Understanding people, what drives people, makes them tick and do what they do underpins psychology. From childhood and right through to adulthood, our lives are shaped by our thoughts. Our Alison Publisher Spotlight shines on founder of PsyNOMAD, İlbey UÇAR. He spoke to us about the value of psychology across different fields and how he’s designed his courses to ensure that these services are available to all, regardless of their economic level.

Publishing on Alison

Please share with our learners a bit about your background.

I grew up in Turkey. Since childhood, I have had a serious inclination to understand people and solve people’s problems. That’s why psychology has always been my main area of ​​interest. 

I completed my psychology undergraduate and psychology graduate education in Turkey. Currently, I am doing my PhD on Sports Psychology in Movement and Training Sciences at Istanbul Gelişim University, one of the most prestigious universities in Istanbul. 

I’ve always wanted to work as a psychologist in the private sector instead of being a civil servant. This is because I like the routine and non-innovative lifestyle. I chose to work in the private sector in order to improve myself and be beneficial to humanity, and I worked this way until the start of the 2019 pandemic. 

My professional interests have developed on psycho-social development of disadvantaged groups, supporting discriminated groups with education, disabled people, and special education areas.

You founded PsyNOMAD. Please tell us more about your company.

I decided to start my own business while working in the private sector during the pandemic. Providing psychological education in Turkey involves a costly and difficult process. You may need the support of public and private institutions, and even the support of politicians and politicians when appropriate. The best way to do this was to provide services for people who could access my training online. 

By establishing my company, I aimed to share my professionalism in the online education sector with other people in need. I started to serve on many online platforms and my training was valued and encouraged by Alison. This made me very happy because it was very important that the Alison was aligned with my motto; “democracy in education, free access to education for all”. 

I currently have a team of about 13 people, with the support of Alison, and we are passionate about making better training day by day. PsyNOMAD is currently located in Turkey, but we are planning to establish a new company in Ireland in the next 3 years.

You’ve published on Alison for several years. What made you decide on publishing on this platform?

I was planning to produce useful training for many people by reaching more people at an affordable price in the online education sector. One day I was contacted by the Alison and offered an opportunity to partner with them and publish on the platform. 

Alison was officially the partner of my dreams. They were targeting individuals who really need education with free training. I immediately accepted the offer and we have been working together for about 2-3 years.

What lessons or takeaways have you learned as a self-publisher on Alison?

I learned a lot of lessons from Alison like E-Learning theory courses, software courses, child development and psychology courses. I even signed up for a few courses I was curious about. 

I think the most important feature of Alison courses is that they do not force people into certain professions. The online education sector has recently started to provide the same person the chance to receive training in more than one profession. Alison offers this in the best and free way. I also use Alison courses to train my employees for free and I am very satisfied

What words of advice would you give someone who would like to become a publisher on Alison?

First, they have to be patient, disciplined, and unconditionally trust Alison. Alison offers the best support and facilities for both students and publishers. If the company thinks that a business needs to be developed, I think it’s important for publishers to be compatible. It is their work as a true business partner to show responsibility towards Alison and to carry out their business professionally. In addition, it will be to their advantage to be transparent in everything they do. Moreover, sharing their plans for broadcasting processes with the company frequently will prevent them from overcoming problems that they cannot foresee.

Psychology and Cognitive Therapy

You have a psychology background. Can you share with us why understanding psychology is important?

As humans, we are social beings and social interaction is a very important lifelong process for us. We need the science of psychology to understand this process and react properly. Psychology has important purposes such as understanding, controlling and predicting human behavior. That’s why we need psychology not only as professionals, but as human beings.

You have several courses on cognitive therapy. Please explain what it is, who should use it and what its benefits are.

The purpose of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is to enable the person to analyze and recognize the behavioral process, and to make his thoughts and reactions to different situations more useful to himself. It is applied to individuals with psychological disorders such as anxiety disorders, panic attacks, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders, obesity, and PTSD.

What are some misconceptions about psychology and therapy?

• “No matter what you go for, every therapy is the same!”

Yes, the first one or two sessions can be similar because here the person tries to share and resolve their concerns about privacy and trust. Apart from that, therapy is completely dependent on the therapist. The differences in terms of age, awareness and development of the person who will receive the therapy will change the direction of the therapy.

• “How is sitting and talking going to solve my problems!”

Simply put, yes, talking doesn’t solve problems. On the other hand, psychotherapy is not just talking. Therapists are trained in the art of language and will engage in purposeful conversations about your concerns with your goals in mind. If you are in therapy and it seems to you that you are just talking, it means that you did not see that the therapist is trying to solve the root of your problems in this cleverly constructed conversation, that he is actually brainstorming with you for a solution.

• “I have enough peers in my social life. They support me, I do not benefit from therapy!”

Support from the social environment certainly has a huge impact on incoming mental health. Even therapists strive to establish a social support mechanism in therapy. However, therapy does not end when we make these connections. Your loved ones are not trained professionals. Psychotherapists are trained in the art of listening, problem-solving, and taking a non-judgmental, neutral stance.

• “Crazy people go to therapy!”

This is the most disturbing yet common misconception about therapy. This image of therapy is rather distorted: just because we care about our health and need therapy doesn’t mean we’re crazy. On the contrary, it means that we accept that there is a problem and that we are brave enough to ask for help. 

This discriminatory approach may cause real symptoms to go unnoticed and worsen the situation.

• “All therapists do is do this, do this, do that!”

A good therapist will often avoid giving advice because what they really want to do is strengthen your free decision-making. A skilled therapist will try to help you make decisions on your own so that you use your own ideas, not his, to manage your problems. It empowers you with your decisions, so you don’t feel lonely and exhausted in difficult decisions.

• “Always take medicine!”

Specialties vary when it comes to mental health. If you are considering a medicated recovery, the person you need will be a psychiatrist. Speech therapy can be provided by psychologists, counselors, or social workers. In most cases, talk therapy is the first suggestion for recovery. The need for medication will be a decision you and your therapist will make, given the severity and urgency of the situation, and your situation. No one will force you to take medicine or try to convince you that once you take medicine everything will be okay.

How have your courses empowered your students?

My courses support students with videos and articles that combine theoretical and practical information. While creating the contents of this course, I have prepared the most important research and effective studies in the world. In general, my courses aim to cover different topics and subject diversity. It shows that in addition to popular topics, I also target topics that people really need but that are out of sight. I aim to launch the courses in parallel with the free, effective and useful training process, which is one of the goals of Alison company. I get feedback on many platforms that my courses are really helpful, and that makes me really happy.

What are some key takeaways students will gain from taking your courses?

• To have a detailed and general knowledge of early childhood development.
• Understanding and benefiting from how deep the science of psychology is.
• Understanding the importance of being a good mother and a good father from a child’s early years to adulthood.
• Expanding professional knowledge for field workers.

Why should people be invested in continuing/furthering their studies?

People generally see the education they have received in their university life as sufficient. However, this alone is never enough. It’s about investing in their own knowledge and professional knowledge. The ability to analyze gives complex thinking skills by considering various factors. The main facts that will distinguish them from other people are the development of their analytical and thinking skills. And they must do this as a lifetime improvement, not just for a few years of their life.

Can someone who isn’t pursuing a career in psychology take your courses?

Of course anyone can take my courses. My courses aim to develop the knowledge and skills of everyone. My courses are aimed not only at those who aim to develop themselves professionally, but also everyone who is interested in psychology and early childhood or who aims to solve the problems they experience.

Is there a difference in approach or therapy techniques between child psychology and adult psychology?

Children’s ways of expressing their feelings and thoughts are much more unique. While some children can express themselves verbally well, others may not be able to express themselves verbally well. For example; while we can analyze a child with insufficient verbal skills or who prefers to express their feelings more artistically with the “draw a picture” test, it may seem pointless to apply this to an adult.

Is there a difference between child psychology and adult psychology in terms of approach or therapy techniques?

As adults complete a significant part of their psychological, social and biological developmental period, they may be more skilled in expressing themselves and participating in the therapy process. For this reason, there are important differences between child psychology and adult psychology in terms of therapy techniques or therapy approaches, and this difference should exist.

How does psychology affect us personally and professionally?

Psychologically important when we engage in social interaction. How we host other people, how we behave, and which one we display is formed by the influence of psychological science.

•  Psychology helps you understand relationships

Psychology education doesn’t necessarily make you healthier, but psychology education does offer you more knowledge and understanding of personal, family, and professional relationships. This means that studying psychology will definitely allow you to solve any relationship problems that you or anyone in your information circle may have.

• Psychology helps develop critical thinking skills.

Psychology, with the help of the methods taught during this residency, focuses heavily on how to think critically. Critical thinking is one of the most important methods of thinking. This type of thinking helps in all areas of life, especially in the areas of education, and this type of thinking greatly helps you develop yourself and show your best talents and abilities.

• Psychology offers more employment opportunities.

Contrary to popular belief that psychology doesn’t offer you many job opportunities, psychology graduates actually have great job opportunities and more! If you are studying psychology, you will be required to work in many fields such as law, social work, education, business and many other professions. 

• Psychology is one of the most influential fields in the workplace.

Organizational industrial psychology focuses on understanding the human nature of those working in the workplace. Knowledge of human behavior is the most important focus when it comes to presenting a work. Your knowledge of the basics of psychology makes you a more important employee/manager in the business world.

How does one know if they, or their child, needs to consult in therapy?

Every person can experience mental and emotional problems at some point in his life. It may be difficult to make connections between events, or the person may not be able to make a sound decision in his attempt to choose the right option for himself. It is inevitable in our daily lives to have fluctuating moods and fluctuations in our changing moods in interaction with our environment. However, in some cases, there are situations that the person cannot resolve on their own and needs support. At this point, you can get therapy services from psychologists or psychotherapists.

Some of the events we experience in our lives can affect us deeply, sometimes we experience this situation with intense emotions and sometimes we forget it without realizing it, but our unconscious continues to record the events. Many situations that we think we are not affected spiritually can sometimes lead to traumatic results. As time passes, our body responds to us with the accumulations we experience spiritually. The process begins with the individual’s awareness of himself or being guided by his environment, becoming aware of his problems, and the desire to solve the troubled situation that he cannot get out of.

PsyNOMAD

What feedback have you received from learners about your course?

Students always find my courses practical. One of the most frequently given feedbacks is the diversity of topics and the inclusion of detailed information on the subject in the training. 

Can you tell our readers about some of your courses and why they should enroll for them?

In my course titled “Child Psychology Socialization and Adaptation to School“, I wrote about how families can adapt their children to school during early childhood. This training is not only for families but also for the professionals in the field. Because I tried to convey the reactions of children against school in the early period from the perspective of psychology. Here, there is scientific background and general information and practices for the students who will enroll in the course.

In the online training titled “Child Development: Toilet Training“, I cover toilet training in early childhood on the basis of in-depth knowledge. Many people tend to take a strict stance on toilet training of children. This is the most important stage of human development. That’s why I highly recommend this course to my students to understand toilet training and understand the important factors involved in it.

What advice can you give someone who’s taking your courses to succeed?

The courses are prepared in a balanced way with lecture notes and videos. In order to be successful in their education, I recommend them to watch the videos and take their own short notes. However, I recommend that they do it again and take notes over the lecture notes shared in the training.

What has been your most important lesson or discovery when it comes to psychology and/or therapy?

When it comes to psychology, what impressed me the most was the theory of information processing, which is the foundation of cognitive therapies. Information processing theories are a psychological theory that examines learning from a cognitive perspective. It was introduced in 1956 by the American Cognitive Psychologist George Armitage Miller. It examines the journey of knowledge between sensory, short and long memory. Because this theory is the most perfect example of our life. It is one of the most valuable theories that point to your yesterday, today and tomorrow!

Students learn from their teachers/tutors. Any lessons you have learned from your students?

I have been working in the online education industry for about 3 years. The most important thing students have taught me is, “Forget the best thing you thought you did, because you have the potential to do better.” I’ve never heard anything else that made me so happy and motivated, even from my academic advisors! My students know that producing and sharing knowledge is always valuable.

What can Alison and its learners look forward to from you in the coming year to two?

Alison and my students will see many issues affecting people around the world in my courses in the years to come. Although I plan to make these specifically for early childhood, I also plan to produce them in different fields. The pandemic has passed, but its effect still continues. As humanity, we must be more prepared for the next one. I think there are two issues that will affect humanity the most right now: the economic recession and the issues of war will significantly affect our lives. Therefore, I will consider these topics in my courses. In addition, they will learn about many issues that affect our current lives with great enthusiasm.

Any last words, advice, or wisdom you’d like to share with our learners?

Unless you increase your own level of knowledge and dominate your knowledge, you cannot discover yourself. A little headache, a little effort, and a little patience will get you in a much better place than you expected. And always TRUST YOURSELF.