At a glance
- Burcu Cebeci Gürel graduated from Ege University Psychology department in 2005 and the Family Counseling master's program at the same university in 2013.
- She has done internships in the field of special education since her sophomore year at university; she has been working continuously in special education since her graduation.
- After working as a teacher predominantly with children diagnosed with autism in various special education centres in Izmir, she founded Deniz Yıldızı Special Education.
- In the centre, she conducts educational coordination, individual assessment, educational plan creation, family and trainee educations, and peer supervisions.
- She has received training in and actively uses programs and scales such as PEP-R, TEACCH, ABA, PORTAGE, ETEÇOM, GOBDÖ-2-TV, and İVO-ODS.
Prepared by: Deniz Yıldızı Special Education content team · Scientific review: Psychologist (MSc) Burcu Cebeci Gürel · Last updated: 15 September 2026
Who is Burcu Cebeci Gürel?
Burcu Cebeci Gürel is a psychologist (MSc) who is the founder of Deniz Yıldızı Special Education. She has spent her entire professional life in the field of special education, working most intensively with children diagnosed with autism and their families.
Her introduction to special education dates back to long before her graduation: she started interning in the field of special education in her second year at the Ege University Psychology department. She has been actively working in this field from the moment she graduated up to the present day.
Today at Deniz Yıldızı, she both conducts the comprehensive expert consultations held with families and provides weekly supervision for the team. The scientific accuracy approval of the centre's blog posts is also her responsibility.
Which schools did Burcu Cebeci Gürel graduate from, and where has she worked?
We have summarized her educational and professional path based on the resume she shared.
| Period | Education / Experience | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| During undergraduate studies | Special education internships | Internship in the field of special education starting from the second year of university |
| 2005 | Undergraduate | Ege University, Psychology department |
| After graduation | Special education teaching | In various special education centres in Izmir, predominantly with children diagnosed with autism |
| 2013 | Master's degree | Ege University, Psychology department, Family Counseling master's program |
| Deniz Yıldızı Special Education | Founder, educational coordinator | Coordination within the framework of autism diagnosis, assessment, education plan, family and trainee educations, supervision |
What roles does she undertake at Deniz Yıldızı?
After establishing her own centre, Burcu Cebeci Gürel assumed the following roles within the framework of autism diagnosis and continues them today:
- Educational coordination: planning children's educational processes and ensuring their harmonious execution within the team
- Individual assessment: determining the child's developmental profile and needs
- Education plan creation: preparing individualized programs based on assessment
- Organizing family educations: trainings to enable parents to participate in the process with knowledge
- Organizing trainee educations: training prospective colleagues newly joining the field
- Managing peer supervisions and providing weekly supervision to the team
- Conducting comprehensive expert consultations with families
- Giving scientific accuracy approval for the centre's blog posts
What work has she contributed to the field of autism and special education?
In addition to her duties within the centre, she has taken part in various activities to raise awareness about autism and share knowledge with her colleagues.
Television and radio programs
She contributed to autism awareness efforts by participating in various television and radio programs.
Sharings at universities
At the invitation of various universities, she shared insights about the field of special education and autism diagnosis with young prospective colleagues.
Educator trainings
She hosted the field's instructors by organizing educator trainings related to autism and special education, many of which were held in Izmir for the first time.
National and international congresses
She attends national and international special education congresses held in our country for many years; she has made professional contributions at some of them.
Which programs, scales, and techniques does she actively use?
Below are some of the programs, scales, and techniques that Burcu Cebeci Gürel has been trained in and actively uses in the field. The descriptions are for parents to get a general idea; which tool will be used for which child is decided after the assessment.
| Name | Type | Briefly |
|---|---|---|
| PEP-R (Psychoeducational Profile) | Assessment tool | It forms the basis for the education plan by revealing the child's strengths and skills needing support in developmental areas. |
| TEACCH | Educational approach | A teaching approach aiming to facilitate learning with visual supports and a structured environment. |
| ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) | Educational approach | Applied behavior analysis: based on teaching skills by breaking them into small steps and systematically tracking behavior. |
| PORTAGE Early Childhood Education Program | Assessment and programming tool | Used to monitor developmental areas and set goals in early childhood. |
| ETEÇOM (Interaction-Based Early Childhood Intervention Program) | Early intervention program | An early childhood program based on daily interaction between parent and child. |
| GOBDÖ-2-TV (Gilliam Autism Rating Scale) | Rating scale | A scale used in evaluating behaviors related to autism. It does not make a diagnosis on its own. |
| İVO-ODS (Comprehensive Assessment Set for Autism Spectrum Disorder) | Assessment set | A set intended for the comprehensive assessment of children suspected of having an autism spectrum disorder. |
| GEDEP | Program | One of the programs our founder has been trained in and uses in her work. |
| Theory of Mind Teaching | Skill teaching | Activities aimed at supporting the ability to understand the thoughts, feelings, and intentions of others. |
| PEERS Social Skills Training | Social skills program | A program aiming to teach social skills such as making and keeping friends in a structured manner. |
| Executive Functions Training | Skill teaching | Activities aimed at supporting skills such as planning, organizing, attention, and flexibility. |
| Child Assessment Tests | Assessment | Various tests and scales used to understand the child's development and needs. |
| Play Therapy | Therapy technique | A therapeutic approach that provides space for the child to express themselves through play. |
| Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | Therapy technique | A structured therapy approach working on the relationship between thought, emotion, and behavior. |
| Art Therapy | Therapy technique | An approach using painting and similar artistic activities as a means of expression and communication. |
What should you expect from the preliminary consultation with our founder?
Comprehensive expert consultations are conducted by Burcu Cebeci Gürel. To help you come to the consultation with realistic expectations, we share what is included and what is not.
What happens in the consultation
- An unhurried consultation lasting about 1 hour
- Taking your child's developmental history in detail
- Time dedicated to your observations and questions
- A verbal assessment at the end of the consultation
- Discussion of the next steps (assessment, parent education, program)
What does not happen in the consultation
- No diagnosis is made; if a diagnosis is needed, you will be referred to a physician
- No definitive date is given regarding how long the education will take
- No written report is provided; the assessment is shared verbally
What do the terms mentioned in the resume mean?
- Psychologist (MSc)
- A psychologist who has completed a master's degree in a related field following a psychology bachelor's degree.
- Family counseling
- A counseling field working on family relationships, parenting, and challenges in family life.
- Educational coordinator
- The person who plans the educational processes in the centre and ensures team harmony and program tracking.
- Peer supervision
- Regular meetings where colleagues working in the same field discuss cases together and give feedback to each other.
- Psychoeducational profile
- An assessment result showing a child's strengths and areas needing support in developmental areas, guiding education.
Frequently asked questions
Which university did Burcu Cebeci Gürel graduate from?
Burcu Cebeci Gürel graduated from Ege University Psychology department in 2005. In 2013, she also completed the Family Counseling master's program of the Ege University Psychology department.
What is Burcu Cebeci Gürel's area of expertise?
Burcu Cebeci Gürel, a psychologist (MSc), has spent her professional life in the field of special education, working most intensively with children diagnosed with autism and their families. She holds a master's degree in family counseling.
Since when has Burcu Cebeci Gürel been working in the field of special education?
She started interning in the field of special education in her second year at university. She has been working continuously in special education since her graduation in 2005.
Does Burcu Cebeci Gürel conduct the comprehensive expert consultation?
Yes. Comprehensive expert consultations are conducted by Psychologist (MSc) Burcu Cebeci Gürel. In this consultation, which lasts about 1 hour, your child's developmental history is taken, and a verbal assessment is provided to you.
Does Burcu Cebeci Gürel make diagnoses?
No. Burcu Cebeci Gürel and our team conduct preliminary assessments, administer necessary tests and observations, and refer the family to a physician in cases requiring a diagnosis.
Which assessment tools does your founder use?
Among the tools she actively uses are assessment tools such as PEP-R, PORTAGE Early Childhood Education Program, GOBDÖ-2-TV, and İVO-ODS, as well as various child assessment tests. Which tool will be used is decided according to the child's needs.
What are TEACCH and ABA, and are they used in your centre?
TEACCH is a teaching approach that facilitates learning with visual supports and a structured environment. ABA is applied behavior analysis based on teaching skills by breaking them into small steps and tracking behavior systematically. Our founder has been trained in both and uses them actively.
How does your founder guide the team?
Burcu Cebeci Gürel provides weekly supervision to the team; supervisions are recorded with written forms and meeting notes. Additionally, she manages educational coordination, peer supervisions, and trainee educations.
What has Burcu Cebeci Gürel done for autism awareness?
She has contributed to autism awareness by participating in various television and radio programs. At the invitation of universities, she shared insights on autism and special education with prospective colleagues and organized educator trainings, many of which were held for the first time in Izmir.
Who organizes the family educations?
Family educations are among the roles our founder Burcu Cebeci Gürel undertakes in the centre. In the process extending from the initial consultation to the program, parent education takes place as a separate step.
Who checks the accuracy of the articles in the Special Education Guide?
Our articles are prepared by our agency and are approved for scientific accuracy by Psychologist (MSc) Burcu Cebeci Gürel before being published.
