Our team
Esra Erkilic
Principal Psychologist | Founder of Empowered People & Co
Esra Erkilic is a Registered Psychologist with a deep commitment to walking alongside individuals navigating trauma, adversity, and complex life experiences. With over a decade of experience spanning crisis care, domestic violence services, and forensic settings, Esra brings a rare combination of clinical expertise, lived insight, and fierce advocacy to her work. She has supported both victims and perpetrators of crime, and her passion lies in helping clients reclaim their sense of safety, identity, and power.
Her therapeutic approach is grounded in evidence-based practice and delivered through a trauma-informed lens. Esra draws on a wide range of modalities tailored to the unique needs of each client, including CBT, TF-CBT, DBT, ACT, EMDR, Schema Therapy, and play-based interventions. She has a strong interest in working with complex trauma, personality disorders, neurodiversity, and emotional regulation across the lifespan from children to older adults.
Driven by her own experiences as a carer and a woman of culturally diverse heritage, Esra brings warmth, curiosity, and real-world understanding to the therapy space. She is also the creator of a growing suite of therapeutic programs and resources, spanning post-incarceration support, children’s storybooks, and emotional regulation kits, designed to empower individuals and communities beyond the therapy room.
Above all, Esra is building something that extends beyond the therapy room. Through Empowered People & Co, she is creating a space where people feel heard, supported, and empowered, working toward a future where psychology drives community empowerment, systemic reform, and meaningful, lasting change.
Zeynep Erturk
Provisional Psychologist & Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner
Zeynep is a Provisionally Registered Psychologist and Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner who works with children, adolescents, and adults across a range of emotional, behavioural, and mental health presentations. She provides therapy within a supportive, ethical, and evidence-based framework, prioritising client safety, collaboration, and individualised care.
Zeynep adopts a person-centred and strengths-based approach, creating a therapeutic environment where clients feel respected, understood, and actively involved in their care. She recognises that effective therapy is not one-size-fits-all and tailors interventions to each individual’s unique experiences, goals, strengths, and support needs.
Her practice is informed by evidence-based therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based approaches, and Motivational Interviewing. Through these approaches, Zeynep supports clients to build practical coping strategies, enhance emotional insight, and work toward meaningful, values-driven outcomes.
Zeynep has a particular interest in supporting neurodivergent individuals, as well as clients experiencing anxiety, depression, emotional regulation difficulties, behavioural challenges in children and adolescents, and periods of transition or adjustment. Her work is culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and inclusive, and she remains mindful of the broader environmental, developmental, and systemic factors impacting wellbeing.
In her practice, Zeynep prioritises a warm, non-judgemental, and respectful therapeutic space, balancing clinical curiosity with empathy and professionalism, and focusing on both strengths and areas of challenge.
Zee Terzi
Practice Manager
Zee is the backbone of day-to-day operations at Empowered People & Co, bringing clarity, structure, and calm to the complex moving parts of a growing practice.
With a strong background in Human Resources, Organisational Psychology, Recruitment, and Customer Success, Zee oversees clinic operations, compliance, systems coordination, and stakeholder communication with exceptional precision and care. She is deeply trusted for her discretion, attention to detail, and ability to manage sensitive information with professionalism and respect. Her calm, approachable manner creates a sense of stability for both the team and clients, and her work behind the scenes enables clinicians to focus fully on therapeutic and assessment work.
Beyond operational management, Zee plays an integral role in the ongoing development of the practice. She contributes to the refinement of systems and workflows, supports the planning and implementation of new projects, and brings thoughtful input into how the business evolves. Her strength lies not only in maintaining what works, but in helping shape what comes next.
Zee is known for her ability to create order without rigidity. She supports clinicians behind the scenes while ensuring that clients, referrers, and stakeholders experience the practice as seamless, responsive, and deeply people-centred.
Guided by strong values around trust, collaboration, and quality, Zee helps ensure Empowered People & Co remains not only well-run, but deeply aligned with its mission to provide thoughtful, ethical, and high-quality, client-centred care. Her blend of strategic thinking, organisational leadership, and genuine care for people positions her as a key contributor to the practice’s long-term stability and future growth.
Tully Davys
Support Worker
Tully is a Psychology and French student at the University of Western Australia with a strong passion for community engagement and meaningful human connection. She enjoys working with people from diverse backgrounds and values building genuine, respectful relationships with those she supports.
Tully is known for her warm, relational, and personable approach. She is committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment where individuals feel comfortable, understood, and valued. Her work is guided by a person-centred approach, with a focus on fostering trust, safety, and positive engagement.
Alongside her academic studies, Tully continues to develop her communication and interpersonal skills, with a particular interest in the role of language, culture, and psychology in shaping connection and wellbeing. This perspective supports her ability to adapt her approach to meet the individual needs and goals of each person she works with.
Outside of her professional role, Tully enjoys learning languages, drawing, and maintaining an active lifestyle through climbing and gym training, reflecting her creativity, curiosity, and commitment to wellbeing.
Tully is pleased to be part of the Empowered People & Co. team as a Support Worker, where she is dedicated to providing respectful, reliable, and person-centred support in alignment with the values of the practice.
Jennifer Whyte
Support Worker
Jennifer is a calm, compassionate and reliable Support Worker dedicated to providing consistent, respectful care for children with additional needs. With experience as an early childhood educator across diverse early learning environments, she brings a trauma-informed, child-centred approach to every person she supports.
Jennifer is known for her gentle and regulated presence, prioritising emotional safety, predictable routines, and co-regulation strategies that build trust and confidence. She works collaboratively with families and colleagues, valuing strong communication, professional boundaries, and consistency in her practice. Her strengths include supporting emotional regulation, promoting independence through clear routines, and fostering positive relationships grounded in dignity and respect.
Jennifer is committed to person-centred support that honours each child’s unique needs and goals. Her approach aligns with Empowered People & Co’s values of empathy, reliability and thoughtful, high-quality care. She is passionate about helping children feel safe, understood, and empowered as they grow and navigate challenges.