Emel Sönmez, MD

Emel Sönmez, MD is a psychiatrist who sees patients at the Acibadem Bodrum Outpatient Clinic in Muğla, within the Psychiatry & Psychology unit. She has more than 40 years in medicine. Her clinical interests include anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression, panic disorder, sleep disorders, substance dependence and personality disorders. Her practice also includes psychotherapy.

Dr. Sönmez graduated from the İ. Pavlov Higher Medical Institute Faculty of Medicine in 1986. She trained as a psychiatry resident at the Regional Psychiatry Training and Research Hospital from 1986 to 1989 and then at the Psychiatry Clinic of Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital from 1989 to 1992, completing her specialty training in the Department of Mental Health and Diseases in 1992. From 1992 to 1995 she served as Chief of the Neurosis Clinic at Manisa Mental Health and Diseases Hospital during her compulsory service. She worked at the Ankara Mental Health Dispensary from 1995 to 1999 and at the OrtadoğuTeknik University Psychological Counseling and Guidance Center from 1999 to 2020. In 2021 she joined Acıbadem Healthcare Services.

Clinical focus

A substantial part of Dr. Sönmez’s work concerns mood and anxiety conditions. She assesses and treats anxiety disorders, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, major depression and bipolar disorder. Psychotherapy forms part of her practice and may be considered alongside other approaches, depending on the individual assessment and the nature of the condition.

Her areas of expertise also include sleep disorders, among them insomnia and sleep apnea, as well as hyperactivity, substance dependence and personality disorders. Because these conditions can overlap and present differently from one person to another, the evaluation is centered on the patient’s own history, symptoms and previous treatment, and the options discussed are shaped by the findings of that evaluation.

How Dr. Sönmez works with international patients

Dr. Sönmez consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for patients who speak other languages. Before the visit, the Acibadem international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports, including previous psychiatric assessments, laboratory results, discharge summaries and any relevant imaging, and arranges appointments and the visit to the clinic. A first consultation typically covers the patient’s history and current symptoms, a review of existing records and earlier treatments, a clinical examination and a discussion of the possible options. Video consultation is available for international patients, which may be used for an initial assessment or to review records before deciding whether an in-person visit is appropriate.