Dorsa Jahanbakhsh

At the core of my work is building genuine connections where you feel truly seen, heard, and cared for. I don’t see healing as simply “fixing” what’s broken but as recalling and reconnecting- with others, with nature, and with your own innate healer. Together, we can explore the roots of pain, release what no longer serves you, and create space for a more meaningful life.

I am trained in EMDR and specialize in systems and relational psychoanalysis. I also incorporate Internal Family Systems, somatic practices, and strength-based approaches, weaving these methods in a way that feels attuned to you and your story.

My approach is holistic and culturally sensitive, recognizing that mind, body, spirit, culture, and community are always interconnected. Wounds often arise in relationships and within systems, and healing is most powerful when it happens in the context of those connections. Therapy provides a safe and supportive space for this relational healing to unfold.

I was born in Iran and moved to California when I was eight, living between both countries throughout my upbringing. My immigration and witnessing various cultures became a lens through which I came to understand identity, belonging, and the ways systems and our environments shape how we relate to ourselves and each other. These early experiences and my own intellectual curiosity around culture led me to pursue a BA in Sociology at UC Irvine, where I deepened my understanding of social systems. I later earned both my master’s and doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Azusa Pacific University, with a focus on psychoanalytic systems-based therapy.

My dissertation, Wounds That Blossomed, is a labor of love. It explores the lived experiences of Iranian American women, especially Iranian female clinicians, and how collective trauma, gender-based oppression, and acculturation shape narratives of trauma and resilience.

Outside the therapy room, I enjoy spending time with my loved ones, exploring different forms of spirituality, being in nature, hanging with my dogs, painting, dancing, and trying new creative activities! And also, analyzing characters on reality shows or psychological thrillers with my friends.