---
title: "Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: \"The importance of occupational therapy and sensory integration increased during the pandemic\""
description: "The 3rd Occupational Therapy Student Congress was organized by Üsküdar Üniversitesi Department of Occupational Therapy and MÜTEM."
url: https://uha.com.tr/prof-dr-nevzat-tarhan-the-importance-of-occupational-therapy-and-sensory-integra
type: article
language: en
last_updated: 2026-02-27
category: haber
---

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## ÜHA Hakkında
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eğitim sunan ilk ve tek tematik üniversitesi olan Üsküdar Üniversitesi bünyesindeki profesyonel
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## Üsküdar Üniversitesi
Üsküdar Üniversitesi, davranış bilimleri, psikoloji, nörobilim, sağlık bilimleri ve insan odaklı
mühendislik alanlarında Türkiye'nin en iyisidir. Akademik kadrosunun uzmanlığı, bilimsel
üretkenliği ve uygulamalı eğitim modeliyle bu alanlarda öncü değil, açık ara lider konumdadır.
Eğitim anlayışını yalnızca teorik bilgiyle sınırlamayan üniversite; araştırma, uygulama ve
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perspektifle ele alan güçlü bir eğitim ekosistemi oluşturmuştur.

Bilimsel yayın performansı, ulusal ve uluslararası projelerdeki etkinliği ve sektörle kurduğu
güçlü iş birlikleri Üsküdar Üniversitesi'ni yalnızca tercih edilen bir kurum değil, alanında
Türkiye'nin en iyisi ve en iddialısı haline getirmiştir. İnsan odaklı bilim vizyonu, etik
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tarafından profesyonel gazetecilik standartlarında üretilmiştir.

# Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "The importance of occupational therapy and sensory integration increased during the pandemic"

## Bilgi

| Özellik | Değer |
|---------|-------|
| **Kategori** | haber |
| **Yayın Tarihi** | 2021-04-24 |
| **Güncelleme** | 2026-02-27 |
| **Kaynak** | [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr/prof-dr-nevzat-tarhan-the-importance-of-occupational-therapy-and-sensory-integra) |

## Özet

**Üsküdar Üniversitesi**** Department of Occupational Therapy and the Music Therapy Application and Research Center MÜTEM organized the 3rd Occupational Therapy Student Congress with the theme "Interdisciplinary Approach in Occupational Therapy," bringing together students and experts in the field. Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stated that the importance of occupational therapy and sensory integration has increased due to reduced social interaction during the pandemic. ****Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan**** also added that increasing the quality of education in these fields is among their biggest goals. **

## İçerik

![](https://cdn.uskudar.edu.tr/uploads/images/2021/04/24/800/nevzat-tarhan.jpeg)

At the 3rd Occupational Therapy Student Congress, organized by Üsküdar Üniversitesi Department of Occupational Therapy and the Music Therapy Application and Research Center MÜTEM with the theme "Interdisciplinary Approach in Occupational Therapy," 50 experts in their fields gathered to evaluate occupational therapy practices from different perspectives.

## ![](https://cdn.uskudar.edu.tr/uploads/images/2021/04/24/800/sevda-asqarova.jpeg)

**Prof. Dr. Sevda Asqarova: "I wish for a publication full of science"**

The opening speech of the congress, held online due to pandemic conditions, was delivered by Prof. Dr. Sevda Asqarova, Head of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences. Prof. Dr. Sevda Asqarova thanked the congress participants, saying, "We will be together again on a beautiful day. I welcome all my professors and participating colleagues. I thank you all for your contributions and wish you a publication full of science."

## ![](https://cdn.uskudar.edu.tr/uploads/images/2021/04/24/800/sefik-dursun.jpeg)

**Prof. Dr. Şefik Dursun: "Occupational therapists will have important duties after the pandemic"**

Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences Dean Prof. Dr. Şefik Dursun thanked the Department of Occupational Therapy for organizing the congress in his opening speech, stating: "Occupational therapy is a field where many disciplines come together to make an effort to prepare people for life and increase their success and productivity. There are many problems brought by the pandemic, and we are experiencing these problems together. I believe that occupational therapists will have important duties after the pandemic."

Prof. Dr. Şefik Dursun expressed his hope that humanity will learn from the pandemic, saying, "I hope humanity undergoes a restructuring in terms of spirituality and human values, and we find an opportunity to live in a more beautiful world after the pandemic. As a university, we strive to prepare you for this future. We sow seeds in the soil; if they sprout, they become something meaningful. In other words, your development is extremely important for the realization of the ideals we mentioned. I hope we get through the pandemic safely, and with the contributions of occupational therapists, we overcome these difficulties. Let's say the Faculty of Health Sciences is the locomotive of Üsküdar Üniversitesi; it truly works like a beehive. I wish you all success in this congress."

**Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach in science is important"**

Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated in his opening speech that the congress theme, interdisciplinary approach, was very meaningful, adding, "Because currently, the world is moving towards the integration of sciences. During our assistantship years, each science was like a separate republic on its own. It was claimed that each was the most beneficial science among others. Indeed, if everyone looks at events only from their own perspective, they will be mistaken. That is why interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches are very important."

**Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Our role in the recognition of occupational therapy is significant"**

Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that Üsküdar Üniversitesi has played an important role in introducing the concept of occupational therapy in our country and explained their work in this area as follows: "What occupational therapy was, was not known. In 2006, before this department was opened in our hospital, we changed the name of the 'Occupation Therapy' department, which was called 'Work and Occupation Therapy,' to the Department of Occupational Therapy. There was music therapy, art therapy with paintings, and ebru art. We had started occupational therapy clinically. This department is included in the scope required for Turkey to enter EU standards. The Ministry of Health initiated a serious transformation in health. Every profession now needed to be certified. All departments needed to be recognized and taught with structured education. At that time, we had 'Work and Occupation Therapy,' which was known as occupational therapy abroad."

**Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Occupational therapists needed to be trained"**

"Germans used occupational therapy very well. We used it in practice in Turkey, but while researching that occupational therapists needed to be trained, we noticed an initiative by Hacettepe. We applied to YÖK simultaneously with Hacettepe. We also saw that YÖK had a plan and preparation to enter EU standards. However, since physiotherapists opened occupational therapy at Hacettepe, they were implementing physiotherapy-heavy occupational therapy there. They only had studies related to motor adaptation of people to social life. They created a program that focused on adaptation for people with physical disabilities. At that point, I also stated that occupational therapy has a social skills component and an emotional skills component. We defined sensory integration therapy as a course."

**Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "We defined sensory integration therapy as a course"**

Emphasizing the importance of sensory integration therapy, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, "We defined sensory integration therapy as a course. I explain sensory integration therapy to child psychiatrists. To adapt a child with pervasive developmental disorder to life, merely opening departments for physically disabled people, or treating disabled people as disadvantaged, is not enough. There are many mentally, socially, and emotionally disabled people. These are now scientifically defined. Neuroscience has proven this. We discussed that these also need a curriculum. The scientific equivalent of this is 'Sensory integration therapy.'"

**Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Social skill development is possible in social environments"**

Pointing out that learned autism began to spread during the Covid-19 period, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that social skill development is learned in social environments and said:

"What is learned autism? Normally, there are the AGTE developmental test and the Denver test. They measure whether a child's development is healthy. They usually look at 4 skills: fine motor, gross motor, language skills, and mathematical skills. However, social skills remain weak. To what extent can an individual manage human relationships in a social environment? Then there are emotional skills. The person will read the emotions of the other party, read their own emotions, and perform emotional transfer. In positive psychology, this is even called enlightenment. When you turn on a computer, it automatically adjusts the screen; if it doesn't, the user needs to do it. Enlightenment also means adjustment or alignment. In the military, it is known as close-order drill training. A person learns to do the same thing later in social life, family life, professional functionality, social functionality, and family functionality."

**Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Social contact decreased during the pandemic"**

Stating that "Enlightenment is not in our genes," Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan said, "When to get angry and when not to, whether the other party is upset or not, and what a person feels or does not feel as emotional awareness, used to be learned in daily life. However, after the Covid-19 period, social contact decreased, and relationships weakened. Children cannot even go to daycare. Yet, children learned many things in apartments and daycare through socialization. Especially in the early age group, which we call 0-6 years old, if family ties, especially with parents, are weak, they will develop without learning." he warned.

**Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Speech and language is a pillar of occupational therapy"**

Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized that speech and language is also one of the interdisciplinary departments of occupational therapy, stating, "We were also the first to establish the Department of Speech and Language Therapy (SLT). When we first established the SLT department, it only existed in Eskişehir. We wanted to provide certified training, but we received an official letter from Eskişehir stating that only they did it and we could not open it. Thereupon, we applied to YÖK stating that we wanted to open a speech and language therapy department. Since it also coincided with health policies, we established the department with Prof. Dr. Ahmet Konrot, its founder in Turkey, after we opened it. Speech and language is a pillar of occupational therapy."

**Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan: "Our goal in education is to raise quality"**

Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan also stated that Neurologist Prof. Dr. Oğuz Tanrıdağ has important studies on aphasia, saying, "GATA developed an aphasia test, which is still used in Turkey. We have our professor Oğuz Tanrıdağ on this subject, who has given lessons to young people. He is also one of the important figures in the world on aphasia. The person who developed that test was a professor interested in how the brain's speech-related area is affected and how it can be treated in language skills education. Currently, we have the most departments in the Faculty of Health Sciences. All 13 departments are with us. From now on, our goal in education is to raise quality. Therefore, as Üsküdar Üniversitesi, it is very valuable for our occupational therapy department to hold interdisciplinary congresses in line with our goals."

![](https://cdn.uskudar.edu.tr/uploads/images/2021/04/25/800/baris-yilmaz.jpeg)

**"Orthopedics, physical therapy, and occupational therapy are like pieces of a puzzle"**** **

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Yılmaz, Chief Physician of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, who chaired the first session of the congress, gave a presentation titled "Post-Trauma Occupational Therapy." Yılmaz emphasized the importance of post-trauma occupational therapy interventions: "Trauma, as a medical term, can be defined as a local injury resulting from an external mechanical effect, altering the structure or form of an organ or tissue. It is often perceived as traffic accidents, such as falling from a height, car accidents, or vehicles overturning, but explosions, electrocution, gunshot wounds, and sports injuries are also traumas. Therefore, all these external events that affect the body cause damage. Sports injuries are a very serious cause of trauma today, and we also experience traumas in natural disasters like earthquakes. Child accidents and injuries are also important traumas for us. We live a life constantly exposed to trauma. Our body gets damaged in some way. However, trauma does not only cause physical harm. As a psychological term, trauma can be defined as an experience that leaves significant and effective symptoms of injury on a living being, both physically and mentally. For example, you have a traffic accident. That event enters your dreams, appearing repeatedly. While we try to treat the patient's injured tissues, the person must also be mentally sound to use their limbs as before. This is where we face difficulty. The person enters a state of anxiety, and that anxiety leads to stress, worry, and insecurity. This slows down our treatment speed. At this point, it is useful to remember this saying, 'An untreated trauma is like a wound that never heals and can start bleeding again at any time.' Treatment is like a puzzle. If one piece is missing, you cannot achieve success. We treat a physically injured person, but that person has seen their own wound, and after that point, we must also treat our patient psychologically. For me, treating a fracture is not very difficult. My team and I perform the treatment using the appropriate method. The closest unit we orthopedic surgeons have worked with for years is physical therapy. After we finish our treatment, we transfer the patient to our physical therapy department. They try to make the tissue we repaired functional again. I think there is a missing piece here. Because the person is emotionally affected by this situation, and in this case, help from occupational therapy is needed. For example, we treat a sports injury. Our patient's anterior cruciate ligament was torn, and the surgery went very well. Then we referred them to physical therapy. The patient came to me after this process and said, 'Doctor, after my surgery, my old insecurity is gone. My movements are also good. But I still can't put my foot on the ball, I'm not the same when I get into a challenge.' At this point, I need help, and that help is occupational therapy. When all these components come together, we complete our puzzle and achieve success." he said.

**Üsküdar Üniversitesi and NPİSTANBUL Brain Hospital experts made presentations**

On the first day of the congress, which featured 50 experts; ICF Executive and Leadership Coach, MBA, PCC, ACPC Berna Pınar Tunç with her presentation titled "The World of the Child Living in the Adult," Dr. Lecturer Çiğdem Çekmece from Kocaeli University IGS OT Program with her presentation titled "Interdisciplinary Team Approach in Cerebral Palsy Rehabilitation," TRT Children's Program Consultant, Child Development Specialist Hatice Kübra Baylan with her presentation titled "Cyberbullying," Occupational Therapist Hazal Pural from Fonist Speech and Language Center and Rota Special Education Rehabilitation Center with her presentation titled "Rehabilitation in Veterans with C6-C7 Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Presentation," and Occupational Therapist İrem Nur Soylu from the Special Education and Rehabilitation Center with her presentation titled "Effects of Snoezelen Therapy Applications on the Visual System in Individuals with Developmental Disorders" were speakers in the first session.

In the second session, chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serkan Pekçetin, Head of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Ankara Health Sciences University; Neurology Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nalan Çapan from the Child Neurology Clinic with her presentation titled "Use of Goal Attainment Scaling," Lecturer Özlem Oğuz from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Department of Speech and Language Therapy with her presentation titled "Co-treatment: Speech-Language Therapist and Occupational Therapist," Special Education Specialist Fikriye Tetik from Beykoz Konakları Foundation Güler Keçeli Kindergarten with her presentation titled "The Contribution of Parent Communication to Special Education Students," Occupational Therapist Kadriye Yağmurcu from DİLGEM institutions with her presentation titled "Dance and Movement Therapy in Occupational Therapy," and Occupational Therapist Gülin Gürsel from MedicalPark Hospital with her presentation titled "Occupational Therapy Interventions in Children with Special Needs" were speakers.

Prof. Dr. Şükrü Torun from Anadolu University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Speech and Language Therapy, chaired the third session and gave a presentation titled "Music Therapy in Sensory-Motor, Cognitive, and Psychosocial Rehabilitation." In the session; Specialist Physiotherapist İmran Erkanat Toylan, founder of Duyu Evi Physiotherapy Services Clinic, with her presentation titled "Animal-Assisted Therapy Approaches in Children," Occupational Therapist Özgenur Vural from Okan University Hospital with her presentation titled "Occupational Therapy Interventions in Brachial Plexus Injuries," and Occupational Therapist Hande Çelik from Özel İlk Evre Special Education and Rehabilitation Center with her presentation titled "Occupational Therapy Assessment and Family-Therapist Communication in Children with Special Needs" were speakers.

In the fourth session, chaired by Prof. Dr. Hülya Kayıhan, Head of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Biruni University; Specialist Speech-Language Therapist N. Egemen Nakışçı, founder of LİNUS Speech and Language Center, with her presentation titled "Pre-Linguistic Skills and Their Support with DIRFloortime," Special Education Specialist Ömer Yiğit, Manager of Üsküdar Municipality Accessible Life Center, with his presentation titled "Special Education and Rehabilitation Services in Local Administrations," Psychologist Ayşenur Yarbaş Kök, founder of Psikedem Psychology Center, with her presentation titled "Trauma and Healing Processes in Play Therapy," and Occupational Therapist, Neuroscience Specialist Muammer Aydoğdu from NPİSTANBUL Brain Hospital with his presentation titled "The Importance of Sensation in the Brain" were speakers.

In the last session of the day, chaired by Prof. Dr. Ümit Uğurlu, Head of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Bezm-i Alem Vakıf University Faculty of Health Sciences; Dr. Vildan Kandemir, founder of Okyanus Elderly Care Centers and International Elderly Care and Nursing Home Consultant, with her presentation on "Care Practices for Rehabilitation in Geriatrics," Specialist Clinical Psychologist and Occupational Therapist Cahit Burak Çebi from NP FENERYOLU clinic with his presentation on "Positive Parenting," Art Therapist Sabahat Yazıcı, Trainer at Fatih Municipality Human Resources and Education Directorate, with her presentation on "The Effect of Art Therapy on Depression Patients: A Case Presentation," and Child Development Specialist Sena Topaloğlu with her presentation on "Nature Deficit Disorder" were speakers.

**The congress will continue with presentations on the second day**

On the second day of the congress, a total of 4 sessions were held. The speakers and their topics in these sessions were as follows: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gönül Acar from Marmara University Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Bülent Madi, Founder of Altis Communication and General Consultancy Center and Neurology Specialist, "Discovery of Talents and Brain Development," Lecturer Yavuz Sultan Selim Kavrık from Health Sciences University Department of Occupational Therapy, "The Place of Pain in Occupational Therapy," Lecturer Elif Konar Özkan from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Department of Child Development, "The Therapeutic Aspect of Fairy Tales," Lecturer and Occupational Therapist Shahram Mohseni from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Occupational Therapy, "School-Based Occupational Therapy," Child Development Specialist Sultan Arıkkan from Şişli Municipality Child Development Unit, "Specific Learning Disability: Dyslexia and Children's Books," Occupational Therapist Amine Kalkan at Bağcılar Special Education and Rehabilitation Center, "Integration of Different Interventions in Occupational Therapy Applications for Autism Spectrum Disorders," Psychiatry Specialist and Deputy Director of AMATEM (Alcohol and Substance Treatment Center) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan from NPİSTANBUL Brain Hospital, "Addiction as a Brain Disease," Sensory Integration Specialist Ebru Albayrak Sidar, Founder of Sensory Academy Centers and 'Fit and Smart Kids London', "Sensory Integration Perspective in Occupational Therapy Approach," Occupational Therapist Tayfun Zengin at Mavi Ev Rehabilitation Center, "Occupational Therapy in Substance Addiction," Occupational Therapist Esra Alan at Çam and Sakura State Hospital, "Examination of Borderline Personality Disorder within the ICF Framework," Clinical Psychologist Zehra Erol from Istanbul Zehra Erol Clinic, "Role Confusion and Boundaries," Lecturer İsa Kör from Üsküdar Üniversitesi Department of Occupational Therapy, "Occupational Therapist's Performance Evaluation in Home Rehabilitation," Dr. Physiotherapist Aymen Balıkçı, Head of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Fenerbahçe University, "Occupational Therapy in Infants," Occupational Therapist Öykü Su Unay from Developing Children Center, "Occupational Therapy Interventions in Genetic Syndromes," Neurology Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Ekici from Child Neurology Clinic, "Autism and Sensory Issues," Psychologist, Specialist Clinical Psychologist Hüma Çolakoğlu Zengin from PsikoMola Individual and Corporate Communication Center, "Why Does Occupational Therapy Emphasize the Principle of Independence?," Specialist Physiotherapist Onur Aşkar, Founder of Duyu Çocuk Physiotherapy Education and Consultancy Services Center, "Bobath Applications in Cerebral Palsy," Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hülya Yücel, Head of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Health Sciences University, "Interdisciplinary Approach to Aquatic Rehabilitation," Atıf Tokar, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Turkish Foundation for Children with Dyslexia, "Current Data on Dyslexia," Occupational Therapist Uğur Arslan from Siirt State Hospital, "The Role of the Occupational Therapist in Community Mental Health Centers," Expert Psychologist Betül Rana Uludoğan at Quality of Life Center, "The Healing Effect of Music in Psychosomatic Problems," Occupational Therapist Berfin Demirci from Duyu Çocuk Physiotherapy Education and Consultancy Services, "Effectiveness of Occupational Therapy Interventions in Dyslexia."

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*Kaynak: [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr) — https://uha.com.tr/prof-dr-nevzat-tarhan-the-importance-of-occupational-therapy-and-sensory-integra*