About me

Zeynep Tuncel, Therapist in Stuttgart

I am a Psychologist based in Stuttgart, Germany, with a Bachelors in Behavioural Psychology from McGill University (Montreal, Canada), and a double Masters in Cognitive Neuroscience and Masters in Clinical Neuropsychology from the University of Padova (Padova, Italy). I am trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy through the European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies (EABCT), and am certified in EMDR Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, and International Family Counselling through Boğaziçi University (Istanbul, Turkey). I have over a decade of work experience in the area of mental health, ranging from my work at Hospitals (Montreal Neurological Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, etc.), Research Labs (Talwar Child Development Research Lab, etc.), and Private Practices, to my research and publications in the area of Neuropsychological and Psychiatric Disorders. 

Originally from Turkey, I have lived and worked in several countries, including Turkey, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany, and I am a native speaker of Turkish and English. This has given me a deep appreciation for cultural diversity, and an understanding of how important it is to approach therapy from a place of cultural sensitivity and inclusion. I believe that the most effective therapy is one that takes into account who you are, where you are coming from, and what forces have shaped your experiences and expectations. 

  • With my multi-disciplinary academic background, cultural knowledge, and extensive hands-on experience, I am here to support you exactly where you are right now. Together, we will work from a holistic mind-body approach that respects your unique cultural, psychological, and neurological background.

therapy patient in Stuttgart
therapy support in Stuttgart

My Approach

To me, the most important aspect of our work together is the therapeutic relationship that we develop during our sessions.

Our work together will often touch on difficult areas, but it will always be in a safe, warm environment where you feel comfortable and understood. It will also be skills and solutions oriented: by the end of our sessions, we will have identified specific, tangible goals for you to work on before our next meeting, and will have developed your abilities to achieve them. This way, we can track your progress and ensure that our sessions are impactful and time-sensitive.

Throughout our sessions, we will get to know each other as real people, engaging in a collaborative process to enact positive change. I look forward to meeting, and to working together towards a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life.

therapy approach in Stuttgart

  • Many of my clients often ask me why I first became a therapist - and it’s a great question! Being a therapist isn’t for everyone, and it takes a certain sensibility to really open yourself to the lives of those who walk through your office door (or online video portal!). But for me, it’s always been my passion.

    I grew up in Istanbul, a city filled with the constant collision of cultures and languages; it’s a kaleidoscope of colour. Even as a child, I was fascinated by how individuals could come from some such different backgrounds, and how those backgrounds would go on to influence the rest of their lives. As a teenager I began volunteering at the local in-patient Psychiatric Ward, and then, shortly after, when the civil war began in Syria, I started working with child refugees at a camp that had been set up on the outskirts of Istanbul. Those moments changed my life forever: I knew that working with people, especially those affected by trauma, was what I was called to do. I moved to Canada to complete my Bachelors in Psychology, and then to Italy for my double Masters in Cognitive Neuroscience and Masters in Clinical Neuropsychology. I had seen in the refugee camp that I needed a foundation of knowledge if I was going to truly be able to help people, and I was determined to learn everything I could to accomplish that goal.

    Today I live in Stuttgart, Germany with my husband, and work as a Private Practitioner and a freelance Psychotherapist. My clients are quite diverse - from soldiers to musicians to doctors, to children and adults, to teenagers having a difficult time in high school. It is my deepest privilege to be a part of so many different lives: to help where I can, and to be a witness to the experiences that my clients share with me.

  • There are many different types of therapy, and many different terms for practitioners. While I myself have a background as formally trained Clinical Neuropsychologist, I prefer to use the term “Therapist” as I find this comes the closest to describing my role as we work together. For me the Therapist / Client relationship is one that has clear professional boundaries, but should also be dynamic and open! That means that while it is a formal session, there’s a lot of room for individualised structure and interests. It is not only 60 minutes to analyse experiences: it’s an opportunity to connect on an emotional and empathetic level.

  • As mentioned under “My Approach”, our sessions will be Skills and Solutions oriented. However, no two individuals - even individuals facing the same struggles - are alike. Progress is going to look very different for each person, and while I believe it should be measurable and consistent, the reality is that it might move at a different pace than expected. Throughout our sessions we will consistently identify our goals and desired outcomes - but how long it takes to get there is always dependent on your individual situation and circumstance.

    Our ultimate goal is that should you encounter similar challenges further along in your life, you will have the tools to effectively deal with them.