Dr. Avina Khiatani (she/her) is a licensed Clinical Psychologist with a variety of work experience. She has primarily worked within university counseling centers where she specializes in treating clients with interpersonal concerns, sexual assault, disordered eating/body image concerns, depression and anxiety.
She spent eight years training and practicing in Southern California, interning within K-12 schools, community mental health and university settings. In Texas, she worked specifically with children, adolescents and families in outpatient therapy before moving to Oklahoma to focus on work within higher education. Upon moving to the East Coast, she has continued to work in higher education and also has enjoyed starting to see clients via private practice. She has been successful in her work at multiple settings, and as such has also worked with new clinicians as a training director, clinical supervisor and faculty member.
Having worked in multiple states, Dr. Khiatani has experience and comfort working with clients with varied identities and enjoys understanding the impact of intersecting realities on mental health. She values and respects her experiences at different locations and is constantly reflecting on current and historical systems as they affect her clients and her approach to healthcare. In addition, having immigrated to the United States from Hong Kong, she has a strong awareness of struggles faced by immigrants and immigrant families. She has focused her research on the many ways culture and identity impact mental health diagnosis, treatment and clinical training.
As a clinician, Dr. Khiatani has been described as present, challenging and motivated yet highly empathic, down-to-earth and relaxed. She utilizes contemporary dynamic, cognitive/dialectical-behavioral and health-at-every-size (HAES) approaches to support her clients. She emphasizes both the science and interpersonal aspects of her work, and stays up to date on research and trainings to best care for her clients.
