Portrait of the WSG member Prof. Dr. Björn Zwingmann

Prof. Dr. Björn Zwingmann

Björn Zwingmann studied psychology in Cologne and worked for a casting agency in Cologne and for an online youth counselling service. After finishing his studies, he worked briefly in clinical research at the university hospital in Düsseldorf and then for ten years as a therapist in the forensic department of a psychiatric clinic, the last few years of which as head psychologist. He received his doctorate with an investigation on Goya's Black Paintings in morphological art coaching with Professor Herbert Fitzek and applies morphological art psychology in exhibition tours and in self-experience groups. Since 2016 he has been working as a psychological psychotherapist and psychoanalyst in Cologne and was a lecturer at the BSP Campus Hamburg. He is a lecturer at the Institute for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy in the Rhineland (IPR) and supervisor for mentalization-based psychotherapy (MBT). Since the winter semester 2018 he is professor for media psychology at the BSP Businessschool Berlin.

Dr Zwingmann, what do you wish for the future of the WSG?
I'll try a wishful thinking hexagram: That within the framework of the WSG one can always make sure of the morphological essentials (appropriation), discussing and agreeing the variety of morphological points of view with each other (arrangement) and developing jointly decided positions on current issues (influence). On the other hand, I hope that the WSG as a forum for discussion will contribute to the lively further development of morphology (reshaping) by jointly exploring new fields of research and application (spreading) and also by critically reflecting one's own concepts and methods (equipping) - also in exchange with and through criticism from outside.

Which area or phenomenon of human life should be morphologically investigated?
There are always new relevant topics, for example, I just remembered: environmental protection, forms of nutrition, sexuality and relationships, political participation. Tomorrow I will certainly think of something completely different.
But it would also be exciting to further investigate the morphology itself, its methods and concepts, e.g. regarding such questions as: What is language from the perspective of morphology? In what sense can morphological research results be "true" or "false"? How are the various transformation problems that have already been identified interrelated?

Through which points of contact did you get to know the psychological morphology?
I came into contact with morphology during my studies (Wilhelm Salber was already emeritus at that time) through a few seminars with Dr. Norbert Endres and Professor Herbert Fitzek. I found it all a bit fascinating, but also very funny, difficult to understand and didn't want to have too much to do with it. After my diploma my study friend Iris Tomiuk (now Blothner) gave me the opportunity to work as a quantitative researcher on a morphological project of Fitzek and Ley. As an onlooker I saw how the morphologists work: I still thought it was kind of crazy, but really exciting. The first Salber book I read was "Der Alltag ist nicht grau" and that really grabbed me. I was then allowed to sit down again - although I no longer studied - in seminars with Dr. Endres (everyday life and fairy tales). Finally I decided to give up my original dissertation project and instead write a morphological dissertation with Prof. Fitzek. But it then took a few more years until I felt that I at least understood Salber's morphology sufficiently well for that.

Which psychological book do you use from time to time?
When it comes to morphology, mostly Herbertitzek's habilitation thesis "Content and form of expressions as access paths to mental reality".
For the psychoanalytic work, for example, "The Abyss of Madness" by George Atwood or something else by a representative of the psychoanalytic intersubjectivity theory.

Which country would you like to visit one day?
Here I would write to India, but on the one hand I am quite afraid of the apparently inevitable gastro-intestinal diseases that afflict travellers there, and furthermore Mr. Bliersbach, who answered the questionnaire before me, answered the same. On the other hand, I can think of nothing better now.

Gestalt and transformation is the central primal phenomenon of psychological morphology: into whom or what would you like to transform yourself for a day?
Either in Hegel, in the hope of understanding him better. Or perhaps in Keith Haring, to see if he was as full of life as his paintings express for me.

Dr. Zwingmann we thank you for your answers.