Dr. Nilüfer Devecigil is a psychologist, educator, and author dedicated to exploring the profound connection between mind, body, and emotion. She earned her master’s degree in Transpersonal Psychology from Naropa University in Colorado, where she integrated experiential play therapy with humanistic psychotherapy approaches such as Gestalt, person-centered, and existential models.
Rooted in Naropa’s mindfulness-based philosophy, her training included intensive meditation practice, awareness-based group work, and contemplative studies. She worked directly with Carol and Byron Norton, the founders of Experiential Play Therapy, and received trauma-focused training from Dr. Pat Ogden, founder of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy. She further deepened her expertise in somatic attachment through advanced studies with Dr. Diane Poole Heller in Germany.
Dr. Devecigil completed her PhD in Integral and Transpersonal Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), where she combined academic research with holistic practices in neuroscience, trauma studies, and mindfulness.
She holds a Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) teacher certification from the University of Michigan and has completed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training at the Omega Institute in New York. A regular participant in international mindfulness retreats, she shares these insights with individuals and organizations through tailored programs on conscious leadership and organizational well-being.
Originally trained in economics at Claremont Colleges in California, Dr. Devecigil brings over 20 years of cross-disciplinary professional experience. Today, she designs and delivers transformative programs in mindful leadership, trauma-informed well-being, and inner growth for professionals, teams, and mental health practitioners. She also provides training in play therapy and attachment-based parenting for psychologists and educators.
She is the author of Işığın Yolu (“The Way of Light”), a novel that blends themes of personal transformation, attachment, and mindfulness, published by Doğan Kitap.
Psychologist, Author & Speaker
