Ahu Kocak
Specialises in Forensic Psychology 

Ahu  is an endorsed Forensic Psychologist with experience across criminal, family, and children’s jurisdictions. She adopts a compassionate, trauma-informed, and evidence-based approach to her work, with a particular focus on understanding the psychological, developmental, and systemic factors that contribute to offending, family conflict, and complex behavioural presentations. Prior to going into private practice, Ahu's professional background included senior roles within Forensic Mental Health Services, ACT Corrective Services, the Islamic Council of Victoria, federal government agencies, and Corrective Services NSW.

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Ahu has extensive experience providing independent expert assessments and reports for the Family Court, Children’s Court, and Criminal Court. Her work in family law matters includes the assessment of parenting capacity, child development, attachment, trauma, family violence, and coercive control, as well as the psychological functioning of both parents and children. She is experienced in integrating clinical data, collateral information, and behavioural observations to produce balanced, court-ready opinions that assist judicial decision-making in highly complex and sensitive matters.

 

In the criminal jurisdiction, Ahu has extensive experience working with offenders in both custodial and community settings, including suicide prevention and rehabilitation. She provides forensic assessments in matters involving violence, sexual offending, and complex high-risk behaviour, including violent extremism and terrorism. Her work includes fitness to plead (unfitness), mental impairment at the time of offence, and complex sentencing assessments, including opinions relevant to the application of the Verdins principles. She conducts evaluations of cognitive functioning, neurodevelopmental conditions, and psychological disorders, with a focus on how these factors relate to offending behaviour,and is recognised for providing integrated, holistic formulations.

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Ahu is also recognised for her specialist expertise in terrorism and violent extremism risk assessment and intervention. She has been involved in the assessment and treatment of hundreds of individuals identified as presenting with extremist ideologies across NSW and Victorian custodial and community settings. This has included developing program pathways for high-risk extremist offenders within the NSW High Risk Management Correctional Centre and working with individuals associated with organised crime networks. She is an accredited practitioner and trainer in structured professional judgment tools for ideologically/politically motivated violence, and brings a depth of geo-political, legislative, cultural, and clinical knowledge to this field.

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Ahu is trained in a range of evidence-based therapeutic modalities, including Schema Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), exposure-based therapies, imagery rescripting, and crisis intervention. She has contributed to the development and implementation of group schema therapy programs within correctional settings and has extensive experience designing and delivering structured, evidence-based interventions for complex and high-risk populations.

She is an AHPRA Board-approved supervisor, providing supervision across the 4+2, 5+1, and postgraduate training pathways, including forensic registrar programs. Ahu is fluent in English and Turkish and has elementary proficiency in Arabic.