Professorship of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy

(Vienna, 7 Jan. 2011) On 1 January 2011 Univ. Prof. Dr. Stephan Doering took over the Professorship of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy at MedUni Vienna. At the same time he also became Head of the Department of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy.

With Stephan Doering the appointments committee decided on an expert who attaches great importance to cooperation between the individual specialist disciplines such as medicine and humanities or psychotherapy and neuroscience. Doering is a specialist in psychiatry and neurology, a specialist in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy and also a psychoanalyst. Most recently he worked as a professor of psychosomatics in dentistry at the Westphalian Wilhelm University of Münster. He has completed several research stays at the Personality Disorders Institute of Cornell University, New York.

Together with his team Doering wants to develop and empirically support psychoanalysis as a treatment method. Here the effectiveness of psychoanalytical procedures for treating different psychiatric disorders is scientifically tested and psychoanalytical modifications based on the specific disorder are designed for the treatment of specific mental illnesses. In addition psychoanalytical concepts and theories are studied using neuroscientific methods such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Before his appointment at MedUni Vienna Doering had already cooperated with the Vienna Department of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy – in an international clinical trial which he headed the effectiveness of transference-focused psychotherapy (TFP) for the treatment of patients with borderline personality disorder was proven.

Doering’s previous areas of focus in psychotherapy research – in particular in the diagnosis and treatment of personality disorders – and in basic neurobiological research complement the previous focal points of work at the Department of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy of MedUni Vienna. Doering and his team of researchers are currently working on areas including the development of a specific psychoanalytical therapeutic approach for narcissistic personality disorder, and here there is close cooperation with the Personality Disorders Institute at Cornell University in New York.

Teaching is a particular concern for Doering. Here he wants to bring his students closer to the fascination of psychotherapeutic work, generate enthusiasm for psychoanalysis and win over dedicated young talents for his subject.

Stephan Doering explains: “For me it is a particular honour to represent psychoanalysis at MedUni Vienna with its rich tradition. I want to give my all to ensure that Vienna remains an intellectual centre of psychoanalysis in the future too. With my team I want to help maintain and build on MedUni Vienna’s excellent reputation in the fields of research, teaching and healthcare.“


Short biography:
Univ. Prof. Dr. Stephan Doering, born in 1966 in Rotterdam, studied medicine in Göttingen, Berlin and Jerusalem and in 1994 received his doctorate with magna cum laude at the University of Göttingen. He completed his specialist training at the University of Innsbruck, where, in 2002, he became a professor in the subjects psychotherapy, psychosomatics and medical psychology. Doering is a specialist in psychiatry and neurology, a specialist in psychosomatic medicine and psychotherapy and also a psychoanalyst. From 2004-2010 he worked as a professor of psychosomatics in dentistry at the Westphalian Wilhelm University of Münster. He has completed several research stays at the Personality Disorders Institute of Cornell University, New York.
Doering is Vice President of the Society for the Research and Treatment of Personality Disorders (GePs) and spokesman for the working group on personality disorders in the German Council of Psychosomatic Medicine (DKPM). He has received several research awards and is the editor of two specialist journals. As well as many scientific publications he has also published books on psychiatric disorders in films, among other things.