Psychologist Amsterdam
Practice of Laura Wester
Hi, I'm Zeynep Bilbay, a body-oriented psychologist and movement facilitator based in Amsterdam. Originally from Istanbul, Turkey, I've been living in the Netherlands for the past eight years. During this time, I've worked with people from different cultural backgrounds experiencing anxiety, depression, burnout, trauma, psychosomatic symptoms, and challenges related to migration and life transitions.
Alongside my background in clinical psychology, I became increasingly interested in the role of the body in healing. Again and again, I saw how much of our inner world lives beyond words, and how important it is to include the body in the therapeutic process.
As a body-oriented therapist, I listen to the story of the body. The body often communicates more directly and honestly than our thoughts do. While the mind can get caught in stories and defenses, the body shows us what is actually happening in the present moment. By bringing awareness to sensations, emotions, impulses, and nervous system responses, we can work more directly with what wants our attention.
I don't see therapy as being about fixing. I see it as creating space for what wants to be healed. Healing often happens when we slow down enough to be with what is here. Sometimes that means feeling emotions that never got to be fully felt, expressing something that never got to be expressed, or completing responses that had to be suppressed in the past.
One of the things I value most in therapy is creating a space where there is nowhere to go and nothing to do. We don't have to force change or rush toward solutions. We simply become curious about what is here. From there, the next step often reveals itself naturally. In working together, you can thus expect a therapeutic process that:
Many clients tell me that through this work they feel more connected to themselves, more alive, and more able to live in alignment with who they truly are.
As a psychologist and facilitator, I'm known as a genuine, compassionate, curious, and, when there is space for it, playful person. Curiosity is one of the foundations of my work. Together, we explore your experience with openness, and sessions often feel like a journey rather than a problem that needs to be solved. I deeply value transparency, authenticity, and building a genuine connection with my clients.
My love for psychology, human connection, dance, and movement has shaped the way I work today. My own relationship with movement continues to deepen my understanding of embodiment and the wisdom of the body.
I offer sessions in English and Turkish. Having built a life in another country myself, I understand both the challenges and the richness that can come with living between cultures. While I work with many international clients, I warmly welcome Dutch clients who prefer to have therapy in English as well.
Want to start therapy together? Feel free to contact me for an appointment
