Teacher Training & Experience
- Practitioner of mindfulness meditation for the past 9 years and teacher for the past 1,5 years to individuals and businesses in Paris and online.
- Currently in the 2 year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program taught by world renowned senior teachers Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield, in partnership with Greater Good Science Center at University of California Berkeley and the Awareness Training Institute, to be completed by February 2021.
- Designed & taught a 7 Week Introduction to Mindfulness course to 56 students from many different nationalities & cultures with 9.24/10 average student satisfaction rating (NPS 72).
- Founded, leading and teaching on a weekly basis at the Mudita Mindfulness Community of 10+ members for the past year.
- Experienced at bringing small mindfulness practices into the workplace and teaching mindfulness at the business setting. As a Head of Product / Product Manager at tech startups for almost 10 years, closely familiar with the fast business world from the inside out.
- Experienced with shorter mindfulness workshops as seen at Urban Wellness Retreat and Welcoming The New Year.
Teaching Approach
- Trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive as traumatic stress is estimated to impact close to 90% of the population
- Establishing mindful & multicultural communication guidelines to create safe learning environments
- Making wellness accessible to all by allowing to pay what you can afford to pay
- Multi-lingual as needed; English - Turkish - French
- Focusing on real-world applications of mindfulness; bringing the practice alive by integrating it into daily life
- Focusing on direct experience of concepts
- Sharing and learning from others in small groups
- Moving from scientific evidence and using science to trust in the practice
- Bringing teachings to life with literature and stories from many walks of life
About Me
Being born and raised in Istanbul, and having lived in St. Louis, US for 4 years and in Paris for 4 years, I consider myself a blend of Turkish, American and French cultures. I speak Turkish, English and (an improving) French. My gender pronouns are she/her/hers. I care deeply about multiculturalism and I make it a big part of all my mindfulness classes and communities.
Read more about me here, and read my manifesto on everyday wellness.
My Mindfulness Story
Mindfulness came into my life after losing my father at the age of 21 and it has been the most helpful wellness practice for me over the years. It has taught me to live in the present, decreased my stress, increased my resilience, deepened my awareness and compassion for myself and others.
Through my mindfulness practice, I've learned more about my reactivity. I've learned that there is always a story I tell myself about what is going on and then, there is really what is going on. I've learned that once I accepted the reality of what is here and now, I could respond differently. Mindfulness has made me more anchored in the present moment, and less in the past, the future, or in my never-ending to do list.
Through mindfulness, I've learned and am still learning to love myself with my shortcomings, and to not take anyone out of my heart. I've understood that there are no bad humans, only humans suffering, and we can choose to constantly forgive ourselves and each other.
As a teacher, I now have the privilege of witnessing how others benefit from these basic understandings of mindfulness, how they open their hearts, and find fuller, more present, joyful lives.