Dr. MD Sema BAYÇIN

Dr. Sema Bayçın, MD worked as a specialist physician at Istanbul Bakırköy Mental and Neurological Diseases Hospital between 1987 and 2001. During this period, she served as a psychiatrist in the psychosis and neurosis departments from 1987 to 1992, focusing on individual and group psychotherapy. From 1992 to 2001, she worked in the UMATEM (Inhalant Substance) and AMATEM (Alcohol, Tobacco, and Substance) departments of the same hospital, providing medical and psychotherapeutic treatment to adolescents and adults. Between 1998 and 2001, she also continued her work at the Marriage Counseling and Therapy Center established within the hospital.

Since 2001, Dr. Bayçın has worked as a specialist physician and psychotherapist in various private hospitals and medical centers. She has contributed to training programs as an addiction psychotherapy trainer and supervisor for psychologists in various institutions and projects. In 2015-2016, she participated in the Narrative Therapy Training Program of the Dulwich Center, based in Australia, held in Turkey and earned a certificate of practice in this field. She specializes in child, adolescent, adult, and couples/family therapies.

In 2016, she provided addiction psychotherapy training and supervision to psychologists working in the therapy center within the “A New Me” addiction prevention project, which was carried out in collaboration with Bağcılar Municipality, Bağcılar District Governorship, and the Istanbul Development Agency. In 2018, she served on the Mental Health Services Improvement Commission established by the Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate to contribute to regional health planning. Within this commission, she participated in efforts to improve mental health services at universities, training and research hospitals, and private hospitals.

In 2019, she served as a consultant for the process evaluation of the Psychosocial Support Project for Syrian Children under the Olive Branch initiative, a project in partnership with the International Doctors Association (AID). From 2019 to 2020, she provided supervision and consultancy to psychologists offering addiction counseling and therapy services within the “Own Your Youth and Future” project run by the Çatalca District Governorship. She also participated in training personnel in mobile service units as part of projects aimed at protecting the physical, mental, and social well-being of rural residents and migrants.

Between 1994 and 2000, Dr. Sema Bayçın took part in social responsibility initiatives as a specialist physician and consultant in activities carried out by various NGOs and official institutions for street children. She has participated in numerous national and international research projects and specialized training programs. She has published many scientific articles and has been involved in various social projects in her field.

Publications

1. “Isoniazid Intoxication and Status Epilepticus: A Case Report” – Kamuran Kumral, Vildan, Sema Aytaçlar. Ege University Faculty of Medicine Journal, 1985.

2. “Alcohol Use of Factory Workers” – Dilşad Save Cebeci, Melda Karavuş, Sema Aytaçlar, Osman Hayran. World Health Organization Regional Publications, pp. 56–67, 1995.

3. Turkish Translation of the Same Article: “Fabrika İşçilerinde Alkol Kullanımı” – Dilşad Save Cebeci, Melda Karavuş, Sema Aytaçlar, Osman Hayran. Düşünen Adam Journal, Vol. 10, No. 2, 1997.

4. “Association Between Hyperactivity and Executive Cognitive Functioning in Childhood and Substance Use in Early Adolescence” – Sema Aytaçlar, Levent Kirişçi, Ralph Tarter. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, February 1999.

5. “Addictive Substances” – Duran Çakmak, Kültekin Ögel, Sema Aytaçlar, Ahmet Türkcan, Ümit Yazman. Eminönü Municipality Health Publications No: 1, Istanbul, 2000.

6. “Substance Abuse and Associated Psychosocial Risk Factors Among Turkish Male Adolescents” – Sema Aytaçlar, Murat Erkıran, Levent Kirişçi, Ralph Tarter. Addictive Behaviors, 28 (2003), pp. 1419–1429.

7. “Prevalence of Alcohol Use in Istanbul” – Yıldız Akvardar, Ahmet Türkcan, Ümit Yazman, Sema Aytaçlar, Gül Ergör, Duran Çakmak. Psychological Reports, 2003; 92(3 Pt 2): pp. 1081–1088.

8. “Substance Abuse Amplifies the Risk for Violence in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder” – Murat Erkıran, Havva Özünalan, Cüneyt Evren, Sema Aytaçlar, Levent Kirişçi, Ralph Tarter. Addictive Behaviors, October 2006; 31(10): pp. 1797–1805.

9. “The Factor Analytic Symptom Structure of Manic Episode and Its Relationship with Affective Temperaments” – Murat Erkıran, Gamze Sönmez, Cüneyt Evren, Sema Aytaçlar, Timuçin Oral. Turkish Journal of Psychiatry, Summer 2008; 19(2): pp. 157–166.

10. “Prospective Study of the Association Between Neurobehavior Disinhibition and Peer Environment on Illegal Drug Use in Boys and Girls” – Levent Kirişçi, Ada C. Mezzich, Maureen Reynolds, Ralph E. Tarter, Sema Aytaçlar. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 2009; 35(3): pp. 145–150.

11. “Brain Rehabilitation” (Poster Presentation) – Turan İtil, Sema Bayçın Aytaçlar. 7th National Geriatric Psychiatry Symposium, April 2009.