About
Working with children, adolescents and parents — looking at the child's story rather than a single score.
Psychologist
Esra Gamgam Gökdemir
A graduate of Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Department of Psychology, Gökdemir works with assessment tools including CAS, WISC-IV, Stanford-Binet and MOXO to evaluate children's cognitive and developmental characteristics.
Over the course of her professional experience she has worked with hundreds of children — assessing cognitive, emotional and academic needs, meeting with families, and running activities designed to support children's development.
She works with children and adolescents through cognitive behavioural therapy, CBT-informed play therapy and child-centred play therapy, and with parents through Filial Therapy.
In her work, test results are considered together with the child's individual characteristics, strengths and needs, following a holistic approach to assessment.
Approach
How I work
Holistic assessment
A test score is never read alone. Developmental history, family context, school observation and the child's strengths are considered together.
Parents inside the process
Children spend most of their day at home and at school. Lasting change happens there, which is why parents are part of the work.
Method follows need
The approach is chosen according to the child's age, means of expression and the nature of the difficulty.
Plain feedback
Reports do not hide behind terminology. Families leave the feedback meeting knowing what the result means and what to do next.
On the child's side
A child does not come to therapy to be fixed, but to be seen, understood and helped to cope.
Clear about limits
Diagnosis is a physician's role. Referrals are made to child psychiatry, speech therapy or special education where needed.
Tools and approaches
Assessment tools
- WISC-IV — individual intelligence test, ages 6–16
- Stanford-Binet — individual intelligence test across a wide age and ability range
- CAS — cognitive assessment based on the PASS theory
- MOXO — computer-based continuous performance (attention) test
Therapeutic approaches
- Child-centred play therapy
- CBT-informed play therapy
- Cognitive behavioural therapy with children and adolescents
- Filial Therapy (parent–child play therapy)
- Parent counselling and psychoeducation
Appointment
A good day to talk it through.
You don't need to be sure. In a free 15-minute call, tell me what you have noticed and we will work out together whether ongoing work is needed.