Sezercan Ucar

Professor Ucar is a PhD candidate in Human Development with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy at Virginia Tech. He holds an MA in Psychology with a concentration in Couple and Family Therapy from Ozyegin University in Istanbul, Turkey. His teaching, clinical, and research interests include systemic perspectives, therapist development and use of self, couple and family relationships, culturally responsive clinical training, and community-based research. His dissertation examines how the Person-of-the-Therapist Training model prepares master’s-level MFT students to develop and maintain therapeutic alliances. He joins the MFT program at the UCG Campus as Visiting Core Faculty and Clinical Director.

Outside of his academic and clinical work, as a former theater kid, Professor Ucar is an avid film enthusiast and a devoted follower of awards season, rarely missing the opportunity to make predictions and debate the year’s best performances. He also enjoys cooking and experimenting with new recipes, especially when he has an excuse to cook for others.

Selected Publications & Presentations

Shaping the Therapist, Shaping the Field: A Narrative Review of The Person-Of-The-Therapist Training (POTT) Approach. Ucar, S., Russon, J., & Niño, A. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy (2026), 52(4), e70161.

Exploring Mental Health And Bicultural Identity: Through The Photo Lenses of Refugee Youth. Springer, P. R., Ucar, S., Garnett-Deakin, A., Gratopp, E., Franzen-Castle, L., Murad, R., Bue, N., & Zandinan, Z. International Journal of Systemic Therapy,(2026), 37(2), 166–188.