Selda Sezen
Adjunct Faculty
I am completing my PhD in the Human Relationships, in the field of Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy, at Martin Luther University College (formerly Waterloo Lutheran Seminary).
I have been interested in studying and teaching social sciences since 1991, and have completed three master’s degrees in disciplines related to human relationships.
I serve as the president of Canadian Muslims Research and Resource Centre (CMRRC), and work as an intern clinical psychotherapist and spiritual care provider at The Delton Glebe Counselling Centre.
I have been serving and acting as an educator, director, outreach coordinator, spiritual care provider, psycho-educational counsellor, and as a chaplain for Muslim women in Ottawa, Kitchener and Waterloo since 2001.
During the past 20 years I have worked with children, young adults, and adults in Turkey and Canada. My interest is in developing psycho-educational therapy sessions and workshops to develop awareness about mental health issues and promote the well-being of individuals, couples, and families. My years of experience and multi-disciplinary education have allowed me to advance in family and child therapy, spiritually integrated psychotherapy, parenting and Muslim counselling studies. My current research focuses on immigrant Muslim mothers' experience of parenting in Canada. I recently completed research on the impact of the Muslim faith on immigrant Muslim mothers’ parenting practices. These studies aim to contribute to the literature on culturally and spiritually diverse parenting practices and provide a cultural and spiritual perspective for therapists who endorse well-being of growing numbers of Muslims in the pluralistic context of Canada.
Research / Areas of Expertise
- family and child therapy
- spiritually and culturally integrated psychotherapy
- faith-based parenting and mental health
- acculturation and trauma
- Wilfrid Laurier University, Graduate Scholarship (2013)
- Beatty Ryckman Trust Scholarship (2014)
- Wilfrid Laurier University, Graduate Students’ Association Scholarship (2015)
- Imperial Tobacco Canada Scholarship (2015)
- Wilfrid Laurier University, Community Psychology Award (2016/2017)
- Coalition of Muslim Women, Women Who Inspire Award, Inspiring Leadership category (2017)
I have served as a teaching assistant and research assistant at Laurier (2012-2014). As a field supervisor, I have supervised and mentored many placement students. I am also willing to supervise undergrad and graduate theses in my field.
- K. Sezen, Selda (1998). Basics of Turkish Grammar. Ankara: Kocatepe Publishing.
- K. Sezen, Selda (1999). Question Bank. Ankara: Kocatepe Publishing.
- K. Sezen, Selda (2001). “A Storyteller of the South: Sevket Bulut.” Yagmur Magazine, 47(9), 13-8.