About – Hope Integrative Psychiatry

I was born in Tehran, Iran just before the Iranian Revolution in 1978. This early childhood experience of trauma shaped my appreciation of how unresolved trauma and grief can lead to chronic illness in an individual and family, and how easily it gets neglected as the root cause of so much mental illness in our society. My family experiences of being part of a large inter-dependent extended family and community also informed me of how belonging and meaning are the foundational pieces of healing and health. This is what I want to share with others by building spaces, movements, and institutions that sustain our health and resilience through self-empowerment, community, and meaningful values.

Expertise

Adult, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Credentials

M.D. (studied medicine at Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California)

Training Institutions

General Psychiatry Residency UCSF, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship UCSF, Integrative Medicine Fellowship at Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

My family upbringing, my own struggles as a youth with depression and anxiety, the joy of being of service to others, and a deep curiosity about the mind and the nature of story, consciousness and meaning.

Something interesting about me

I read several books at once and almost never finish any of them.

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

Going through Western medical training and psychiatry training I felt uneasy with the profound reductionism of the field. People were not getting better, accumulating diagnoses and medicines, all in the name of ‘being stable’. I felt called to create a more empowering approach that believed in the transformative power of the human spirit as the heart of how we derive meaning and health.

I come from a Jewish Persian background, where my father left Iran to pursue the American dream of seeking the opportunity to redefine himself and my mother who also left Iran at a young age to the US to escape from the Iranian Revolution. Losing my father at age 19 to cancer was the most difficult challenge I have ever faced in my life. Before his death, I hadn’t experienced much adversity in my life and I would have never imagined losing him so early in adulthood. The circumstances surrounding his death really influenced me in pursuing a career as a physician and it has forever changed the way I view how our universe works. My father’s death made me question if there were other treatments out there that could have extended his life or cured him of cancer, this questioning led to my interest in Integrative Medicine.

Expertise

Adult Integrative Psychiatry

Credentials

D.O. (studied Osteopathic medicine at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine California) MPH (studied Public Health at Touro University California) MS (studied Physiology - Complementary and Alternative Medicine at Georgetown University)

Training Institutions

General Adult Psychiatry and Integrative Psychiatry at the University of Arizona Integrative and Current Fellow in Integrative Psychiatry through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

I knew I wanted to work in the field of mental health after my 3rd year medical school rotation working in a psychiatric emergency room. I noticed significant trauma and stress had preceded many of the severe psychiatric symptoms I saw in patients and I felt more could be done for these patients that cycled through the system, many seeming to be hopeless for their future.

Something interesting about me

I have had the painful but rewarding experience of being the commissioner of a fantasy football league with my friends from highschool dating back to 2003.

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

In my conversations with Dr. Omid Naim it became clear to me that his model of helping patients find their own meaningful path towards healing through the power of story telling and community deeply resonated with the way I wanted to practice psychiatry.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles to an Israeli father and American mother who separated shortly after my birth. Growing up in a fractured environment and family has given me an appreciation for the importance of wholeness, belonging, mental health, and community. My life’s passion is holistic healthcare.

Expertise

Trauma-Informed Care, Mindfulness, EMDR, Occupational-Life Balance

Credentials

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (USC Chan Division of Occupational Therapy), Bachelor of Arts in psychology (USC Dornsife School of Letters, Arts, & Sciences)

Training Institutions

Inpatient Mental Health Residency at Kedren Community Health Center EMDRIA (EMDR certification), My Vinyasa Practice (mindfulness and yoga training)

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

Mental health has been my life-long passion since I took my first psychology course in high school. I believe that mental health care is a basic human right, and I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything different!

Something interesting about me

I have two French bulldogs, Sonny and Cowboy, that are the loves of my life!

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

The integrative approach at HOPE, the depth of knowledge and warmth of my fellow providers made the decision for me to come aboard extremely easy. HOPE is the type of practice I would refer my friends and family to.

I am the child of immigrant parents from India who carried the trauma of British colonialism with them to the United States. This prevented them from acculturating into American society, which led to a lot of cross-cultural stress for me as I was growing up. My parents, who due to stigma and religiosity never sought mental health treatment, also suffered from chronic stress-related illnesses. For these reasons, I was interested in psychiatry from an early age, but studied a hard science in college and then became a nurse-midwife due to my affinity for feminism. The centrality of trauma to health, however, was never far off, and after suffering a series of traumas which led to chronic fatigue syndrome, I knew I had to pivot my career to mental health.

Director of Psychedelic Therapies

Expertise

Integrative Psychiatry, Contemplative Psychotherapy, Perinatal Mental Health, Women’s Mental Health, Psychedelic medicine, Buddhist applications to mental health

Credentials

PMHNP-BC, CNM, MSN

Training Institutions

University of California Davis, BS in Genetics Yale University, Master’s in Nursing with Midwifery speciality University of California San Francisco, Nurse Practitioner in Psychiatry program Certificate in Compassion-Based Psychotherapy and Embodied Transformation, Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science Integrative Psychiatry Institute, Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy Certificate Program, in progress Previous positions: Many: Nurse-Midwife at NYU/Bellevue Hospital, Nurse-Midwife at Mt Sinai Hospital in New York, Mindpath Health in California, Acacia Counseling and Wellness

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

All health starts in the mind. We are born with a generally uncorrupted life force (I have spent a lot of time with very new newborns!), which over time gets distorted through caregiver and other interpersonal misattunement, neglect, and abuse, as well as single-event traumas. It is my life’s purpose to help people recover their original wholeness.

Something interesting about me

I was once in a Northern California Honda commercial.

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

The conventional mental health system is broken. People stay dependent on medications and therapy indefinitely because the assumptions of that system preclude recovery. The HOPE model provides a wisdom-based alternative. Dr Naim’s model absolutely resonated with my own values: holism, centrality of the patient who is understood to possess the innate capacity to heal, and honoring interconnectedness. I have worked in other settings that call themselves “integrative” but ultimately reveal that they don’t know the meaning of the term. Hope is different. I feel honored to be part of this vibrant and values-driven team of clinicians.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles to a Mexican mother and Persian father. Being a part of two very seemingly different cultures, I felt constantly split between two different worlds and found myself constantly questioning my identity. When I took my first psychology class at USC, I was immediately fascinated by the idea of the human psyche and haven’t wanted to stop learning since.

Expertise

Trauma Informed, Mindfulness, Gottman Method for Couples

Credentials

Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy (University of Southern California) License in Marriage and Family Therapy (Board of Behavioral Services)

Training Institutions

Child Parent Psychotherapy, The Gottman Institute Previous positions: Child and Family Therapist at Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

I grew up in an environment where the stigma of mental health caused a lot of those around me to repress their emotions and suffer in silence. It’s been through my own journey of healing that I’ve been able to witness the magic of having a safe space where one can feel seen and accepted. I find it very fulfilling to provide that for clients and help them meet their greatest potential.

Something interesting about me

I am very passionate about food. I love talking about food, researching new restaurants, going to farmers markets and cooking!

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

The Hope model provides a more empowering view of change for clients. I appreciate working with a team that views healing from a holistic/integrative point of view and recognizes the strong connection between the mind and body.

I was born in West Los Angeles up until I turned 5 years old. My family and I moved to the small town of Adelanto where I was raised up until I was 14 years old. My parents divorced when I was 8 years old and when I turned 14 I moved to North Hollywood with my mother, who is also my best friend! When I was about 8 years old I knew immediately that I wanted to work in the Medical field. I have always loved the feeling of knowing I am making a difference in someone's day whether it is with my pleasant personality or just being a part of their healing journey.

Expertise

Administration, Phlebotomy, Medical Assistant

Credentials

(MA, CPT)

Training Institutions

MA (Medical Assistant) -Concorde Career College CPT (Certified Phlebotomy Technician) -Los Angeles Career College Previous positions: Medical Assistant/CPT for 8 years I have worked mostly with Internal Medicine doctors, my most recent was a Integrative Holistic clinic where I worked for 5 years.

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

My father is a diabetic and when my parents divorced I stayed to live with him and he went through a lot of mental health issues being suicidal in point of his life. He was not managing his diabetes well so I took on the role of his caretaker, waking up in the middle of the night when his blood sugar would go down I would drag him to the table to feed him, this was my life as a young child. To this day I truly believe he is still in this world because of me and I always knew I wanted to have that same impact on other people's lives. In this past year I have suffered from certain obstacles in life that put my mental health in a bad state and have come to understand it a lot more and truly believe it is not talked about enough in our society. I feel I can relate a lot to people who struggle with their mental health and I am more passionate so now having gone through it myself that I am a great asset to people who are struggling as well.

Something interesting about me

I am planning a wedding for the year 2022! & My dog will be in a flower girl dress!

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

Everything Hope is about. Getting to the root issue, seeing patients' whole life experiences, where they want to go and how to help them get there. The determination to not just treat patients but get them to a place of complete recovery. I feel very honored to be a part of Hope team!

I am most passionate about empowering people to reconnect with their strengths and innate capacity to heal. Survivors of trauma often lose trust and no longer feel safe in their bodies and their environment. As a somatic trauma therapist, I help people reclaim their bodies and build trust in their innate wisdom. Using tools and techniques from yoga, breathwork, mindfulness practices, Somatic Experiencing, martial arts and other body-centered modalities, I invite the exploration of unsettled trauma in the body - helping people listen to and trust their bodies, attune to their real needs, and move through life with less stress and anxiety, and more peace and connection.

Expertise

Movement and Trauma Specialist, Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher and Trainer

Credentials

M.A. in Psychology with concentration in Expressive and Movement Arts (in progress) from Meridian University, Expressive Arts/Integrative Movement Therapy (in progress) at Tamalpa Institute, Somatic Experiencing from the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute with Dave Berger, MFT, PT, LCMHC, MA, SEP, Trauma-Informed Yoga with Jenn Turner from The Trauma Center in Brookline, MA, Yoga 4 Trauma with Lisa Danylchuk, LMFT, E-RYT, Trauma-Informed Yoga, Hala Khouri, M.A. and Kyra Haglund, ACSW in Santa Monica, CA, Dynamic Mindfulness with Niroga Institute and Outreach Yoga with Connection Coalition.

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

My desire to become a trauma therapist stemmed from my own personal experiences with trauma from early childhood and into my adolescence, and being involved in unhealthy and abusive relationships later on in life. This led to cycles of depression, anxiety and eating disorders. By listening to and befriending my own body, I have been able to transform through these experiences. Today, I take what I have learned throughout the years and work closely with my clients as they begin their healing journey - helping survivors feel strong in their bodies, reclaim their agency, and further empower them with basic self-defense techniques.

Something interesting about me

I train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and powerlifting. I love to dance!! I recently discovered that I am also a talented painter and poet. I love art!

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

I connected with Hope Integrative Psychiatry while still living in New York and I was inspired by the team approach to wellness fostering our human need for connection and community. I came to Los Angeles to work collaboratively with Dr. Naim as my desire is to continue to empower others to uncover their natural capacity to heal - finding wholeness through integration of body, mind and spirit.

My background had been in corporate and business management. Having been a Company director and Vice President for an international cosmetics company I was successful and awarded materially, yet I had always found my most rewarding moments to be when I am in the service of others who are suffering. So when COVID19 pandemic hit the US I found myself looking deeply at what I was doing and asking - “Is this what I want to be doing for the rest of my life?”. As the COVID situation worsened I felt an overwhelming desire to make a big change and move in the direction of service. Dr Omid offered me a path toward that goal when we discussed my choice to leave an industry that I was involved with for the past 20 years and join the Hope team as Practice Manager.

Expertise

Buddhist Recovery and Mindfulness Meditation

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

? I entered mental health and recovery from addiction in my own life nearly 10 years ago and found myself wanting to give back to not only my recovery community but our society as a whole.

Something interesting about me

I watch walking dead episodes over and over and over

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

I found Hope when looking for options for teaching Buddhist based recovery meetings and instantly felt at home with the folks here. I also learned how to see my own story and those of others through the lens of trauma, and our healing to be through finding what matters to us the most, and living that truth in communities we share values with.

I was born in Seoul, Korea and immigrated to Los Angeles as a 9-year-old. I am intimately familiar with “in-between” places as a 1.5 generation, bi-cultural, and bi-lingual Korean American. This has enabled me to have a deeper understanding of intersectionality as well as a deeper appreciation for universal human need for love, connection, and purpose.

Expertise

Adult, Adolescent, and Couples Psychotherapy

Credentials

MS in Marriage and Family Therapy (Fuller Theological Seminary) MS in Organisational & Social Psychology (London School of Economics) BA in Psychology (U.C. Berkeley)

Training Institutions

EMDR, RT (Restoration Therapy levels 1 & 2), Gottman for Couples Therapy

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

My interest in mental health started during adolescence as an advocate for peer support for struggling teens. It took a windy path to where I am today as a psychotherapist. I did not have to search far to see those struggling with depression, anxiety, domestic violence, addictions, and homelessness. I bring my empathy, compassion, and heart to this field of mental health.

Something interesting about me

I have lived in 5 countries (Korea, China, Vietnam, Philippines, U.K.) as an expatriate before settling back in California.

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

The integrative and holistic approach at Hope bodes well with my personal lens of integrating family, culture, and spirituality.

I am a second generation Mexican-American from South San Diego. After completing my undergraduate studies in psychology I spent much of my time working in harm reduction and crisis intervention. This work led me to pursue a master’s degree in clinical psychology, specializing in addiction and recovery. My clinical training involved working through a trauma informed lens with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Expertise

Trauma-informed, Harm Reduction, Addiction and Recovery.

Credentials

Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #124476 MA (studied Clinical Psychology specializing in Addiction and Recovery at Antioch University, Los Angeles)

Training Institutions

Trauma- Informed Counselor Training, Peace Over Violence Trauma- Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Ketamine- Assisted Psychotherapy, Polaris Insight Center

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

My upbringing and curiosity led me to explore solutions towards ending the cycles of trauma and violence in our society.

Something interesting about me

I really enjoy camping and watching sci-fi movies.

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

I was motivated to be a part of a team that worked from an integrative approach and looked for the root cause of mental health challenges. The Hope model offers this and aligns with my values and philosophy on a personal and professional level.

I was born in Newport Beach, California, and raised in Laguna Beach and Catalina Island. I am a 5th generation direct descendant of almost every founding family of Pasadena, California where I attended high school. I have a rich ancestral history on both sides of my family in Los Angeles. My parents (both LA natives) though being paradoxically different (my father of the deeply aristocratic cultural family, and my mother a hippy of the bohemian breed) had extreme parallels in traumatic childhoods, both surviving unspeakable levels of grief and loss… my father even lost every man in his family to tragic deaths by the time he reached his teens... So I believe it was somewhat my destiny to understand the science and mystery of the human mammalian body. How the stories of our ancestors live and are expressed within our bones. I use all that I have found and learned in my world wide adventure across space and time to help other’s find their own purpose, their own journey, find their destiny.

Expertise

Adult, Child & Adolescent Clinical Psychology. Trauma, Complex Trauma, Epigenetics, Psychedelics, Heroes Journey, Mythos, Grief, Anxiety, Depression, Immunity, Depth Sexuality.

Credentials

PsyD (studied Clinical Psychology at California School of Professional Psychology San Francisco)

Training Institutions

Jefferson Unified School District Pre-Doctoral Internship. Currently completing Fellowship as a registered Psychological Assistant with Hope Therapy Center, Thrive Psychology Group, and Hope Integrative Psychiatry.

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

Why did I choose the field of mental health? I knew immediately at only the age of 14 that there was something significantly wrong with the way with domesticate and socialize developing young girls, and that young boys were affected by proxy. I knew from the bottom of my soul that I wanted to be apart of what was missing.

Something interesting about me

I published my research on complex trauma and ayahuasca in relationship to the hero’s journey as a novel this year.

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model? I immediately felt called to the Hope Integrative Psychiatry not only because of their rooted work in psychedelic assisted therapy, but their indigenous and village style model. It felt like my professional home.

Born and raised in Southern California, I've been gripped with questions of how to live a meaningful life since I was a child writing oddly existential poems on the nature of time (and how grapes can turn into raisins.) My search for answers led me to study literature, film, and theater, and to work for a decade in the arts while also volunteering in suicide crisis prevention and psychedelic harm reduction. Seeking to be of greater service to others, I earned a master's degree in clinical psychology with clinical experience focused on adolescents in residential treatment and trauma-informed psychedelic-assisted therapy for adults.

Expertise

Trauma-Informed, Harm Reduction, Mindfulness-Based, Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Psychedelic Integration, Transpersonal Psychotherapy

Credentials

Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #133698, M.S. Clinical Psychology, San Francisco State University

Training Institutions

Ketamine-Assisted Therapy, Sage Institute Trauma-Informed Depth Psychotherapy, Sage Institute Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Support, The Fireside Project & The Zendo Project

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

My own healing and growth, my dedication to a path of service, and my deep curiosity about meaning, consciousness, and the alleviation of suffering.

Something interesting about me

I'm an avid hiker, a meditation nerd, and a lover of soup.

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

I believe in the integrative approach used at Hope and I align with its mission of addressing mental health problems at their core and supporting human thriving at individual and collective levels.

I was born and raised in New York, and moved to LA in 2013 to escape the cold and be able to connect with nature more months of the year. Growing up, I was intrigued by Eastern philosophical conceptualizations of the self and inspired by life’s big questions. Fueled by a desire to cultivate a more expansive and inclusive framework of meaning and purpose, I read every book I could find on spirituality, modern psychology, and alternative methods of healing. This journey led me to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology with a focus on spirituality and depth psychology.

Expertise

Mindfulness-Based, Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Psychedelic Integration Trauma, Transpersonal Psychology, and Somatic IFS informed

Credentials

Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #134871 MA, Clinical Psychology, Antioch University, Specialization in Spiritual and Depth Psychology

Training Institutions

Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy, Polaris Insight Center Ecotherapy Level I Certificate, Earthbody Institute Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), Level 1

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

From the age of 13, I’ve been interested in the mechanisms of healing. I think we are currently at a pivotal point in time in which therapeutic modalities that can facilitate deeper realms of healing have come to the forefront, and I’m excited to be a part of this collective wave that embraces holistic models of mental health.

Something interesting about me

I love dancing, the natural world, and making things with my hands.

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

I’m inspired by the integrative approach used by Hope, and excited to work within a wellness model that orients towards human potential and is informed by the power of interconnectedness, purpose, and meaning.

I was born in Odessa, Ukraine in 1975, while it was still part of the Soviet Union. In 1978, I immigrated to the United States with my parents and older brother. My parents were children of Holocaust survivors. Trauma and depression were very much prevalent in my family and community. However, the stigma of mental illness prevented any of my family members from seeking help. I grew up seeing the effects of trauma that resulted in dissolution of marriages and various addictions. I was always interested in these stories and initially thought my role was to tell them. I later realized my interests lie more in helping people reshape their stories and empower them to transform their lives.

Expertise

Adult and Adolescent Psychiatry incl. Mood Disorders, Psychotic Disorders, Addiction

Credentials

PMHNP-BC (Family Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Nationally Certified through ANCC) AGPCNP (Adult Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner)

Training Institutions

Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist (Certified through The Integrative Psychiatry Institute of Colorado) Masters of Science in Nursing (California State University, Los Angeles) Bachelor of Arts in Child Development & Biology (California State University, Northridge)

Why did I choose the field of mental health?

I watched people I care about struggle with depression, anxiety, addiction. I wanted to help people overcome the stigma of mental health and help them get the care they need. I believe this field of medicine is severely underserved and want to help people live the best version of their lives.

Something interesting about me

I have a Master’s in Fine Arts and started my adult work life in the film industry.

What made me want to join the Hope team and practice in this model?

I appreciate the holistic approach to mental health that this practice offers. Our mental health system is broken and we need to be open to new ways of understanding the problems rather than just treating the symptoms.

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