Cansu Cabucak is a psychology graduate student, researcher, and professional coach based in New York. Her interests center on questions of meaning and identity, relationships, culture, and psychological well-being, alongside her work in substance use and recovery, positive parenting, and embodied approaches to mental health. At The New School for Social Research, her research has engaged with questions of gender, sexuality, immigration, health, and relational experience.
Cansu holds a BA in Philosophy from Lawrence University, with minors in Gender Studies and Government, and an MA in Organizational Psychology from Istanbul Bilgi University. Her master’s research examined authentic meaning at work and self-actualization among early-career female therapists through an existential framework. She is currently completing an MA in Psychology at The New School for Social Research, where she is pursuing the Concentration in the Treatment of Substance Use and Other Addictive Behaviors alongside the research track. As part of her graduate education, she is completing supervised clinical training in substance-use and mental-health treatment. She is also a member of the SexTech Lab and the Gender & Health Lab.
Her professional experience spans coaching, behavioral and developmental support, positive parenting, organizational psychology, and child-rights advocacy. She maintains an independent coaching practice, working with adults navigating identity, relationships, life transitions, and personal growth, and works with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She is also trained as a Triple P Positive Parenting Practitioner.
Born and raised in Turkey, Cansu lives and works in New York. Her approach to psychology is informed by an interdisciplinary background in philosophy, existential thought, social science, and embodied practice. She completed the Existential Analysis Foundation Program at the Existential Academy of Istanbul and is a 200-hour trained yoga instructor. She currently teaches yoga at The New School, with an approach informed by somatic and embodied practices that integrates movement, breath awareness, mindfulness, and embodiment.
Education
MA in Psychology — The New School for Social Research, New York
Expected 2027
Concentration in the Treatment of Substance Use and Other Addictive Behaviors · Research Track
NSSR Scholarship Recipient
MA in Organizational Psychology — Istanbul Bilgi University, Istanbul
2022 · Research Track
Bilgi University Merit-Based Scholarship Recipient
Master’s thesis: Finding Authentic Meaning at Work and Self-Actualization from an Existentialist Perspective: A Qualitative Study for Early-Career Female Therapists
BA in Philosophy — Lawrence University, Wisconsin
2016
Minors in Gender Studies and Government
Lawrence International Scholarship Recipient
Additional Training
ICF-Accredited Coach Education — ACC & PCC Levels
Flow Coaching Institute
Existential Analysis Foundation Program
Existential Academy of Istanbul
Triple P — Positive Parenting Program
Level 4: Teen & 0–12 · Level 2: Seminar
200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training
Karuna Yoga
Dance and Movement Therapy & Art Therapy for Trauma
Art Therapy Association – SPD
