My life began in Ankara, Türkiye, where I grew up in vibrant, culturally diverse neighborhoods. I spent long summers with my farming relatives by the Black Sea, surrounded by nature and traditional family life. Growing up in these worlds, and with my great love of reading, I became curious about how people understand themselves and relate to each other. This curiosity led me to study psychology, and I eventually earned a PhD in social psychology, exploring parenting and attachment styles across cultures.

For years, I was a nomadic academic, working in Belgium, the Netherlands, the USA, and Türkiye, and researching how relationships and cultures shape us (you can see my publications here). After decades of teaching, mentoring, researching, and collaborating internationally, I left academia in 2018. I then found my way to art-making, studying printmaking (graduated in 2025) and painting at a local fine arts academy in Belgium.

I’ve always loved creative activities, but it was during a ceramic training in Türkiye that I truly felt the healing power of art, especially when shared with others in a supportive space. That experience inspired me to pursue a 3-year advanced bachelor program of art therapy in Belgium. This training also included a 420-hour internship period at a psychiatric hospital's alcohol addiction department. When I graduated with honour degree, everything finally fell into place.

Art therapy now allows me to combine my love for psychology, science, psychotherapy, arts, handcrafts, and culture in a way that feels whole and authentic.

As a woman living in a multicultural, multilingual family and with many years of international experience, I understand the importance of identity and belonging. At my ANKA art therapy and consultation practice, I offer a safe and nurturing space where you can explore these feelings, reshape your life path, and reimagine new possibilities for your future.