Hilal
Altunay Yılmaz

Hilal Altunay-Yılmaz is a Research Assistant at the Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching at Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, Turkey. She holds a B.S. in Guidance and Psychological Counseling from Boğaziçi University and an M.S. from METU, where she is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in the same field. Hilal’s professional and academic work centers on the psychosocial impacts of forced migration, trauma, and loss, with a focus on strengthening resilience and well-being among displaced populations. She has extensive field experience supporting refugees and migrants, including her roles as a Psychosocial Support Specialist at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and as a Protection Desk Officer at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Her research explores non-death losses, adaptation processes, and culturally sensitive interventions that address grief, trauma, and identity reconstruction in migratory contexts. She has contributed to the development of trauma-informed support models and training programs aimed at enhancing the competencies of educators and counselors working in crisis-affected settings. Hilal has authored several national book chapters on trauma, loss, and grief, and regularly designs professional development initiatives to equip practitioners with skills to support individuals and communities recovering from adversity. She is dedicated to advancing research and practice that foster resilience, meaning-making, and psychosocial well-being among vulnerable populations.