Mahsa Nouri, Ph.D.
Psychological Associate Supervised by Melissa Johnson, PhD., Licensed Psychologist (PSY 13102)
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Hello and welcome! It has been a life-long passion of mine to support children, teens, and young adults as they grow, learn, heal, and expand their self-knowledge through the therapeutic process. I consider therapy to be an opportunity for self-realization and finding a balance between acceptance and change through a collaborative exploration of the self.
Through the therapeutic process, I aim to support my clients in expanding their insights into themselves anddeepening their connection to their true selves and who they aspire to be. This is balanced with challenging them to consider other perspectives of themselves and others as well as new possibilities that haven’t yet come to light. I am committed to offering a safe, supportive, and explorative space where clients can learn, grow, and develop long-term skills.
In addition to my clinical training, I have nearly a decade of experience serving as a school psychologist. With over fifteen years of experience working in the school setting, I can offer specialized support for navigating the academic and social pressures students face in and out of school. My experience working at schools has allowed me to provide parents and their children unique expertise and knowledge aimed at promoting greater success and satisfaction in this realm, from practical academic support skills to more complex social-emotional challenges.
I have extensive experience working with youth and families from a wide range of personal, social, and cultural backgrounds. I specialize in working with neuro-diverse populations as well as with youth who have specialized academic and social-emotional needs. I also appreciate and encourage the opportunity to work with parents or guardians to help make effective and lasting changes to the home environment to improve the parent-child relationship and the youth’s overall personal, social, and academic functioning.
Growing up a first-generation immigrant, I offer bicultural clients a deeper understanding of the gifts and challenges of a multi-cultural identity. Navigating familial and peer relationships can be particularly confusing and taxing when there are significant differences between one’s family, one’s friends and peers, and oneself. My personal background and history have provided me a special sense of empathy towards clients in these unique circumstances. I therefore especially look forward to supporting clients who identify as bicultural or who are exploring the various components of their identities.
In my work with clients, I combine methods and tools from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), solution-focused therapy, and psycho-dynamic traditions. I hold a safe and supportive therapeutic space for clients to develop their self-knowledge and self-acceptance while challenging themselves to grow in ways that will improve their lives and their relationships with themselves and others.
Therapy is a process, and life is a journey. It is a privilege to be allowed into my clients’ worlds and to support them through their journeys and in their processes. Together, we work toward goals while understanding that the target, just like the self, can be ever-changing. I am grateful to my clients for the opportunity to be a companion on the journey and for the ways they inspire me with their courage, their vulnerability, and their ability to grow.
Specialties:
- Counseling children, teens, and young adults
- Parent coaching and consultation
- Educational consultation and school-related issues, including social-emotional functioning (anxiety, stress, friendships), academic functioning (behavior and performance in the classroom), academic achievement, reading development, and self-regulation
- Treatment of individuals with learning differences and special needs, such as ADHD, learning disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, severe emotional and behavioral challenges, and exceptional circumstances andhistories
- Play therapy with young children
- Body image and body dissatisfaction issues
- Behavioral modification
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Cognitive and neuropsychological assessment and evaluation
Additional Information about my Specialties:
I have extensive experience working with children who have social-emotional challenges that are impactfulto their relationships and/or to their academic achievement. I am well versed in school-related issues, including IEPs, accommodations, teacher-student relationships, parent-child dynamics, and behavioralchallenges that affect academic engagement and functioning.
Much of my previous work has been with children, teens, and young adults with ADHD, autism, learningdifferences, trauma, anxiety, and depression. I also work closely with parents and families to aide in the development of parenting skills, the creation of more peaceful home environments, and overall healthier parent-child relationships. I use an eclectic approach to psychotherapy, one that incorporates aspects ofpsychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral approaches to treatment. I also frequently incorporate DBT skillsand behavioral change techniques as appropriate. Throughout sessions and treatment, however, I amsensitive to ‘following the client,’ or using a pace and approach that feels comfortable, meaningful, andeffective to the individual’s unique needs.
Presentations and Workshops:
- Friendship Rally- an Introduction to Stand Up! Speak Out!™: for 3rd – 8th grade girls (link to page)
Publications:
- Nouri, M., Hill, L. G., & Orrell-Valente, J. K. (2011). Media exposure, internalization of the thin ideal, andbody dissatisfaction: Comparing Asian American and European American college females. Bodyimage, 8(4), 366-372.
Advanced Training:
- DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy)
- ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
Prior Experience:
- Licensed school psychologist practicing at the county and school district levels: psycho-educationalassessments, behavior intervention plans, parent and teacher consultation, one-on-one counseling services, workshops/presentations on behavioral modification and learning differences
- School-based counseling services: solution-focused approaches for specific or short-term challenges, systematic behavior modification, social skills development, self-regulation skills, treatment of anxiety anddepressive symptoms as related to school functioning
- Special educator working with children with significant social-emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges
- Clinician at preschool therapeutic milieu: providing play therapy, group therapy (e.g., self-regulation skills, self-awareness, and social skills), parent coaching, and behavior modification
- Academic and life skills support for young adults in college setting
- Counselor/mentor to teens with exceptional circumstances such as the juvenile justice system or foster caresystem
Education:
- Doctorate, Educational Psychology, University of California at Berkeley
- Master of Arts, Education, University of California at Berkeley
- Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, University of California at Berkeley
Mission: To support the journey of continuous self-realization while maintaining a steady foundation of self-care, self-awareness, and self-love; to foster self-discovery without self-judgment while coping withchallenges and progressing toward aspirations.
Email: mnouri@IFGD.care
Phone: 626-585-8075 ext. 122
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