Psychotherapy: Co-experiencing and Jointness Research & Practice

Thematic Section coordinator

Fedor Shankov, PhD Candidate, Free University Berlin: fshankov@gmail.com

Overview

This study group is dedicated to exploring and advancing the integration of Cultural-Historical and Activity Theory (CHAT) into the research and practice of counseling and psychotherapy, with a special focus on the pioneering work of Professor Dr. Fyodor Vasilyuk (www.vasilyuk.com).

Purpose

This section is dedicated to exploring and advancing the integration of Cultural-Historical and Activity Theory into the practice of counselling, psychotherapy, and social transformation with a special focus on the pioneering work of Professor Dr Fyodor Vasilyuk. We will investigate key concepts such as Vygotsky’s "perezhivanie" and Vasilyuk’s co-experiencing, jointness, and psychotechnical methodology. Activities include studying and analyzing Vasilyuk’s works, translating them into other languages, conducting research that links these ideas to contemporary psychological research and practice, and further developing them in modern academic and social contexts. The group aims to create an interdisciplinary dialogue that honors Vasilyuk’s legacy while advancing a unified psychological practice that is both theoretically robust and practically effective.

Expected activities

  • Adapt and apply CHAT concepts such as perezhivanie, Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), jointness, formatting interventions, and meaning-making to contemporary counseling, psychotherapy, and social transformation research and practice.

  • Translate Vasilyuk’s seminal works into multiple languages to broaden accessibility and global impact.

  • Conduct psychotechnical research to bridge CHAT-based theories with modern psychological practices and academic frameworks.

  • Organize regular seminars, workshops, and collaborative forums to share advancements and generate interdisciplinary insights.

  • Produce publications that explore the intersections of CHAT principles, psychotherapy, and broader social applications.

  • Foster a dialogue integrating insights from across ISCAR disciplines and allied fields, enriching cross-disciplinary understanding.

  • Facilitate communication and collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and educators interested in psychotherapy and sociocultural frameworks.

  • Establish interest groups within the ISCAR community to organize symposia, workshops, and other activities, promoting sustainable cooperation.

  • Develop a shared identity among ISCAR members engaged in psychotherapy research and practice, enhancing collaboration and community building.

References

  1. Vasilyuk, F. E. (2015) Coexperiencing psychotherapy as a psychotechnical system. Journal of Russian & East European Psychology, 52(1), 1-58. https://doi.org/10.1080/10610405.2015.1064721

  2. Vasilyuk, F. E. (2016) Semiotics and the technique of empathy. Journal of Russian & East European Psychology, 53(2), 56-79. https://doi.org/10.1080/10610405.2016.1230994

  3. Karyagina, T., & Vasilyuk, F. E. (2018) Dialectics of person and experiencing. In Re-Visioning Person-Centred Therapy (pp. 77-92) Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351186797-6

  4. Vasilyuk, F., Cornelius-White, J., & Shankov, F. (2019) Co-experiencing psychotherapy explained in a dialogue. Person-Centered & Experiential Psychotherapies, 18(2), 166-179. https://doi.org/10.1080/14779757.2019.1618369

  5. Chesnokova, M. (2020) Life-Changing and Coexperiencing Psychotherapy: Comparative Analysis of Approaches. Russia’s Pivot to the East: Achievements, A. Torkunov, 4 Problems, and Prospects D. Streltsov, 66(6), 137. https://publications.hse.ru/pubs/share/direct/528731036.pdf#page=139

  6. Novichkova, A. V. (2024). A Human Through the Prism of Jointness. The Possibility of a General Psychology. Cultural-Historical Psychology, 20(1), 108–118. https://psyjournals.ru/en/journals/chp/archive/2024_n1/Novichkova