Professional statement
Dr. Sahar Khoshakhlagh (Dr. K or Sahar) is a Doctor of Psychology in Marriage & Family Therapy. She is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in Midtown Manhattan. She works with individuals, couples, and families struggling with a variety of challenges. Moreover, she is passionate about working with members of the LGBTQIA community, especially in relation to identity development.
Dr. Sahar is relational and supportive and utilizes an eclectic system’s approach, including mindfulness, trauma informed care, and emotion focused therapy to address a merit of challenges.
She focuses on enhancing a client’s strength by helping people get in touch with who they are and what they want out of life. When working with couples, Dr. Sahar helps each partner learn to build compassion for the other’s journey and empowers couples to break negative cycles that keep the relationship stuck.
Dr. Sahar is mindful of her client’s comfort and considers it an honor to walk alongside her clients as they explore their inner systems. She looks forward to meet you. Her office is a walking distance from Madison Square South Park and Traders Joe’s, in proximity to both Flatiron and Chelsea, and is easily accessible from the 23rd St. 6 Ave subway station on the F/M line.
Message to clients
Your sense of self is derived from your daily experiences, including your history, culture, education, and influences from your caregivers. Experiences are formed through the activation of your biological sensory system. Sensations are processed by your mind, and your thoughts about them produce an array of emotions.
These emotions color your impressions of the world, which taken together, define your truth about life. If you are not aware of your belief systems, your thoughts and emotions will wear you down.
Thus, I will empower you to change your life’s circular patterns by guiding you to identify the details of your belief system. Your ability to recognize destructive thoughts and emotions will empower you with the freedom to choose and create a new belief system; ultimately giving you the opportunity to live the quality of life you deserve.
Recognition of feelings is important to self-awareness because feelings are clues to your thoughts, behaviors, and belief systems. However, I won’t promote alternate interpretations to your feelings—rather, I will ask process questions to promote thoughtful reflection. For example, I might ask you what you think about your pain, rather how you feel about your pain.
My objective will always be the same regardless of your symptom, religion, culture, gender and/or sexual identity. I will meet you where you are at. I will listen, validate, empathize, and provide compassion so you can pass the barriers that hold you back from living your potential.
Overall, my mission is to provide you with the highest quality of therapeutic services so you can address your challenges. I intend to support you not strictly as an individual, but as a person in the context of your relationships. I do this because healing takes place within relational contexts, including your therapeutic relationship with me.
