About Shahrzad

Shahrzad (Shar) is a Licensed Independent Social Worker with over a decade of experience supporting individuals, adolescents, and families through trauma, identity development, and life transitions. She specializes in working with clients navigating complex trauma, cultural adjustment, and relational challenges, with a strong emphasis on intergenerational healing and family systems.

She has a particular passion for supporting clients from collectivist and multicultural backgrounds, including second-generation individuals and those adjusting to life in a different cultural context. Shar also works closely with individuals experiencing childhood trauma, attachment wounds, and ongoing relational stress.

Her approach is grounded in the belief that healing happens through authentic connection, emotional safety, and a collaborative therapeutic relationship where clients feel both supported and gently guided toward awareness and growth.

Training & Credentials

• Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW-S)

• Bachelor of Science, Human Development and Family Science, The Ohio State University

• Master of Social Work, The Ohio State University

• Certified in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT)

• EMDR-trained clinician

Approach

Shar takes a relational, human-first approach to therapy, prioritizing genuine connection and trust as the foundation of all clinical work. She believes therapy should feel collaborative rather than hierarchical, where clients are seen as the experts of their own lives.

Her work integrates trauma-informed care, EMDR, IFS-informed parts work, and systemic/family-based perspectives to help clients understand the deeper roots of their patterns. She also incorporates CBT skills when helpful, always tailored to the client’s readiness and needs.

A central focus of her work is helping clients recognize and shift long-standing emotional and behavioral patterns while honoring cultural, familial, and environmental influences. She emphasizes working at the client’s pace, ensuring that therapy feels safe, respectful, and grounded in trust.

What to Expect

In early sessions, Shar focuses on building a genuine connection and understanding your story at your own pace. She takes time to learn about your experiences, goals, and what you hope therapy will look like, while also making space for you to feel comfortable in the process.

Therapy with Shar is collaborative and flexible — there is no pressure to share everything at once. Sessions are shaped by your readiness, comfort, and goals, with a shared focus on creating clarity and direction for healing.

A Bit Outside the Office

Outside of her clinical work, Shar enjoys cooking, baking, painting, drawing, driving, and spending time in nature. She values creative expression and time with family as important parts of grounding and connection.

A Note from Shar

Shar understands that starting therapy can feel vulnerable and uncertain, especially when sharing deeply personal experiences. She emphasizes that therapy is not about “getting it right,” but about finding a space where you feel safe enough to be yourself.

She encourages clients to move at their own pace and to trust their own sense of comfort and fit in the therapeutic relationship, knowing that safety and connection are essential to meaningful healing.