Dr. Bahar Kaplan

I was the primary caregiver for my 82-year-old father, who began exhibiting severe paranoia and confusion after a mild stroke. Our family doctor referred us to Dr. Bahar Kaplan, and it was a turning point. She didn't just see a confused old man; she saw the history of a retired engineer. Her approach was incredibly gentle. She spent our first session mostly listening to *him* talk about his engineering projects, weaving in subtle questions about his current fears. She diagnosed a complex interplay of vascular cognitive impairment and an adjustment disorder. Her treatment plan wasn't just medication; it involved creating a predictable daily 'project schedule' for him, which gave him purpose. She also guided our family on how to communicate without triggering his anxiety. After three months, the improvement is remarkable. He's calmer, more engaged, and the paranoid episodes have nearly vanished. Dr. Kaplan treated the whole person, not just the symptoms.

Our 9-year-old daughter, Elif, started having what we called 'silent tantrums'—she would completely shut down, refuse to speak for hours, and hide in her closet. School said she was just shy. We were lost. Dr. Kaplan's child psychiatry session was nothing like I expected. She had a room with art supplies and building blocks. She didn't interrogate Elif; they 'built a city' together. Through this play, Dr. Kaplan identified severe selective mutism rooted in social anxiety. She explained it to us not as defiance, but as a 'freeze' response. Her strategy was a staggered 'bravery ladder,' starting with Elif whispering to a stuffed animal in the clinic. She coordinated with the school for a tailored plan. Now, six months later, Elif raises her hand in class. She still gets quiet, but the shutdowns are gone. Dr. Kaplan gave our daughter her voice back by first understanding her silent world.

This review comes from a place of profound gratitude. I was admitted to Acıbadem Eskişehir through the ER after a suicide attempt—a moment of complete crisis. Dr. Bahar Kaplan was the on-call psychiatrist. In that sterile ER bay, amidst the beeping machines, her presence was an anchor. She spoke softly, with zero judgment, and asked, 'What has become too heavy to carry?' She saw through the immediate crisis to the severe, untreated obsessive-compulsive disorder that had exhausted me for years. Her emergency intervention was precise, but it was her follow-up that saved me. She structured an intensive outpatient plan combining specific medication for the OCD's intrusive thoughts with a therapy that challenged my rituals. She was available, even answering secure messages during difficult moments. She didn't just patch me up; she helped me rebuild a foundation. I am not just 'better'; I am understanding my own mind for the first time.

I sought out Dr. Kaplan for what I thought was a routine checkup to renew my anxiety medication, which I'd been on for a decade. I expected a 15-minute conversation. Instead, she conducted a thorough, hour-long life review. She asked about changes in my relationships, work, and even my dreams. I mentioned offhandedly that my creativity in my graphic design work had 'dried up' and I just felt flat—which I blamed on aging. Dr. Kaplan identified that my long-term SSRI, while managing anxiety, might now be contributing to this emotional blunting and anhedonia. She proposed a very careful, monitored medication transition, something no psychiatrist had ever suggested before. She framed it not as 'your meds are wrong,' but as 'your life stage has changed, so your needs might have too.' We're midway through the transition, and the process is slow and deliberate. But already, I feel more... present. It wasn't a routine checkup; it was a recalibration. She looks at the long-term journey, not just the prescription.