We are Banu and Matt, licensed psychotherapists and partners for twenty years. We provide online psychotherapy and facilitate groups and workshops on relationships, conflict resolution, and spirituality.
We met in graduate school twenty years ago while studying Humanistic, Existential, Depth and Transpersonal (Western and Eastern) approaches to psychology, at the University of West Georgia.
We see our overall work as ongoing research and practice about understanding and improving the human condition. We are committed to a grounded depth approach, helping individuals explore their personal journeys. We believe in working within all spheres: personal, relational, somatic, social and spiritual…
Our work can be defined as humanistically, experientially and psychodynamically informed integrative psychotherapy. We are particularly influenced by and indebted to many thinkers, such as Carl Rogers, Carl Jung, Karen Horney, Otto Rank and Eugene Gendlin, with whom Banu has worked very closely in the last three years of his life.
In 2017, we moved our psychotherapy practice online after 15 years of in-person practice in Atlanta, Georgia and Asheville, NC, USA. We are currently based in İstanbul, Turkey although we travel often. We still have an office in Atlanta and are licensed to provide psychotherapy in both GA and NC. We provide workshops and lectures in the United States and Turkey on relationships, conflict resolution, and spirituality. If you are interested in private work or in us providing a workshop to your community, please reach out to us.
While looking for a name for our practice fifteen years ago, we came across the word (h)alcyon, which denotes peace, calm and prosperity. Through digging into its etymology, Banu found its connection to Greek mythology as well to the ancient city of Smyrna (now Izmir), where Banu was born and raised. Interestingly, this was also the name of the Atlanta suburb where we lived and practiced! We considered it a fortuitous coincidence and adopted a version of the name for our practice.
“Halcyon days” refer to joy, happiness and warmth. The myth of Alcyone reminds us that even during the darkest times in our life there is hope; nothing is permanent. There are only varying conditions; bad and good, sunny and rainy days, they all come & go and reveal a world full of wonders – when we are able to see and accept things as they are.
Alcyone, is also the name of the brightest star in the Pleiades constellation. Many people attribute a transpersonal significance to this constellation.
Matt and Banu host an occasional podcast, Further Living, sharing the wisdom they have picked up in their over 20 years of professional practice as psychotherapists. You can also listen to this show on Spotify.