Sahar Dorani
My Work
Being driven to succeed can be a mixed blessing. On the one hand, your strong work ethic and drive towards accomplishment have probably gotten you to where you are today—possibly even in the face of major challenges or hardships. On the other hand, when our self-worth is defined by our productivity, it can feel very fragile. Anxiety, burnout, chronic stress, and difficulty prioritizing ourselves and our relationships is often the result.
My clients are primarily students and professionals who are working towards healthier, more balanced relationships with themselves, their careers, and the important people in their lives. Many are dealing with concerns such as depression or anxiety, or working to improve relationships with family, partners, or friends. I especially enjoy working with people from immigrant backgrounds who are navigating multiple intersecting identities, and their impact on their personal and professional lives. I offer therapy in English and Persian (Farsi).
I also work with couples who are feeling stuck or having difficulty communicating in their relationship, especially if one of the partners is experiencing trauma or PTSD. I enjoy working with couples where there may be tension between merging their families, or cultural differences that make it difficult to have harmony in the relationship.
If you’re interested in learning more about my work as a therapist, or think I might be a good fit for your needs, I invite you to schedule a consult today!
Sahar Dorani, PsyD (she/her)
Licensed Clinical Psychologist #28629
(415) 859-1616 x 106
Currently offering: Online Therapy in California
My Story
I grew up with strict immigrant parents from Iran in a community with few POC families, and most were very Americanized. This left me feeling self-conscious and somewhat ashamed about my cultural background, because I wanted to fit more seamlessly into western culture.
I started going to individual therapy as a teenager to work through feelings of “otherness” and resentment towards my parents. This led to much exploration and emotional growth around my own identity development, and ways that my mental health was negatively impacted by difficulty relating to my peers growing up.
Having a great experience in psychotherapy and overcoming my own struggles with depression and anxiety as a youth led me to want to enter the field as a therapist. Feeling genuinely seen and heard by my therapist was so vital to my healing; I feel honored to hopefully give back to others in this way.
I strive to be an ally to LGBTQ+ communities, and draw from my own experience with a sibling who identifies as gay. This has inspired me to learn more about the mental health issues impacting LGBTQ+ communities. It has also enabled me to understand the added layer of complexity people of color and immigrants may face when their native culture is not supportive or accepting of their identities.