Senanur Avci Tosun

Finding the right person to talk to when life gets overwhelming is a significant step, and I'm glad our paths crossed. For me, therapy is an authentic, no-performance partnership where you don't have to hide the messy parts of your struggles. Our focus will be on building a safe, trusting foundation that fits your unique goals and natural rhythm. 

 

For more than 15 years, I’ve been dedicated to supporting families, teens, and adults through various chapters of their lives. My clinical approach is shaped not just by training, but by my lived experience as an immigrant and a Muslim woman. Having walked through the process of handling major life changes and balancing different layers of identity, I truly respect the unique path everyone takes. I bring that down-to-earth understanding, along with genuine cultural humility, to every session. 

 

For adults navigating anxiety, depression, the lasting impacts of a challenging childhood, or the stress of navigating complicated life and relationship dynamics, we will gently unpack these patterns together. Instead of rushing into deep or overwhelming memories, we carefully connect your present-day triggers with past, unprocessed experiences, focusing first on practical grounding strategies to help your nervous system step out of survival mode and gain a true sense of stability. 

 

When working with children and youth, I specialize in play-based EMDR to help them navigate intense emotional struggles and complex attachment wounds. Because a child's healing is closely tied to their home, I blend this with practical, one-on-one sessions for parents, providing focused guidance to steady your family system without the pressure of a group setting. 

 

My Personal Interests

 

As someone who has immigrated twice, I know firsthand what it means to rebuild a life, find belonging, and balance different parts of who you are. My own story also involves navigating trauma tied to the cultural climate in my home country. Having walked through those complexities myself gives me a real, grounded understanding of what my clients might be going through.

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Outside of the therapy room, you can usually find me navigating the beautiful chaos of family life with my husband and our two kids. I enjoy being outside and love spending time in the kitchen, especially experimenting with recipes from different cultures. I also love hiking, exploring the city, tasting new restaurants, and traveling.

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Areas of Focus in EMDR

 

• Complex PTSD & Developmental Trauma

• Attachment Wounds & Relational Patterns

• Grief, Loss & Major Life Adjustments

• Life Transitions, Culture & Identity Shifts

• Anxiety, Panic & Emotion Dysregulation

• Parenting Support & Family Dynamics

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Other Adjacent Approaches

 

• Sandtray Therapy

• Theraplay

• Marschak Interaction Method (MIM)

• Child Centered Play Therapy (CCPT)

• Experiental Play Therapy (EPT)

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

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Professional Experience

 

I have had a wide variety of experiences over more than a decade of clinical practice prior to entering private practice. My background includes supporting at-risk youth transitioning off the streets, facilitating intensive attachment-based group therapy for children, and providing psychotherapy in community clinics for clients of all ages navigating trauma, anxiety, and eating disorders. I have also conducted critical safety assessments as part of a specialized child protection intake team. Most recently, my practice has focused on child and youth therapy, delivering evidence-based interventions and dedicated parent support to help steady family systems.

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Post-Graduate Training

 

• Master of Social Work (MSW) & Minor in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health – University of Minnesota

• Reading Associations in EMDR Therapy: Processing Blockages and Therapeutic Interventions –  Derya Altinay, Febris Danismanlik

• ACT for Adolescents – Russ Harris

• ACT for Beginners – Russ Harris

• Experiental Play Therapy – Byron Norton

• EMDR Sandtray Specialist Certificate Intensive Program – Ana Gomez, Agate Institute

• EMDR Child Specialist Intensive Certificate Program – Ana Gomez, Agate Institute 

• EMDR and Attachment Traumas in Children and Adolescents – Derya Altinay, Febris Danismanlik

• Child Centered Play Therapy – Sue Bratton, Simge Danismanlik

• EMDR Therapy and Theraplay: Healing Complex Trauma & Attachment Wounds – Ana Gomez, The Theraplay Institute

• Theraplay Level 1 and Marschak Interaction Method – The Theraplay Institute

• EMDR Therapy Basic Training – Rick Greenwald, Trauma Institute & Child Trauma Institute 

• Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Youth – Omar Gudino, Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy

• Psychological Assessment Training - International Medical Corps

• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Workshop Certificate (50 hours) – Emel Stroup, CBT Istanbul