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About My Clients
I strive to come from a place of compassion and empathy because, as humans, we all have patterns, messages, and lessons that show up in our lives. The more conscious and mindful we can become of these patterns, the more freedom we can have from them. My goal in therapy is to utilize evidence-based treatments to help you understand these themes so that you can gain the tools, insights, and skills necessary to live the life you want.
My Background and Approach
Prior to the inception of COPE Psychological Center, I was a team lead on a 30 bed track at a residential treatment facility at the West Los Angeles VA Hospital for a number of years helping individuals begin their recovery journey free of substances. I supervised psychology and psychiatry trainees and was a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA. I earned my doctorate from the University of Southern California (Fight On!) after graduating cum laude from the University of California, San Diego with my BS in Psychology. Throughout my training, I have worked extensively in academic medical centers, including within the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, USC Keck Hospital Department of Neurology, as well as community clinics, such as Homeless Healthcare Los Angeles. Additionally, I have received funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and have published over 20 articles in peer-reviewed journals within the substance use field.
My Personal Beliefs and Interests
I am the youngest of four children and raised by immigrant Persian parents. As a result of his upbringing, I see the unique cultural identities that have shaped our personalities. Many have faced hardships throughout life that were endemic to the specific family we were raised in and some of us have experienced more pervasive oppression as a result of systematic, sociopolitical forces. Unfortunately, some of us have experienced both. All of these factors and many more are important to helping me understand the totality of your life and experience and will help us work together to move your life forward with the realities of these experiences.