmann (Göttingen), Martin Ohlmeier (Klinikum Kassel), Knut Schnell (Asklepios Fachklinikum Göttingen), Prof. Dr. Carsten Spitzer (University Medicine Rostock) und Cord Benecke (University of Kassel). Partially funded by the Köhler Foundation.

current publication

2012 to 2017
Effectiveness of Guided Imagery Psychotherapy and Hypnosis Psychotherapy:

A Naturalistic Outcome Study

Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Heidi Möller (University of Kassel), in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Svenja Taubner (Heidelberg University Hospital). Funded by the Austrian Society for Applied Depth Psychology and General Psychotherapy (ÖGATAP).

publication of the central results

Curriculum Vitae
Publications

Open office hours during the lecture period: every Monday, 4-5 pm

Student Supervision for Bachelor’s and Master’s Theses 

I supervise student theses in clinical psychoanalytic theory and in psychotherapy research. I also supervise theses related to epistemology but only if they directly deal with claims about either psychoanalytic knowledge or knowledge about the process and results of psychoanalytically oriented therapy. I am unable to supervise theses which focus primarily on question in the intersection of psychoanalysis with the fields of cultural studies, literary studies, social psychology, or organizational psychology. Students wishing to write such theses should seek other supervisors. 

I receive many requests to supervise student theses (both, as first and second examiner) and therefore prioritize as follows:
 

1. Students writing their thesis in English. 

2. Students who have taken classes with me and who are working in areas in which I have enough expertise to supervise.  

3. Students working in qualitative psychotherapy research. 

4. As my capacity allows, other students working in areas in which I have sufficient expertise. 
    

I do not offer student thesis supervision appointments or conduct oral examinations during the semester breaks.
 

I offer a biweekly seminar for the students whose theses I supervise. The seminar is taught each year during the summer semester, and I strongly recommend that my supervisees attend it. Additional supervision appointments are possible but only if a question has already been asked during the seminar and no sufficient solution has been found.
 

Application procedure: Anyone wishing to have thesis supervised by me should first see me during office hours – ideally, during the winter semester preceding the semester during which you plan to write your thesis. If we can agree on a possible provisional thesis topic, I will ask you to write a short outline (no more than two pages!) of what you plan to do and why. Producing this outline is intended to help you to become clearer on what exactly your research question is and how you are about to approach it. It will also help me make a final decision as to whether I would be a good supervisor for you.
 

[Note: in the past, some students have consulted with several potential supervisors simultaneously, sent them their outlines, received counselling, and decided much later whom they finally wanted to have as their supervisor. Please do not do that! It is rude and it wastes our time. Providing quality supervision is a lot of work as it is. I gladly do it and I am excited to provide guidance to your work, but please be respectful with regard to our time as well! If you wish to write your thesis under my supervision, I will do my best to respond quickly so that you know in time whether it will work out or not and can proceed to consult with other potential supervisors if necessary.]
 

Grading: I use the following set of criteria to grade student theses:
 

Plagiarism. This should go without saying but your thesis must fully adhere to the principles of ethical academic writing – especially with regard to avoiding plagiarism. Plagiarism is presenting work or ideas from another source as your own, with or without consent of the original author, by incorporating it into your work without full acknowledgement. All published and unpublished material, whether in manuscript, printed or electronic form, is covered under this definition, as is the use of material generated wholly or in part through the use of artificial intelligence. Plagiarism can also include re-using your own work (e.g., course essays from classes) without citation. Under the IPU regulations, plagiarism, intentional or not, is a disciplinary offence. If you are unsure about any aspect of ethical writing, refer to Miguel Roig’s excellent text Avoiding Plagiarism, Self-Plagiarism, and Other Questionable Writing Practices which can be accessed here:  

https://ori.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/plagiarism.pdf
 

Style and grammar guidelines: With regard to formatting, style, and referencing, theses under my supervision should follow the guidelines provided in the current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (https://apastyle.apa.org/). Please note: If you are writing a conceptually oriented thesis which does not involve data collection, it is not necessary (in most cases, it would even be ill-advised) to follow the introduction-method-results-discussion subdivision predetermined by the APA manual. If you are writing a theoretical thesis, you can (and probably should) deviate from that part of the manual. All other APA guidelines should still be followed, however.