Ayse Ikizler, Ph.D.

Dr. Ayse Ikizler is a licensed clinical psychologist who provides a warm, validating, and collaborative space for healing. Taking a holistic approach to mental health, she empowers clients to navigate life transitions, manage stress, and overcome anxiety and depression. She believes that therapy is not just about reducing symptoms, but about understanding yourself, your values, and how you relate to the world around you.

Relationship Dynamics & Interpersonal Concerns

The quality of our relationships impacts our mental well-being. Dr. Ikizler brings targeted expertise to helping clients navigate complex interpersonal dynamics. Whether you are dealing with communication breakdowns, setting healthy boundaries, navigating romantic partnerships, or addressing family-of-origin wounds, she provides a structured and empathetic environment to help you build more secure, fulfilling, and authentic connections.

Identity Exploration & Multicultural Experiences

Understanding your personal identity within the broader context of society and family is a vital part of the therapeutic journey. Dr. Ikizler is highly specialized in identity exploration, with a particular passion for supporting first- and second-generation immigrants. She understands the nuanced challenges faced by Arab and Middle Eastern Americans, providing a culturally responsive space to process acculturation, intergenerational expectations, and the complexities of navigating multiple cultural identities.

LGBTQ+ Affirming Care

Navigating sexual orientation and gender identity can bring unique challenges, especially when those identities intersect with cultural backgrounds and familial expectations. Dr. Ikizler provides affirming and safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community. She is highly passionate about helping clients explore their authentic selves, navigate the coming-out process, and build resilience against systemic and minority stress.

Eating Disorders & Body Image

In addition to her relational and identity work, Dr. Ikizler provides compassionate, evidence-based treatment for individuals struggling with disordered eating and body image concerns. She helps clients untangle the rigid rules of diet culture, rebuild self-compassion, and cultivate a peaceful, neutral relationship with food and their bodies, ensuring that this work aligns with their broader cultural and personal values.

• Integrative Therapy; Interpersonal Process Therapy (IPT)
• Feminist-Multicultural Therapy; Relational-Cultural Therapy (RCT)

Dr. Ikizler received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and her M.A. General Psychology from the University of Tennessee–Knoxville. She is a tenured professor and researcher who has authored book chapters and peer-reviewed publications focused on identity development, stress, and the links between oppressive experiences and mental health outcomes. Dr. Ikizler is also the past president of the American Arab, Middle Eastern, and North African Psychological Association. Additionally, she has worked as a therapist at the following sites:

• • University of Maryland – Counseling Center, College Park, MD

• • Family Justice Center – Knoxville, TN

• • University of Tennessee – Counseling Center, Knoxville, TN

First Session: $275

Follow-Ups: $250