About Janan

My Story

I was born in Turkey, and earned my undergraduate degree in psychology in 1965. At that time, first as a Fulbright Scholar, then as a CENTO Fellow, I pursued the master's and the doctorate degrees in psychology and education from the University of California at Los Angeles. An academic appointment at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey was followed by the return to the United States in 1971 where I taught graduate and undergraduate courses in psychology at St.Mary's College of Maryland, Mt. Vernon College in Washington, D. C., Johns Hopkins University and the Notre Dame University Maryland in Baltimore. From 1981 to 1988, I was also the Director of Counseling at Notre Dame University.

While in graduate school, I worked for the Voice of America radio program, writing and recording materials on the cross-cultural college experience. I have been interviewed on various news programs on TV (most recently on A&E Channel on the subject of bullying) and have received media training.

In late 2025, I JOINED SUBSTACK.COM AS A WRITER OF THE COLUMN, DR J'S SANITY SPACE. Since 2014, as a Contributing Writer to MARYLANDOUTLOUD, I post a column, Ask Dr. J, on LGBTQ+ relationship concerns.

I am a member of the American Psychological Association and have served as the chair for the Public Affairs Board and as a member of the Executive Council of the Maryland Psychological Association. I proudly serve as Board President emerita for  Key Highway Community Association.