Welcome! I am a proud queer Iranian-Iraqi-American woman and licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

 

I received my undergraduate degree in Feminist Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2008 and my Master's in Science in Clinical Psychology from San Francisco State University in 2013.

 

My desire to enter the helping field is rooted in racial and gender justice blossomed by my experience working with women impacted by the criminal justice system and LGBTQIA+ houseless youth.

 

I enjoy mentoring and began supervising new therapists in 2017 at a variety of sites including the Long Beach LGBTQ Center.

 

I switched fields in 2019 and entered healthcare technology following the promise of fixing a broken mental health system and making mental healthcare accessible to all. However, I experienced severe burnout and sought help. I experienced the power of short-term, solution-focused coaching and it changed my life. ​

 

I began studying the many dynamics that contributed to burnout including imposter syndrome, stereotype threat & lack of psychological safety. I quickly realized what I experienced was an unfortunate phenomenon for many underrepresented employees and that it could've been prevented with the proper education & awareness. I took my experience and began seeing 1:1 clients to support their journey of self-discovery, empowerment and wellness amid challenging workplace environments. I then joined the Rise Journey as their Mental Health & Diversity Advisor, providing strategic advising and facilitating workshops to improve company and employee success.