Insightfulness in Parenting: A Vital Practice
How past issues, attachment styles, and the transgenerational trauma of caregivers impacts parenting; and what can be done about it.
Ms Heather Demir
Psychotherapist
verified by TherapyRoute
“I am a clinical social worker with over 15 years experience working with globally mobile adults and families. I have a strong interest in working with clients who specifically want to explore childhood attachment patterns, culture and identity issues, anxiety, and childhood trauma.”
About Me
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and psychotherapist based in Istanbul. I help clients with anxiety, mood disorders, relationship issues, cross-cultural stress, and relocation challenges. I offer psychological and diagnostic assessment, MBCT, EMDR, and play therapy.
Approach
I use an integrative approach tailored to my client's specific needs and goals. My clients include globally mobile, bicultural, and Neurodivergent adults and children (including ADHD, ASD and High Sensitivity). I use an integrative approach with specialized training in EMDR, Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) and Polyvagal Theory, Mindfulness, Interpersonal Neurobiology, Synergetic Play Therapy, the Zones of Regulation, and cognitive therapies. Past clients have noted that they find my sessions though-provoking, and that I often ask questions that allows them to find the answers for themselves.
Services
I support individuals through one-on-one online sessions with anxiety, depression, trauma, transitional/adjustment stress, cross-cultural stress, addiction issues, parenting stress, relationship problems, and challenges regulating emotions.
Services Offered:
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Psych & Diagnostic Assessment
Formal psychological testing to identify conditions, understand cognitive and emotional functioning, and guide treatment planning.
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Counseling
A form of talk therapy providing a safe, confidential space to explore feelings, thoughts, and behaviours with a trained professional.
Learn more about Counseling - •
Ukraine Aid
Mental health support specifically for people affected by the conflict in Ukraine, including refugees, displaced families, and those experiencing war trauma.
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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
A therapy combining mindfulness meditation with cognitive behavioural techniques, designed particularly to prevent relapse in depression.
Learn more about Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) - •
Play Therapy
A therapy for children that uses play as a natural form of communication, allowing them to express feelings and process difficult experiences.
Learn more about Play Therapy - •
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, a therapy that uses guided eye movements to help the brain process and integrate traumatic memories.
Learn more about EMDR - •
Individual Therapy
One-on-one therapy sessions between a client and a therapist, focused on that person's specific concerns and goals.
Learn more about Individual Therapy - •
Learning Support
Specialised assistance for children or adults with learning difficulties, building strategies to succeed in education and daily tasks.
Works With:
- •Adolescents
- •Adults
- •Children
- •Parents
Area of Expertise
Scope of Practice:
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Anxiety
Persistent worry, nervousness, or fear that is disproportionate to the situation and interferes with daily functioning.
Learn more about Anxiety - •
Relationship Issues
Difficulties in romantic relationships, including communication problems, trust breakdowns, conflict patterns, or uncertainty about the relationship's future.
Learn more about Relationship Issues - •
ADHD / Attention
A neurodevelopmental condition involving persistent difficulty with attention, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity that interferes with daily functioning.
Learn more about ADHD / Attention - •
Cross-Cultural
The psychological challenges of living between two or more cultures, including identity conflicts, acculturation stress, and difficulties with belonging.
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Mood Disorder
A category of mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, in which a person's emotional state is significantly and persistently disrupted.
Learn more about Mood Disorder - •
Relocation / Expat
The psychological challenges of moving to a new country or city, including loneliness, culture shock, identity shifts, and loss of social support.
Learn more about Relocation / Expat - •
Life Transitions
Major life changes, such as relocation, retirement, parenthood, or career shifts, that disrupt routine and require psychological adjustment.
Learn more about Life Transitions - •
Parenting Support
Guidance for the psychological challenges of raising children, including discipline, communication, co-parenting, and managing the emotional demands of parenthood.
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Stress / Burnout
The body and mind's response to prolonged or excessive demands. When sustained, it can lead to emotional exhaustion, detachment, and reduced functioning (burnout).
Learn more about Stress / Burnout - •
Trauma
The lasting psychological impact of deeply distressing events, such as violence, abuse, accidents, or disasters, that overwhelm a person's ability to cope.
Learn more about Trauma
Professional Title:
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Psychotherapist
A professional trained to provide in-depth therapy that explores patterns in thoughts, emotions, and relationships to produce lasting change.
Qualifications
University of Michigan
EMDR Institute, Inc.
Neufeld Institute
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Unyte Integrated Listening
Registrations
Association of Social Work Boards
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
