Like with most others, my first introduction with mental health work stemmed from my own experiences of self exploration and therapy work.

 

As a child and young adult, I had the desire to work hard to become “successful,” as I was taught that success would bring me happiness. My experience as a young adult, however, had been that, despite my numerous socially accepted successes, I was not happy, and always felt something was missing.  I was very confused as to why I felt that way, and what it was that I was missing. Since then, I learned that focusing and following what others defined as successful steered me further and further away from knowing and attuning to my own personal wants, needs, and values. It took a lot of self-work and therapy to help me connect to my inner knowing — to my true purpose in life and to my power.  In my work with clients, we often find ourselves embark on self exploration and reconnecting to self and making sense of our lives - achieve fulfillment for ourselves.

 

Growing up multi-culturally (born in Iran, grew up in Israel, and spent the majority of my adult life in The Bay), as well as working with individuals who grew up multi-culturally, I have had extensive experiences of clashes in cultural values and the on-going search for the sense of belonging between the different ones.  I had a first hand experience of having a marginalized position in the society and moving between different socio-economic levels, and to notice how that placement had affected the ways we relate to ourselves, to our experiences and to others. 

It is important to me to note here how I am also aware of the many privileges that I and others currently hold, and the responsibility that we have due to holding them. [add more...]

 

As a former Birth Doula and Apprentice Midwife, who has supported hundreds of families through their pregnancy, labor and birth, I am aware and well versed at the sacred practice of holding space for individuals during very intimate and vulnerable moments of their lives that often experienced as altered state of consciousness. I have witnessed the impact of consciously preparing for big life events, through having clarity of their priorities, while also preparing and being willing to let go of expectations when needed. For the power of having caring and empathetic support during moments of intensity and overwhelm, which could be a source for grounding and trusting in the process. 

 

Experience (personal and supporting others) with going through transitions in life; by choice or not - changes in career, family status, relationships, gender, and more. In many cases, even after one decides on making a change, the act of letting go of the old and familiar is often extremely difficult and - as a result - confusing (Questions such as “why can’t I let go of something that I know is not good for me?” can be common).

 

Working with many parents, as well as through my own experience with my children, I am experienced with the challenge of being able to let go of expectations of your little one and finding ways to help them find who they are, while helping them learn about how to manage in this world

 

As part of my personal healing process, I have had the experience of healing from different types of trauma, including complex as well as acute ones. I believe in the importance of doing shadow work, taking care of the inner child, resourcing the self and accepting all our parts.