I am a licensed psychotherapist for mental health and have been in private practice for 10 years, specializing in working as a couples therapist in Southern California.
I first realized my passion for psychology when I took an introductory psychology course and at that time was a biology major who thought of becoming a pediatrician. My path to helping others took a different pavement when I decided to pursue higher education in clinical psychology when an emphasis in marriage and family therapy.
Early on in my academic development, thischange of heart lead me to completing 10 years in the teaching of psychology; I have instructed undergraduate courses at California State University in Fullerton and continue to serve as adjunct faculty in my areas of expertise being Theories of Personality Psychology , Abnormal Psychology and General Psychology.
While completing my higher education, I worked with custodial and non-custodial parents, children and families as a supervised visitation provider in the community of Fullerton, making every effort to keeping children safe. I also worked in the school systems with at-risk adolescents and continued to serve individuals and families in need at a non-profit mental health clinic, expanding to groups like parenting and anger management therapy, helping others find relief from a variety of relationship/emotional issues.
WHAT NOW
COUPLES WORK or working with couples (and individuals wanting a greater relationship with themselves, and with others in their lives) is my life's agenda today.
I am sustaininable member of the Solution Focus Universe, which is the largest solution focus brief therapy organization in the world devoted to promoting successful couples therapy outcomes and improving the lives of women and men, and family alikes. I have completed several certification levels of Solution Building Couples Therapy and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Level II.
In addition to her work with executives and very high-functioning clientele, Souraya has provided clinical as well as personal volunteer services to organizations including california public schools, health-benefits fairs for large corporations and online.
I have been married myself for 10 years this year, June 2024 and a little true story background is I approached my spouse and asked him if he would be open to seek out therapy to make the next 10 years 10 fold better. I knew I was doing good in many areas in my relationship and was so enthusiasts about us doing SO much greater and greater because of the successful therapy outcomes of my clients.
I decided to search on Psychologytoday.com for a therapist who practices from the same Solution Focused orientation as me and I could only find myself on the directory and maybe one other person.
Since seeing my clients thrive using an approach that is strenght-based and evidenced-based, I get really excited to have been trained and certified by the largest solution focused brief therapy training program in the world and promoting healthiest relationship in brief timings for individuals/couples/families seeking it.
As mentioned, I have three handsome, intelligent and active boys under 9 (ages 9, 7, and 6) who teach me to be the best kind of mom there is and an immensly supportive family including a spouse who permits himself to entertain my ideas like 'signing up the children to learn dual immersion language of mandarin-english'while we totally speak other foreign languages or supporting a travel idea to Costa Rica a week before schools are back in session.
Conscious, gentle, positive parenting is very important to me. I have been a certified Parenting Coach since 2022 after completion of intensive coursework in The Parenting with Purpose Methods of Tia Slighthman both for personal and professional goals.
Featuring Hobbies
I personally enjoy working out, with a brown belt in Karate, I enjoy going to martial arts tournaments; I love reading psychology books and self-development titles, swimming, cooking, and traveling and meeting culturally diverse populations and speaking the different languages I speak.
I always believed that: "The process of therapy and the outcome of therapy should not be considered two separate things. Early research supports that the process or what goes on between, and within, the client and the therapist during the course of their interaction is very significant". (Orlinksy and Howard, 1986). It is from this interpersonal perspective that I operate when supporting my clients.
