Prof. Dr. Şükrü TORUN
Prof. Dr. Şükrü Torun is an academic neurologist, and also a music therapist officially certified by the Turkish Ministry of Health. He is one of Turkey’s leading authorities in integrating neuroscience-based music therapy and other music-mediated interventions into mainstream rehabilitation, therapy, and special education practices for developmental and acquired neurological and psychosocial disorders.
He has developed the Neurocreative Music Therapy approach—an evidence-based, eclectic, and relational framework that integrates principles and techniques from network neuroscience, neuroplasticity, phenomenology, and music therapy. His work focuses on improving quality of life through the reorganization of functional brain network architecture while offering accessible and scalable solutions.
Prof. Torun’s contributions are particularly notable for their emphasis on scalable, evidence-based practice. At Anadolu University, he established the first music therapy unit officially approved by the Turkish Ministry of Health, as well as the first Department of Music Therapy and Master’s program approved by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). He is also the founding president of the Equine-Assisted Therapy and Activities Federation (ADETA). These initiatives exemplify the integration of non-pharmacological complementary approaches—one of the core principles of integrative medicine—into established education and healthcare systems.
Dr. Torun has further advanced his career by building a strong scientific bridge between neuroscience and non-medical health disciplines such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, child development, and special education. Within this framework, he has developed an inclusive and translational approach that transforms complex neuroscientific concepts into practical, structured, and accessible music-mediated intervention protocols, as well as neuroeducational strategies.
Prof. Torun has made extensive contributions to the field as the author of numerous national and international books, book chapters, and peer-reviewed articles. In addition to his academic work, he is actively engaged as an editor, project consultant, and a frequent contributor to conferences, panels, seminars, and workshops.
The framework underlying his work reflects an interdisciplinary perspective that combines the analytical rigor of neuroscience with the human-centered principles of healthcare. His efforts represent important milestones in the professionalization and standardization of scientifically grounded support services for developmental and acquired neurological and psychosocial disorders in Türkiye. These integrative perspective also reflect a form of strategic leadership that shapes the future of the related fields by ensuring practitioners are trained within a rigorous, evidence-based framework. Prof. Dr. Şükrü Torun currently teaches part-time in undergraduate and graduate programs at Anadolu, Üsküdar, and Lokman Hekim Universities.