Mustafa Yildiz

I completed my undergraduate education in Psychology at Bahçeşehir University in 2020, graduating as the first-ranking student in my Psychology-cohort. During my undergraduate years, I worked as a research assistant at the Bahçeşehir Brain & Cognition Research Laboratory and served as a volunteer psychologist at the Bahçeşehir Family Studies Unit, where I contributed to developing accessible interventions aimed at supporting disadvantaged families. Within the Family Studies Unit, my primary objective was to enhance the psychosocial development of individuals, couples, and families through both individualized and group-based approaches, while also providing practical and accessible psychoeducation. In line with these goals, I worked on Mentalization-Based Therapy under the supervision of Dr. Sena Cüre. Concurrently, at the Brain & Cognition Laboratory, I carried out research on anxiety and neuroticism utilizing EEG-based brain measurement methodologies.

During my graduate studies at Koç University, I received advanced training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Problem-Solving Therapy, the Unified Protocol, and the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP). In 2022, I joined the Transdiagnostic Risk Factors Laboratory led by Dr. Ayşe Altan-Atalay, where I contributed to a research project examining the role of transdiagnostic risk factors in the semantic processing of individuals with depressive and anxiety-related presentations. In my thesis, I investigated the relationship between childhood emotional maltreatment and depression, anxiety, and empathy deficits, through the mediating roles of distress intolerance and repetitive negative thinking. Additionally, between 2021 and 2026, I worked within the Healthcare Research division at Ipsos, a global research company.

As a psychotherapist, I adopt an integrative and holistic clinical approach by incorporating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Problem-Solving Therapy, the Unified Protocol, and the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP). Furthermore, I utilize techniques derived from Mentalization-Based Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, and a range of psychoeducational modules (including sleep hygiene, healthy relationships, emotion regulation, mindfulness, and Self-Help Plus interventions), tailoring them to the specific needs of my clients when appropriate.

In alignment with this training trajectory, I completed my clinical supervision under the guidance of Dr. Ceren Acartürk, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Eskin, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hale Yapıcı Eser during my graduate studies at Koç University. In addition, I successfully completed my clinical internships at Koç University Hospital, Koç University Psychological Counseling and Psychotherapy Center (KUPTEM), and Erenköy Mental Health and Neurological Diseases Hospital.

My clinical interests are primarily centered on emotional disorders and interpersonal functioning. In my clinical practice, I work with a range of conditions including generalized anxiety, panic, social anxiety, major depressive disorder, persistent (chronic) depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the obsessive–compulsive spectrum. In addition, perfectionism patterns constitute an important area of focus in my work.

In relation to these clinical presentations, I place particular emphasis on transdiagnostic processes such as distress intolerance, anxiety sensitivity, intolerance of uncertainty, and behavioral inhibition. At the interpersonal level, I frequently address difficulties such as deficits in empathy (emotional and/or cognitive), misinterpretation of others’ emotions or “mind reading,” impairments in mentalization, challenges in perspective-taking, excessive self-focus, and passive or passive-aggressive communication patterns.

Throughout my academic and professional career, I have based my practice on “evidence-based psychotherapy” approaches. I am a psychotherapist who provides therapy services using methods that are scientifically grounded and have been proven effective by scientific research.