Sairah Abbasi

: : Currently Accepting New Clients : :

Hello and welcome! I am grateful for your presence and interest in starting therapy with me. My name is Sairah Abbasi and I practice within the state of California- working with clients from adolescence through adulthood, and couples, and I also use EMDR as well.

I know seeking support for your current hardships or past experiences takes courage and strength. Therapy is a rich and meaningful way to process life’s hardships through establishing personalized tools for change and empowerment of the self. My intent is to support you within your healing journey through a safe, comfortable and open space to explore these hardships. All the while honoring and respecting the culture that makes you, uniquely you! I use a collaborative approach to establish goals for change and personal growth. Whether that’s improving your self-worth, managing life stress, regulating tough emotions, improving your relationships or finding respite, this is your space.

At times being part of the South Asian community, in a social-location where you are part of a minority, can lead to a recurring feeling of isolation and loneliness. For some who are part of our community, it can be hard to find a secure space where we feel we belong or established in our identity. This can even be a result of managing the expectations of honoring family, all the while finding your place within the American society, especially within the experience of many first generation families. Through my own experience as being part of the desi community, I know there is a distinctive intersection of parts, which play a huge role within the journey of the South Asian life experience. Understanding the importance of traditions, family, spirituality, and izzat (honor) builds a collective experience, all of which is so fruitful to explore and process within the therapeutic environment.

As a therapist, I have experience working with clients experiencing Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, BPD, Bipolar Disorder, family/relationship conflict, intergenerational trauma, gender expectations and biases, childhood trauma, and reduced self-worth.  I work with individuals, and family clients and couples clients in Couple’s Therapy. I use an individualized approach to fit each clients needs, drawing from therapeutic treatments such as DBT, ACT, Emotion-Focused Therapy, EMDR, and Strength-Based Therapy.

My educational background includes a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California, as well as a Bachelor of Arts from Montclair State University with a concentration in Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies. I also have experience working with survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and individuals who have caused harm, and also supporting clients within a shelter setting and a community mental health center.

A fun fact about me is that I truly admire poetry! Some of my favorite poets include Rupi Kaur, Yung Pueblo, Madisen Kuhn and r.h. Sin. When I’m not at work, you can generally find me with a warm cup of coffee reading one of their poems.