I was born in Istanbul in 1973. My mother is Turkish and father is American. I had a whirlwind childhood and school life between moving back and forth between the USA and Turkey, of course with its many ups and downs. Until I was 13, I went to the International Community School for only foreign children in Istanbul, which until then I did not speak any Turkish; however, later when I ended up in a full Turkish speaking private high school, I had no other choice but to learn the language. In 1991, after graduating from Eseniş High School, I went to the USA to attend college/university but for various reasons I took a 5-6 year break until the 1999 Marmara Earthquake. During this time, I worked as a tour guide, travelled the world, and ended up as a translator/field worker at the earthquake epicenter with no prior experience. In the year 2000, I went back to the USA, returned to university and continued where I left off from.

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Between my bachelor's (psychology), master's (counseling psychology - marriage and family therapy) and my doctorate (clinical health psychology) I complete all of my professional trainings, internships, and supervisions - as dictated by the state board of behavioral sciences - and returned to Turkey while working on my doctoral thesis. In 2006-2008 I started working at Girne American University and completed my thesis titled 'Breast Cancer Awareness and Breast Self-Examination in Northern Cyprus: Examining Breast Cancer Knowledge Levels and Breast Self-examination Practices among Young Adults Under the Age of 35' which was one of the first studies to have been done on the island. In 2009, I went back to the USA to defend my thesis and after graduation, I had all of my diplomas verified by the Turkish Ministry of Higher Education as equivalent to their system. Between 2010 - 2013 I taught part-time in various universities in Istanbul and during these years, I opened my own counseling center/clinic in Etiler, Istanbul. In 2013 I moved to the TRNC. As my academic career started in the USA with various teaching and research assistantships, it continued until today as full time faculty along with a variety of administrative positions like department head and faculty vice dean at various universities in Turkey and in the TRNC. Currently, I am working on the thesis of my second PhD in Media and Communications Management  at a university here on the island.

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Currently I am teaching in the Psychology Department at a private university. In addition to this, throughout my career, I have given and continue to offer professional training and seminars in many provinces in Turkey, various institutions in the TRNC, Germany, and Azerbaycan. Also, I have written in various newspapers and magazines in both Turkey and the TRNC, have had numerous television appearances as an expert in the field. Currently, I am also the producer and host of the TV show 'Psikolooğun Günlüğü/The Psychologist's Diary' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-AFZEvskj4) which will start its 3rd season as of Septmber 2, 2024. The show will air at 8:00 p.m. on Monday's on TV2020, one of the TRNC's most prestigious channels.

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To list the areas I work and specialize in 

• Management and psycho-education of chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, hypoglycemia, obesity, coronary heart disease, and cancer;

• Adherence to the medical regime provided by physicians, and skill and behavior acquisition;

• Adaptation and loss issues associated with IVF treatment;

• Adaptation, mood dysfunctions, and anxiety associated with a medical diagnosis and its progression;

• Coping with changes in family dynamics due to illness within the family; 

• Coping with chronic pain, pain management 

• Addictions associated with post-operation prescription medications (ex: pain killers);

• Addicitions (substance, alcohol, internet, sex, gambling, etc.) 

• Trauma-loss-grief processes; 

• Couples, marriage, and family therapy;

• Coping with divorce and mediation; 

• Sexual health education, relationship dysfunctionality due to sexual dysfunctions; 

• Psychosomatic relaxation associated with mindfulness, breathing techniques, and yoga for adults and seniors to help establish a balance for the mind, body, and soul.