I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (#118685) located in Berkeley CA. I have been providing therapeutic services to adults, youth, families and couple's since 2016. I completed my Master's of Sciences in Counseling at California State University, East Bay. I also received a Bachelor's degree in Child and Adolescent Development from San Francisco State University. Prior to opening my own private practice, I worked for five years in the non-profit sector primarily supporting youth and their families. Working in schools and non-profits gave me a unique experience of working with a wide range of individuals and mental health disorders. My experiences have been foundational in developing my belief that therapy should be uniquely tailored to each client and that there is not one modality that will fit the therapeutic needs of every client.

I believe that therapy is meant to be a unique and transformative experience for each client and that the therapist is meant to be a guide through their journey to healing. As humans, we are all unique and there is no single strategy that will help us on our paths to healing and growth. I use multiple modalities in therapy including, but not limited to, narrative therapy, CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), attachment-based therapy, and a humanistic approach to therapy. I would consider myself a client-centered therapist and I adjust my therapy approach to meet the unique needs of each of my clients. I believe the most important part of therapy is the relationship between the client and therapist. In order for there to be an experience of growth and healing, there must be a foundation of safety and trust. I strive to develop deeply trusting relationships with my clients by being attentive to their unique needs, showing up as my unique self, and providing them with the empathy and compassion they deserve.

I also believe it is important to share that I am half Iranian and half French and I am the first generation of my family to be born in the United States. As the child of immigrant parents, I have developed a unique understanding of the interpersonal divide between identity and culture. I personally understand many of the complexities of having a mixed heritage background and believe this allows me to connect with clients of many different backgrounds and ethnicities through shared experiences. I also acknowledge that I carry a significant amount of privilege because of the color of my skin and my appearance as a white woman. I always strive to learn from my client’s unique experiences within the issues of race, cultural identity, gender identity, and sexual orientation. I also strongly believe in my responsibility to educate myself in all areas of privilege and oppression to be an advocate for social justice and be an advocate for my clients.