Professional Qualifications

Education

I graduated from Boğaziçi University Guidance and Psychological Counselling Program, ranking second in class, with high honours degree.

​

I earned a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Couples and Family Therapy and received second-ranked student award with high honours degree by Istanbul Bilgi University. This three-year Couple and Family Therapy program, accredited by The International Accreditation Commission for Systemic Therapy Education (IACSTE) under The International Family Therapy Association (IFTA), has given me intensive and extensive experience in theory and practice.

​

Professional Trainings

I hold international certifications in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) approved by International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT), in Transactional Analysis approved by United Kingdom Association for Transactional Analysis (UKATA), and in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) approved EMDR Europe.

​

I am also trained in a variety of psychotherapeutic approaches including psychodynamic therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, child-centred play therapy, strategic family therapy, attachment-based family therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder & Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Modules), dance and movement therapy, and motivational interviewing.

​

More Details...

​

Psychotherapy Approach

​

 In my clinical approach, I draw on Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), EMDR, and systemic approach.

​

Professional Experience

​

 I have provided individual, couples, family, and group therapy at several psychotherapy centres in Istanbul. In addition to offering psychotherapy services, I have been conducting workshops for couples, parents, and counsellors as well as volunteering in NGOs and psycho-social support projects. My professional experience has also included working in a number of private schools around Turkey leading teacher trainings and supervisions to school counsellors and psychologists. I taught undergraduate courses in counselling and gave clinical supervision to counselling students at MEF University between 2018-2020. 

 

In London, I offered counselling to women who have traumatic experiences caused by domestic violence at IMECE Women's Centre. 

​

Currently, besides my private practice, I work with individuals having experience of human trafficking and modern-day slavery at U Matter Counselling

​

Research Experience

​

 As a psychotherapist who believes integrating research experience into the clinical practice, I worked with homosexual and heterosexual parents at the University of Cambridge Applied Developmental Psychology Research Group. I worked as a research assistant in the meta-analysis study of self-control and internalization symptoms conducted in collaboration with  Bogazici University and New York University; in the Istanbul Bilgi University Systemic Therapy Research; and in the fibromyalgia treatment project carried out in cooperation with the Davranış Bilimleri Enstitüsü.

​

 Besides the research groups that I participated in, I conducted my own thesis research on the use of self in couple therapy. I presented the research titled “Reciprocal Impact between Couple Therapists' Beliefs about Coupledom, Experiences in Romantic Relationships and Experiences in Couple Therapy: A Qualitative Study” at the IFTA World Family Therapy Congress in Aberdeen in 2019 as well as the preliminary findings of the study at the 20th National Psychology Congress, which was awarded with an honourable mention.

​

Professional Memberships

​

* The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

(MBACP Accred; Registration Number: 386306)

 

​

 

* International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT)

​

* The British Emotionally Focused Therapy Centre (BEFT)

​

* Turkish Emotionally Focused Individual, Couples, and Family Therapy Association (DOÇAT); Board Member

​

* Turkish Couple and Family Therapy Association (ÇATED);

the member of the Medical Family Therapy Committee

​

* EMDR Association of Turkey;

the member of the Trauma Recovery/ Humanitarian Assistance Program

​

* EMDR Association UK

​

Publication

Oral, S., Zeytinoğlu-Saydam, S., Söylemez, Y., Akmehmet-Şekerler, S., & Aponte, H. J. (2022). Developing the Person of the Therapist When Working with Couples. Contemporary Family Therapy, 1-14, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-022-09641-w

View from https://rdcu.be/cKKGD