I was born in Iran and moved to California when I was eight years old, growing up between both places. Living across cultures shaped the way I understand identity, belonging, and the many ways our relationships and environments shape who we are.

I earned my BA in Sociology from UC Irvine and my master’s and doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Azusa Pacific University, with a focus on psychoanalytic systems-based therapy. My dissertation, Wounds That Blossomed, explores the experiences of Iranian American women and the ways collective trauma, gender-based oppression, and acculturation can shape both pain and resilience.