Top 10 Psychologists in Turkey for Better Mental Health

According to the latest data from the Ministry of Health of Turkey, nearly 17% of the population faces mental health challenges. Moreover, over the past five years, antidepressant use has risen by 56%, reflecting a need for mental support.
WHO also reports that approximately 9 million people in Turkey seek mental health support each year, a number that continues to rise. However, expats living in Turkey struggle to find a suitable psychologist who understands their language and culture.
Fortunately, Turkey is home to some of the best psychologists offering English-speaking therapy. Explore the following list to find the top psychologists in Turkey to get professional support for anxiety, relationships, trauma, and life transitions.

1.Trevor Brown

Trevor Brown is a highly regarded psychologist in Türkiye, known for his empathetic yet transformative approach to mental health. In 2020, he founded The Other Therapy, a global counseling platform designed to support expats fighting through emotional challenges. 

With a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Naropa University, Trevor helps clients overcome anxiety, trauma, and relationship difficulties. His expertise includes couples therapy and identity issues, supported by advanced training in PACT, ACT, and MI. 

Since 2018, he has guided hundreds of clients in Turkiye, Bali, and beyond. Through his years of experience, he empowers them to break limiting patterns, strengthen resilience, and build healthier emotional connections.

2. Onur Bal

Onur Bal is a licensed clinical psychologist based in Beyoğlu on Istanbul’s European side. He specializes in anxiety, depression, trauma, and related issues, and also helps with eating disorders and stress management. Moreover, he has earned a Psychology degree from Istanbul Bilim University and received training in CBT to serve clients better. 

Notably, Bal often blends clinical psychology with solution-focused therapy. Other than that, he combines evidence-based methods with a personalized touch to improve clients’ well-being.

3. Heather Demir

Heather Demir is a United States-trained Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) practicing in Istanbul. With over 15 years of experience, she focuses on globally mobile adults, families, and children. On top of that, her expertise includes attachment issues, cross-cultural stress, anxiety, and childhood trauma. 

Heather takes an integrative approach (EMDR and mindfulness) tailored to each client’s needs. Importantly, her practice is entirely online via HIPAA-compliant Zoom, making it easy for expats to schedule from anywhere. 

4. Ceren Hazar

Having an MA in Clinical Psychology, Ceren Hazar is one of the best expat specialists in Istanbul. He serves as an Istanbul-based clinical psychologist and psychotherapist who offers evidence-based treatment for a wide range of issues. She specializes in anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorders, grief, and LGBTQ+ issues. 

Moreover, Hazar studied in Canada (University of Toronto) and Turkey, and provides therapy in both English and Turkish. Using tools like CBT, EMDR, and EFT, Ceren helps clients achieve emotional balance and awareness. 

5. Mehmet Cem Yiğit

Mehmet Cem Yiğit is a licensed clinical psychologist based in Istanbul with years of experience. He runs MCS Psikoloji, one of the city’s well-known counseling centers. Other than that, his practice emphasizes supportive counseling to help clients with issues like depression and relationship problems. 

Yiğit offers individual and couples therapy for adults, typically in Turkish and English. Being a leading clinic in Istanbul for personal and couples therapy, he finds clients through referrals.

6. Irfan Darcan

Irfan Darcan is a couples psychotherapist in Istanbul (available online) with over 7 years of experience. He uses approaches like the Gottman Method and PACT to work with couples. Plus, Irfan is even trained in Imago and emotion-focused therapy to help his clients. Darcan’s goal is to boost clients’ emotional intelligence and help them embrace difficult emotions.

He specializes in relationship issues, divorce, anger management, and trauma recovery. With PACT Level 1 training, Irfan helps expat couples rebuild trust and communication.

7. Ela Ari

Dr. Ela Ari is a clinical psychologist and ACT therapist widely recognized for her expertise in building emotional resilience. Having spent nearly a decade in California, she brings a deep understanding of cultural challenges faced by expats. Plus, Ari combines Compassion-Focused Therapy and mindfulness-based techniques to help clients overcome trauma. 

Alongside her clinical practice, she has worked as an academic and a psychology researcher. Moreover, Ela even holds advanced degrees in Couple and Family Therapy, which makes her an expert in relationship building. 

8. Zeynep Hilal Çelik

Dr. Zeynep Hilal is a specialist clinical psychologist and EMDR-trained therapist in Istanbul. She works at Adel Psychological Counseling in Bahçelievler, working with a solution-focused approach. She pushes her clients to discover solutions from their own life context and communicate emotions openly. 

Furthermore, she is known for using CBT, EMDR, and scientifically proven methods. While her site is in Turkish, Dr. Çelik is open to English speakers on request. 

9. Cansu Yıldırım

With an MSc in Clinical Psychology, she is a top psychologist in Turkey, specializing in mindfulness. Focusing on trauma, anxiety, and child issues, Cansu delivers therapy in both Turkish and English. Moreover, she practices schema therapy, EMDR, and mindfulness with adults. Alternatively, she uses CBT and mindfulness techniques with children and teens. 

Plus, she has extensive experience as a school psychologist and runs mindfulness meditation groups for kids. Cansu offers affordable sessions and even provides sliding-scale spots for those in need. 

10. Dilek Erdoğan 

After earning her Master’s in Clinical Psychology from the University of Groningen, she began her clinical practice in 2020. Her academic work explored student motivation and burnout, shaping her understanding of emotional resilience. With experience in psychometrics, Dilek integrates cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic therapies. 

In 2023, she founded Koru Psychology Counseling Center, where she continues to offer personalized care. Through her experience, she helps individuals struggling with addiction, OCD, communication difficulties, and mood disorders.

Conclusion

Turkey’s mental health awareness is increasing rapidly with the availability of psychologists online. All of the 10 therapists in Turkey discussed here provide virtual support to people struggling with mental health.  Each brings a unique specialty (couples therapy, trauma healing, mindfulness) and a compassionate style of therapy. 

If you’re an expat in Turkey looking for support, consider reaching out to Trevor Brown. He is an expat himself, so he will understand your struggles. With his empathetic approach, you can turn your mental state around.