I remember staring at my micky mouse mattress. It was being taken away. I was only 8 but I felt a deep grief. We were leaving everything I knew in Iran and moving to another land. It was called America. I felt sad and like I no longer had a home. Little did I know this would be the easiest feat, because when we arrived in America, my mom had a mental breakdown. I became an 8 year old therapist, life partner, and emotional punching bag. Fast forward 4 years later, I developed pain in my body, and now at the age of 33, I have every autoimmune and chronic illness and mental health diagnosis you can throw at a woman. It's mostly invisible, but I struggle. Even in the struggle with family and bodily pain, I've found so much joy and so much magic. Life is truly magical. If you've experienced similar things or if this resonates with you, let's talk. I've mentally made sense of all the family trauma, the medical ptsd, and the ongoing grief. I've cultivated tools and so much compassion.

I understand firsthand the fear, uncertainty, and isolation that comes with domestic violence. I’ve had to flee with my two children to a domestic violence shelter, face homelessness, and rebuild my life from the ground up. Through these experiences, I’ve learned resilience, strength, and practical strategies for navigating such challenging situations. I offer a safe, compassionate space to talk about your experiences, share guidance, and provide support. My goal is to help you feel heard, understood, and empowered, so you can take steps toward safety, healing, and confidence.

I know what it’s like to feel isolated, anxious, and hesitant to connect with others — living with Avoidant Personality Disorder can make even simple interactions feel overwhelming. I’ve faced these challenges myself and worked through them, learning strategies to manage fear, build confidence, and create meaningful connections. I offer a safe, non-judgmental space to talk about your experiences, explore coping strategies, and gain practical tools for navigating social and personal situations with more ease.

I understand how overwhelming social situations can feel when you’re living with social anxiety. I’ve faced these challenges myself and have learned strategies to manage fear, build confidence, and navigate interactions with more ease. I provide a safe, non-judgmental space to talk about your experiences, explore coping techniques, and gain practical tools for connecting with others.

I struggled with my mental health for most of my life. I have severe clinical major depression, C-PTSD, and generalized anxiety with panic disorder. I have survived two serious suicide attempts- one which stopped my heart for five minutes, and the second which landed me in a coma. It took years of trying different medications and treatments to find a combination that worked for me and brought me into remission. If I can get better, so can you!!

I began using substances without intending for things to spiral out of control, but addiction took me down a path I never imagined—misusing prescription medications and eventually street drugs. The emotional toll was heavy, filled with fear, shame, and uncertainty. Through support groups and community, I found connection, guidance, and the strength to navigate both abstinence and harm reduction approaches. Each relapse became a moment of reflection, helping me understand who I am, what I value, and how to nurture myself. Today, I use my lived experience to support others in building meaningful relationships, inner resilience, and a life they don’t just survive, but truly flourish in.

I’ve struggled with anxiety since I was a young child. Early on, I felt it in my chest, like a weight pressing me down, making it hard to move, breathe, or feel free—trapped by it. That feeling has been with me my whole life, though now I have more tools and coping skills to face it than I did for the longest time. Anxiety has hit me hard, prevented me from doing so much, and filled me with despair, panic, and even thoughts of harming myself just to find relief. Over time, I’ve learned healthier, healing ways to manage it, and I’m proud of the progress I’ve made. I deeply appreciate the tools I’ve gained through therapy and self-discovery. I want you to know you’re not alone, and I’d love to talk with you, share understanding, and offer support so you feel seen, heard, and connected through the tough moments.

My journey with mental illness began in my early teens with a diagnosis of “Depression with Psychotic Features.” At 21, I started hearing voices and was hospitalized for psychosis, later diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder, Depressive type. I don’t love the labels—I just know I hear voices. They can be scary and haunting, but they also give me moments of reflection. I take medication to help manage them and stay grounded. I’ve struggled with intense, nightmarish hallucinations, though now the voices are often people asking for help, echoes of their earlier demons. Accepting my diagnosis was really hard, especially with all the stigma and shame, but I want you to know you’re not alone. I offer support to talk about hearing voices, psychosis, or anything related on your mind.

I started self-harming at 13. For years it was my go-to for any overwhelming feeling — a secret crutch that led to many severe episodes and multiple psychiatric hospitalizations. Gradually I made small changes that made life more manageable, but urges still come up; I’ll probably always be a person who needs to manage cravings. I’m not perfect or “cured,” I’m in recovery — not a destination but ongoing work: learning gentler coping skills, unpacking why I turned to harm, and facing the grief, guilt, shame, isolation and emptiness it left behind. Over time I found deeper reasons to keep going: building a sense of self, pride in growth, and joy that outlasts the temporary relief of hurting. I’m here to listen, to explore what your journey looks like, and to support whatever steps you want to take — or simply hold space for your triggers, urges, and pain.

I’m an introvert who grew up in a family of introverts. I had no childhood friends because of homework and music lessons. A divorce and estrangement from family left me on my own entirely. My adult friendships were few, occasionally satisfying, but contact was sporadic. After retiring, I relocated to an area where I knew no one. Although now eager for connection, I had few social skills, and my initial efforts were fraught with unrealistic expectations in a closed community culture. It took a while, but I’ve turned the corner. A few deep friendships, a weekly Friday afternoon social group at my house, volunteer activities and counseling made the difference. It’s not an overnight solution, but I’m proof that a satisfactory, joyful recovery from isolation and loneliness by learning new skills is possible. It requires willingness to expand your comfort zone, persistence, resilience, a growth mind-set and good humor. Join me. Let’s start your journey to connection and healing.

At 83, I’m living a full life – with all the ups, downs, sharp turns, and potholes that come with it. I’m a mother of two. I was a Silicon Valley CFO, a Marriage Family Therapist, a care giver for my dad. I’ve been married and divorced more than once. I’ve been my own best friend and only supporter, successfully navigating my world on my own for the last 42 years. I recreated myself several times and I retired at 70. But every 10 years brought physical, psychological, emotional challenges – my body and mind not feeling as good or working as expected. Hormonal changes (for men & women), clothes don’t fit right, loss of energy, vim and vigor, ailments and illness, “senior moments” and loss of friends and family. During this time, I created a community for myself through friendships, volunteering (now as a Senior Peer Counselor), and hosting a weekly Mahjongg game while managing a fractured femur and the resulting identity crisis. If any of this sounds familiar, I'm here for you.

My life has been a journey through pain, loss, and resilience. I grew up with I felt was an abusive parent and lost another at a young age. I survived a 15-year abusive marriage, faced infertility, and was blessed with twins through IVF. I became a caregiver to my terminally ill spouse and later endured the heartbreak of losing both my spouse and later one of my children who was 24 years old. Alongside these losses, I’ve faced my own health challenges and disability. For years, constant crisis defined my life, and when it finally quieted, I struggled to live what others call a “normal.” life. Through it all, I’ve learned that even in darkness, growth and hope remain possible. I’ve dedicated my career to helping others survive and heal—abused children, sex-trafficking survivors, women in crisis, and parents rebuilding their lives. Life is hard, but you can survive—and thrive.

For much of my life, I faced challenges that tested my emotional resilience and sense of self. Through my own healing journey, I learned the value of slowing down, reflecting, and developing healthy coping tools. Over time, I became the friend and support system others could turn to during their hardest moments. My experiences have taught me the importance of listening with compassion, respecting each person’s unique story, and creating a safe space where people feel truly seen. Now, I want to share that same steady presence to help others navigate change, rebuild confidence, and discover their own inner strength.

I have been dealing with depression and PTSD for most of my life. This life long struggle has taught me many lessons! I tried to manage my mental health with alcohol, food, sex but nothing worked (for long). My ability to cope without something outside of my self was non-existent in my early life. Once I stopped and was willing to try something new, my journey of wellness began. This has included therapy, self-discovery, peers, 12 step groups and having an open mind and willingness to be the best I can be. I have built a toolbox of coping strategies over the years. Not everything worked for me. I had to try a variety of things to figure out how to live well with my mental illness. My depression is not my enemy any more. I continue to learn how to let it be just one facet of how my life flows and use my tools to deal with it. I have learned to pay attention when I am triggered (PTSD) from the trauma I experienced. I have learned to stop, listen and then make a plan.

Suffering from chronic illnesses and difficulties taught m how to be a better advocate for myself so I know the pain of doctors, medicines, and treatments. and i am here to provide hope and resources so that you dont have to travel the road of pain suffering and agony alone

I know how hard it can feel when it feels like your mind is working against you 24/7. I’ve been in those dark places myself. That’s why I believe recovery isn’t about perfection but about small steps, compassion for ourselves, and knowing we don’t have to go through it alone. With me, you’ll always be met with empathy, because I understand what it feels like to struggle and to have to fight your way back. Drawing from my lived experience with depression, bipolar II, BPD, and substance use recovery, I speak to the realities of mental health with both honesty and hope. Over the past five years of sobriety, I’ve developed not only personal tools for resilience but also a deep commitment to supporting others on their paths.

Watching single moms (including my own) navigate financial hardship while raising children was never easy, and experiencing it as a child wasn’t either. Now, as a mother myself, I’ve lived it more times than I can count. Relationship choices set me so far back that it’s taken everything just to return to “starting over.” Today, I’m rebuilding. I’m going through a divorce, raising children (some with disabilities), breathing through uncertainty, and working toward my degree. The bills still come. The anxiety didn’t disappear when the relationship ended; in some ways, it got louder. But I’m still here. Still showing up. And I know what it feels like to be unemployed, underemployed, a stay-at-home mom trying to find work and school, and carrying others through it. I've lived through crises as a child and as an adult. I can hold space for you as you walk through your.

There is stress, and then there is "overwhelming, I do not recognize myself, everything irritates me" stress. There came a time when I was going to therapy and learning all of the coping skills, and for some reason, I could not implement them. I finally realized that I was not safe with me and that progress was better than perfection. It took time and apologies to my loved ones and myself for me to realize that I get to choose what works for me in my times of stress, depression, and anxiety. I have enjoyed a variety of things from tapping, reiki, mindfulness, life coaching, a what works list, implementing boundaries, a nervous system reset, and much more. I would love to support you in finding out what works for you when you are triggered, tired, stressed, or feel like giving up. Together we can explore what works for YOU.

I’ve spent way too many nights trying to fall asleep with a brain that insists on replaying that one awkward moment from three years ago or analyzing every possible outcome of a decision I haven’t even made yet. Sound familiar? Overthinking can look like productivity on the outside like you’re being thorough or responsible. But on the inside? It’s often anxiety wearing a clever disguise. It’s fear of failure, fear of regret, fear of what people will think. And it can leave you stuck in loops: what if I mess up? What if I’m too much? What if I’m not enough? I used to think I just needed to “think my way out” of feeling overwhelmed. But that strategy kept me spinning. What actually helped was learning how to name what I was feeling underneath all the thoughts, to pause the mental ping-pong match, and to stop treating myself like a problem to be solved. If your mind is constantly racing, if you’re tired of second-guessing yourself into paralysis, or if you just want someone to help you sort through the noise—I'm your girl.

The pivotal point in my healing journey was when I was hospitalized with suicidal ideation at age 33, and hospitalized again after a suicide attempt at age 35. Along with clinical depression, I struggled with panic attacks and anxiety from complex PTSD as well as ongoing abuse from my toxic family system. I thought I wouldn't live past age 45 until I found support from trauma-focused talk therapy and peers at age 40. Peers understood and believed me about the abuse I survived and were living proof that a different life was possible. This was vital to my healing journey and inspired me to become a Peer Support Specialist. I have spent years in trauma-focused talk therapy, consistently talking with peers, learning coping skills and practicing good self-care. I am now in my 50s. I am happy, and my lifestyle supports good mental and physical health and I have separated myself from the abusive people of my past and have healthy relationships with friends and chosen family.