Best Psychotherapy Doctors in Istanbul for Australians

Dr Pelin Tas Durmus has successfully performed over 900 psychiatric treatments at Moodist Hospital – Turkey's largest private psychiatry and neurology centre.

• Specialises in developing comprehensive treatment plans for patients with chronic depression
• Personally reviews and prepares every medical plan to suit individual patient needs
• Practices at a facility known for high-standard psychiatric and neurological care
• Graduated from Trakya University Faculty of Medicine with specialist training in psychiatry

Dr Yusuf has successfully managed over 900 cases at Moodist Psychiatry and Neurology Hospital. He is known for his thorough approach to clinical analysis and treatment planning.

• Personally reviews all diagnostic documents to create tailored psychiatric plans
• Holds a 4.5-star patient rating for clinical care and communication
• Practises at a dedicated centre for mental health and neurological disorders
• Focuses on delivering evidence-based outcomes for complex psychiatric conditions

Dr Volkan Seneger has delivered over 900 psychiatric treatments and therapy sessions, holding a high patient rating for his work at Lokman Hekim Istanbul Hospital.

• Specialised in psychiatry at the Göztepe Training and Research Hospital
• Built clinical expertise across several major state hospitals in Turkey
• Active member of the Turkish Psychiatry Association
• Registered with the Turkish Medical Association

Dr. Özge Yükselay is a psychiatrist. She earned her medical degree from Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine. She completed her residency at Erenköy Mental and Nervous Diseases Hospital. She has worked at Van Regional Training and Research Hospital, Erenköy Mental and Nervous Diseases Hospital, and Moodist Neuropsychiatry Hospital. She brings broad clinical experience.

She combines psychotherapy with medical treatment. She also uses somatic therapies such as TMS, ECT, tDCS, and neurofeedback. Her practice includes depression, OCD, anxiety disorders, addiction, psychotic disorders, and mood disorders. She is interested in group therapy and psychodrama. She has a special focus on individual and group therapy for eating disorders.

Dr Icsel Duru Yildirim is a dedicated child and adolescent psychiatrist based at the Moodist Psychiatry and Neurology Hospital.

• Has successfully managed over 900 clinical procedures for young patients
• Specialises in tailored mental health support for children and teenagers
• Holds a 4.5 rating for patient care and clinical outcomes
• Expertise focuses on early intervention and paediatric developmental health
• Practices at a dedicated facility for psychiatry and neurology

Dr. Cagdas Yokusoglu is a consultant psychiatrist with over 12 years of clinical experience. He specializes in adult psychiatry and evidence-based psychotherapy. He graduated from the English Medicine Program at Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University. He completed his psychiatry residency at Istanbul Faculty of Medicine.

He has worked in public and private settings. He now provides psychiatric assessment and psychotherapy in private practice. His care is individualized and evidence-based, covering a wide range of psychiatric disorders.

His advanced training includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Existential Analysis, and psychopharmacology.

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Solmaz is a board-certified psychiatrist. He earned his M.D. from Hacettepe University in 1989. He completed his psychiatry residency at Bakırköy Mental and Neurological Diseases Hospital in 1996. He became an associate professor in 2014 and a professor in 2021.

From 2015 to 2020, he chaired the 4th Specialized Board of the Council of Forensic Medicine. He oversaw evaluations of criminal responsibility and legal competency.

He served on the psychiatry faculty at the Hamidiye Faculty of Medicine, University of Health Sciences. He was an educational supervisor at the Psychiatry Clinic of Bağcılar Training and Research Hospital. He is currently the chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Beykent University Faculty of Medicine.

Prof. Dr. Vehbi Alp Üçok is a psychiatrist who focuses on schizophrenia and mood disorders. He graduated from the Hacettepe Faculty of Medicine in 1985. He started his psychiatry residency at the Istanbul Faculty of Medicine in 1988. He became a specialist in 1993, an associate professor in 1995, and a professor in 2001.

He founded the Psychotic Disorders Research Program (PAP) at the Istanbul Faculty of Medicine in 1996. After psychosocial skills training at UCLA and the Brentwood VA in 1998, he set up inpatient and outpatient group therapy for psychosis. He also provided individual, family, and group psychotherapy.

His research covers first-episode and later schizophrenia, people at risk for psychosis, treatment-resistant schizophrenia, and stigma. He helped start the WPA schizophrenia anti-stigma program in Türkiye in 1998 and has been the Turkey coordinator since 2001. He is a member of the WPA Schizophrenia and Stigma sections, the European Psychiatric Association Schizophrenia Section, TRRIP, STRATA, and EURONES. He has 126 international articles and more than 5,000 citations (as of 14.11.2014). His Web of Science h-index is 35.

Dr. Erhan Yuksek graduated from Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine and completed his specialty training there. He uses evidence-based psychopharmacology to treat addiction, anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. He often combines medication with psychotherapy to improve outcomes.

He tailors medication plans to each patient’s biological, psychological, and environmental factors. He closely monitors side effects, treatment response, and long-term progress. He also offers ECT, TMS, and VR therapy. He integrates CBT and other psychotherapy methods to help restore function and improve quality of life.

Dr. Merve Gümüşay is a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy. She completed medical school at the Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine. She finished her psychiatry residency at the Bakırköy Prof. Dr. Mazhar Osman Mental Health and Neurological Diseases Training and Research Hospital. She provides evidence-based psychotherapy. Her clinical focus includes depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, addiction, and women’s mental health.

She is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Supportive Psychotherapy, and Sex Therapy. Dr. Gümüşay is a member of the Turkish Psychiatric Association and the Turkish Medical Association. She contributes to research and publications. She also takes part in national congresses.

Dr. Neşe Üstün is a psychiatry specialist at Bakırköy Mental and Neurological Diseases Hospital, a role she has held since 2002. Earlier, she worked in clinical biochemistry at Istanbul University Çapa (1995–1996) and in neurology in 1996. She graduated from Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine. She later qualified as Chief Assistant after passing written and oral exams and submitting a publication portfolio.

She will continue her work at Bakırköy through 2025. She provides patient care, trains assistants, supervises theses, and conducts research. She has published in national and international journals and has presented many papers. She has taken part in patient follow-up and research at the Women’s Mental Health Unit and the Mood Disorders Center. She is trained in CBT, psychodynamic psychotherapy, interpersonal therapy, and EMDR. She uses these therapies alongside medication when needed.

Dr. Merve Setenay Gürbüz is a Psychiatry Specialist at Private Moodist Hospital. She completed her psychiatry training at Erenköy Mental and Nervous Diseases Hospital in 2017. She then worked for about two years at GOP Taksim Training and Research Hospital. In 2019, she worked at NP Istanbul Brain Hospital. She also served as an Assistant Professor at Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine. In 2021, she became the Responsible Manager at Rubi Medical Center. From June 2021, she was an Assistant Professor at İstinye University GOP Medicalpark Hospital and at İstinye University Faculty of Medicine. In 2022, she was appointed Head of the Department of Mental Health and Diseases at İstinye University Faculty of Medicine.

She has written articles and book chapters in Turkey and abroad.

Dr. Baris Metin is a neurologist at NP Istanbul Brain Hospital. He has practiced medicine in both Turkey and Belgium. Dr. Metin focuses on memory disorders, epilepsy, and sleep medicine. He treats complex conditions like Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis. His work includes functional neuroimaging and electroencephalography (EEG).

• Expertise in neurological rehabilitation and post-stroke recovery.
• Authored numerous research papers in national and international scientific journals.
• Treats patients at Europe’s second-ranked brain hospital.
• Practices at a JCI-accredited facility using Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.

Dr Elshad Gulmammadov is a specialist in psychiatric illnesses at the NP Istanbul Brain Hospital, a facility renowned for functional neurosurgery and neuropsychology.

• Completed specialist medical residency at Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty
• Specialises in identifying and treating complex psychiatric conditions
• Trained at one of Turkey's oldest and most prestigious medical institutions
• Focuses on evidence-based psychotherapy within a dedicated brain hospital environment

Dr. Elvin Guliyev is a psychiatrist at NP Istanbul Brain Hospital in Turkey. He specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy and psychiatric diagnostics. Dr. Guliyev completed his residency at the Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine. He treats patients in English, Russian, and Turkish.

• Specializes in treating schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism.
• Uses brain MRI and EEG for precise mental health diagnostics.
• Practices at NP Istanbul Brain Hospital, a JCI-accredited facility.
• Works at Europe’s second-ranked brain hospital.

Dr. Alptekin Cetin is a psychiatrist at NP Istanbul Brain Hospital. He holds a PhD in mental health from Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa. Dr. Cetin specializes in schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, and clinical neuroses. His practice focuses on complex psychiatric conditions and addiction recovery.

• Treats patients at a JCI-accredited psychiatric facility.
• Performs alcoholism treatment and alcohol abuse examinations.
• Utilizes brain MRI and EEG for precise mental health diagnostics.
• Specializes in paranoia and severe depressive disorders.

Dr. Bahruz Shukurov is an addiction specialist and adult psychiatrist at NP Istanbul Brain Hospital. He completed his residency at the prestigious Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty. Dr. Shukurov specializes in treating complex behavioral addictions and anxiety disorders. He works at Turkey’s first private neuropsychiatric hospital, which holds JCI accreditation for safety.

• Expert in psychoanalytic and mindfulness-based therapies for mental health disorders.
• Treats substance abuse, gambling addiction, and various behavioral dependencies.
• Authored specialized research on body image disorders in borderline personality patients.
• Uses diagnostic tools for alcohol abuse examinations and personalized treatment planning.

Dr. Lale Allahyarova is a child and adolescent psychiatrist at NP Istanbul Brain Hospital. She specializes in the treatment of autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. Dr. Allahyarova uses psychosomatic therapies like deep TMS to help pediatric patients. She completed her specialty training at the Çukurova University Department of Child Psychiatry.

• Treats complex conditions including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and childhood depression.
• Expert in managing anxiety disorders, school refusal, and exam-related stress.
• Provides cognitive behavioral therapies for obsessive compulsive disorder and eating disorders.
• Works at a JCI-accredited hospital ranked among the top brain hospitals in Europe.

Dr. Elvan Ciftci is a psychiatrist at NP Istanbul Brain Hospital. She holds a PhD in Neuroscience from Hacettepe University. Dr. Ciftci is an Assistant Professor specializing in mental health and diseases. She treats complex conditions including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism. Her practice integrates therapeutic techniques with neuroscientific research.

• Specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness-based interventions.
• Uses supportive psychotherapy and motivational therapy techniques.
• Treats patients at a JCI-accredited neuropsychiatric hospital in Istanbul.
• Completed medical training and specialization at Hacettepe University.