Online Turkish Therapy: How It Works and Who It Suits

How does online Turkish therapy work and who is it for? A guide for Turks abroad on session preparation, time differences, privacy and its limits.

For many people living far from home, getting psychological support runs into two obstacles. The first is that finding a suitable professional in the country where you live takes time; the second is the difficulty of describing your feelings in a foreign language. Online Turkish therapy is an option that can help address both obstacles together. Through video sessions, wherever you are in the world, you can hold regular sessions with a Turkish-speaking clinical psychologist. In this article, we explain in detail what online Turkish therapy is, who it may suit, when it may not be suitable, how to prepare for sessions, and how the work is done in therapy.

What Is Online Turkish Therapy?

Online Turkish therapy is psychotherapy conducted in Turkish over the internet, through a video and audio connection. The content and structure of a session are similar to face-to-face therapy: you talk with a professional for a set length of time, at regular intervals, within the framework of confidentiality. The difference is that you are not in the same room.

For Turkish people living abroad, the meaning of this method is somewhat broader. A session is not only a "conversation"; it is also a chance to be understood in your own language and with your own cultural codes. Being able to say a sentence that begins "When my mother came as a bride..." without having to explain it, or having the person opposite you immediately feel the weight of "I couldn't call at bayram" (the Turkish religious holidays), can make the therapeutic relationship easier.

For more information about how online therapy works in general, you can also read our online therapy article.

Who Is Online Turkish Therapy Suitable For?

Online Turkish therapy can suit many people. It is often chosen especially by the following groups:

• First-generation migrants and their families: People who speak the language of the country they live in well enough for everyday matters but prefer Turkish for emotional subjects.
• Second- and third-generation Turks: Young people and adults who grew up speaking Turkish at home and want to talk about family relationships and questions of identity in Turkish.
• White-collar professionals who have moved in recent years: Professionals who have relocated for work to Europe, North America or the Gulf countries and are looking for support while adjusting.
• Students and academics: People experiencing intense academic pressure, loneliness and uncertainty.
• Those who migrated following a spouse: Partners who have come to a new country leaving behind their own career, social circle and language.
• Mixed-culture marriages: People married to a partner from a different culture who want to talk about their own cultural experience in their mother tongue.

In terms of subject matter, the areas often worked on in online Turkish therapy are: anxiety and panic, low mood, loneliness, difficulties adjusting, relationship and marriage problems, parenting difficulties, grief and loss, work stress and burnout, and questions of identity.

Imagine a man in his thirties working as a software engineer in Canada who notices that everything is going well in his working life but that he feels a deep emptiness when he returns home in the evening. He has no difficulty at all speaking English at work; but when he tries to talk about the coldness that has lasted for years with his father, or the guilt he felt on leaving Turkey, his sentences trail off. For such a person, online Turkish therapy can offer a space, outside working hours and from home, where he can speak in his own language.

Of course, everyone's needs are different. For some, receiving therapy in the language of the country they live in is more meaningful, because they have built their new lives in that language. Others prefer to use both languages together. In online Turkish therapy too, it is natural to use the equivalents of certain concepts in the language of the country you live in when needed.

Who May Online Therapy Not Be Suitable For?

Online Turkish therapy is not the right option for every situation. To be honest, in some cases local, face-to-face services come first:

• Intense suicidal thoughts or risk of self-harm: In these cases, local emergency services and local psychiatric services are necessary.
• Psychotic symptoms, severe manic episodes: Close medical monitoring and, where necessary, inpatient treatment may be required.
• Active domestic violence: If you cannot speak safely at home, the priority is to ensure your safety. Violence prevention helplines and women's advice centres in the country where you live are important resources in this regard.
• Severe substance dependence: Medical support and local treatment programmes may be needed.
• Having no private space at home at all: The worry that what you say will be overheard can make it harder to be open in therapy.

These situations do not mean that online therapy cannot be used at all; however, it may not be sufficient on its own and may need to be run alongside local services.

Emergencies: If there is a risk of harming yourself or someone else, call the emergency number of the country you are in: 112 in EU countries, 911 in the USA and Canada, 999 or 112 in the UK, and 000 in Australia. Online therapy is not an emergency intervention service.

Cultural Context: Why Do Some People Prefer to Speak Turkish?

The mental health professionals in the country where you live are most likely well-trained and experienced. The reason for choosing online Turkish therapy is often not their inadequacy but the way a person expresses themselves.

Language and emotion. Emotions are often felt more intensely in the language in which they were first learned. When speaking in a second language, a person can describe events but may struggle to reach the feeling. We covered this subject in more detail in the article why therapy in your mother tongue matters.

Cultural codes. Concepts such as ayıp (what is considered improper), shame, respect, family honour, hospitality, neighbourliness, bayram and gurbet (the ache of living far from home) are hard to translate. Having to explain them every time can mean devoting part of the session to "explaining the culture".

Fear of stigma. In some small communities, people may worry that it will become known if they see a local Turkish counsellor. In this respect, online therapy can offer some people a more private option.

Continuity. For people who move often, work in different countries or spend long periods in Turkey, online therapy can keep the bond with the therapist from being broken. For example, someone who spends the summer months with their family in Turkey can carry on seeing the same therapist without a break. This continuity helps preserve a sense of trust, especially when going through a difficult period.

Effects on Daily Life and Family: How to Fit Therapy into Your Life

One of the most talked-about advantages of online Turkish therapy is flexibility. However, flexibility also requires some arrangements. It is important to make room for therapy at home, at work and within the family.

Talking to your family. You can tell your spouse or the people you live with that you should not be disturbed at a particular time. You do not have to tell them what you talk about; it is enough to say that this hour belongs to you.

If there are children. In homes with young children, scheduling the session for the children's bedtime or for when they are at school can make things easier.

Connecting from work. Some people hold their sessions in the car during their lunch break or in an empty meeting room. This is possible, but be careful about soundproofing and privacy.

Time after the session. Instead of going straight into a meeting or a busy household task after the session, try to set aside ten to fifteen minutes for yourself. This time helps you take in what was discussed in the session.

What You Can Do Yourself: Steps for Preparing for an Online Session

To get the most from online Turkish therapy, you can follow the steps below:

1. Pin down the time difference. Write the session time in your calendar in both your own time zone and Turkey time. When daylight saving changes, check the times again; in many countries this change does not happen at the same time as in Turkey.
2. Choose a quiet and private room. If possible, choose a room whose door closes. Even hanging a "Please do not disturb" note on the door can help.
3. Use headphones. Headphones prevent what is said from being heard by anyone else in the room and let you hear the sound more clearly.
4. Test the connection. Ten minutes before the session, check your internet, camera and microphone. If possible, use your home's secure network rather than a shared one.
5. Have a backup plan. Talk in advance with your therapist about what to do if the connection is lost: for example, continuing by phone or reconnecting.
6. Turn off notifications. Put your phone and computer on "do not disturb". Focusing only on yourself for fifty minutes is part of therapy.
7. Take short notes. Before the session, write down two or three subjects you want to talk about that week. After the session, note the most important point that stays with you.
8. Learn the payment and cancellation rules. Payments can be made online; pricing in TL and payment by international card are possible. Learning the cancellation and rescheduling rules from the start prevents confusion later. Check with your insurer whether the health insurance in the country where you live covers this kind of service.

When Should You Seek Professional Support?

Everyone can feel sad, anxious or lonely from time to time. However, if the following situations last for more than a few weeks and affect your daily life, speaking with a professional can be helpful:

• Low mood, lack of motivation or inability to enjoy things almost every day
• Constant worry, tension, palpitations or panic attacks
• Marked disruption of your sleep pattern
• A marked drop in work or school performance
• Constantly recurring conflicts with your spouse or family
• Being unable to adjust to the new country and constantly wrestling with the question "Should I go back?"
• Increasingly turning to alcohol, gambling or other behaviours

These symptoms alone do not amount to a diagnosis; however, they suggest that you may need support. Seeking support early can help problems to be addressed before they grow.

How Does Online Therapy in Your Mother Tongue Work?

Within the online therapy service, work is carried out in Turkish with clients living abroad. For details aimed at Turks living abroad, you can look at the Turkish therapy for Turks living abroad page.

Initial assessment

In the first sessions, we talk about your reason for seeking help, how long your symptoms have lasted, your migration story, your family and social circle, your working or school life and your goals. Risk factors are also assessed and, where necessary, you are advised to get in touch with local services in the country where you live.

Work based on cognitive behavioural therapy

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) looks at the relationship between thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and behaviours. For example, someone looking for a job in a new country may put off applying because of the thought "I am useless here". Putting things off increases the feeling of worthlessness, and the feeling of worthlessness makes new attempts even harder. In therapy, this cycle is noticed, the evidence for the thought is examined together, and small, realistic steps are planned.

Including the context of migration and culture

The losses brought by migration, experiences of discrimination in the new country, family expectations and tensions between two cultures are natural subjects for therapy. The aim is not to prefer one culture over the other but to find a balance that is meaningful and workable for you.

Homework and continuity

Between sessions, work such as thought records, behaviour plans, and breathing and relaxation exercises may be given. Because of time differences and busy schedules, it is important for sessions to be regular; for this reason session times are planned from the start and kept as fixed as possible.

Reviewing and ending the process

Therapy is not a conversation that goes on for an indefinite period. At regular intervals, how close you are getting to your goals is reviewed together: has your sleep improved, has the frequency of anxiety attacks gone down, are arguments with your spouse becoming more constructive? These reviews help determine the direction of the work. When the goals have been reached, the gaps between sessions can be widened and the process can be brought to a planned end. If necessary, it is also possible to have a short "refresher" session in the future.

Frequently Asked Questions

What technical equipment is needed for online Turkish therapy?

A computer, tablet or smartphone with a camera and microphone, headphones and a stable internet connection are generally enough. The session link and the platform to be used are sent to you before the session.

Is online Turkish therapy as effective as face-to-face therapy?

Research shows that for many problems, such as anxiety and depression, online therapy can produce results similar to face-to-face therapy. However, effectiveness varies according to the person, the problem and the therapeutic relationship; no method can guarantee a definite result.

Can sessions be held if the time difference is large?

In most cases, yes. For those connecting from Europe, the time difference is usually a few hours. In distant countries such as the USA, Canada or Australia, early mornings or late evenings can be considered. The suitable time is set together in the first session.

Does what I say in online Turkish therapy stay confidential?

Confidentiality is a basic principle in therapy. The limits of confidentiality (for example, a situation involving serious risk to life) are explained clearly in the first session. On your side, using a private environment, headphones and a secure internet connection also helps protect confidentiality.

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Eda Erkan Alapala

Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.

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