Sahar Akhtar LPCC, LPC, MSEd, INHC, RYT
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Founder & Clinical Director
Licensed Psychotherapist, CA #LPCC9818, PA #PC010170 Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach (INHC) Registered Yoga Teacher, Classical, Yin & Restorative (RYT) Inactive: Licensed Behavior Specialist, PA (2016-2020) K-12 Certified School Counselor, PA (2015 - 2023) |
Appointment Hours
Monday to Friday 9am/10am to 2pm/3pm Weekends Off |
Education
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Masters of Science in Education (2015) School and Mental Health Counseling
Graduate School of Education; University of Pennsylvania, PA; Summa Cum Laude |
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Bachelors of Science, Honors (2008) Psychology
Department of Psychology; London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom Dissertation: "Smoking Motivation in Young Adults: Generalized Anxiety vs Trait Anxiety and Self Efficacy" |
Therapy Style
I take an eastern-western approach to therapy facilitating a connection between intuitions, inner wisdom, and knowledge. My trainings in holistic health and complementary medicine have helped clients avoid medication as their first course of intervention and manage symptoms naturally. Where medications are warranted, I encourage, educate and help clients with hesitations if any to become advocates and participants in their care.
My therapeutic style is warm, collaborative and compassion focused. I want my clients to feel comfortable to share openly, feel heard, and explore without the fear of being judged. I am good at helping people find and strengthen their voice. People who work with me can expect to feel empowered.
I take an eastern-western approach to therapy facilitating a connection between intuitions, inner wisdom, and knowledge. My trainings in holistic health and complementary medicine have helped clients avoid medication as their first course of intervention and manage symptoms naturally. Where medications are warranted, I encourage, educate and help clients with hesitations if any to become advocates and participants in their care.
My therapeutic style is warm, collaborative and compassion focused. I want my clients to feel comfortable to share openly, feel heard, and explore without the fear of being judged. I am good at helping people find and strengthen their voice. People who work with me can expect to feel empowered.
Specialty Areas
My speciality areas are: Trauma, PTSD, Anxiety, ADHD and Wellness. I also have specialties in helping clients who want to become healthy (or healthier) and understand the intersectionality of trauma on their health, behavior and life. I also work with: Depression, Body Image, Relationship with Food, Spirituality, Stress, Identity, Life Transitions, Adjustment. I work well with people who are trying to "figure it out".
I have specialty interests with serving the needs of minority groups especially Muslims, South Asian, Asian and Arab mental health. These communities are underserved in the counseling world and unrecognized in research. I also have specialties in working with immigrants and children of immigrants. Other specialty populations are supporting the developmental needs of helping professionals and entrepreneurs.
I have specialty interests with serving the needs of minority groups especially Muslims, South Asian, Asian and Arab mental health. These communities are underserved in the counseling world and unrecognized in research. I also have specialties in working with immigrants and children of immigrants. Other specialty populations are supporting the developmental needs of helping professionals and entrepreneurs.
Experience and Trainings
I have specialty trainings in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) from Behavior Tech, A Linehan Institute, Behavior Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). I also completed specialty trainings in Domestic Violence, Hospice Care, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Intellectual Developmental Delay (IDD). I completed year long certifications in nutrition, integrative health and yoga.
I have been working in the mental health field since 2008 and have been a psychotherapist for over 10 years. I have experience of working with various populations with different challenges and mental health disorders across the developmental lifespan (ages 5 to 70) as well as experience of working in different settings such as residential treatment centers, urban and suburban schools, private and public as well as home and community.
For five years I facilitated groups for a non-profit organization called SpeakUp, where I helped adolescents and the adults in their lives communicate effectively on controversial topics such as: Drugs and Alcohol, Stress and Mental Health, Sex and Relationships, Pressure and Expectations, Race, Diversity and Inclusion.
I used to be licensed as a Behavior Specialist in PA and worked as a Consultant for children and adolescents receiving wraparound services. This license is now inactive as I no longer work as a behaviorist nor live in PA. I have worked with families as a Mental Health Specialist Consultant and with adolescents who received Advanced Clinical Services for School Refusal and Truancy Issues.
I was certified as a PK-12 School Counselor in PA. I trained at Beaumont Elementary School, Tredyffrin/Easttown School District in Berwyn, PA and at Great Valley High School in Malvern, PA. I interned at Devereux's Residential Treatment Center with adolescents and adults with acute mental health disorders, and Kingdom Recovery helping people challenged with addictions.
I have been a volunteer as a Domestic Violence Counselor where I also assisted people with options counseling and the process of obtaining Protection From Abuse at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, PA. I also volunteered for The Son-Rise Program working with children on the Autism Spectrum Disorder and with inpatient patients who have Dementia or under Hospice Care at a Senior Assistance Facility in Pottstown, PA.
I have specialty trainings in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) from Behavior Tech, A Linehan Institute, Behavior Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). I also completed specialty trainings in Domestic Violence, Hospice Care, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Intellectual Developmental Delay (IDD). I completed year long certifications in nutrition, integrative health and yoga.
I have been working in the mental health field since 2008 and have been a psychotherapist for over 10 years. I have experience of working with various populations with different challenges and mental health disorders across the developmental lifespan (ages 5 to 70) as well as experience of working in different settings such as residential treatment centers, urban and suburban schools, private and public as well as home and community.
For five years I facilitated groups for a non-profit organization called SpeakUp, where I helped adolescents and the adults in their lives communicate effectively on controversial topics such as: Drugs and Alcohol, Stress and Mental Health, Sex and Relationships, Pressure and Expectations, Race, Diversity and Inclusion.
I used to be licensed as a Behavior Specialist in PA and worked as a Consultant for children and adolescents receiving wraparound services. This license is now inactive as I no longer work as a behaviorist nor live in PA. I have worked with families as a Mental Health Specialist Consultant and with adolescents who received Advanced Clinical Services for School Refusal and Truancy Issues.
I was certified as a PK-12 School Counselor in PA. I trained at Beaumont Elementary School, Tredyffrin/Easttown School District in Berwyn, PA and at Great Valley High School in Malvern, PA. I interned at Devereux's Residential Treatment Center with adolescents and adults with acute mental health disorders, and Kingdom Recovery helping people challenged with addictions.
I have been a volunteer as a Domestic Violence Counselor where I also assisted people with options counseling and the process of obtaining Protection From Abuse at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, PA. I also volunteered for The Son-Rise Program working with children on the Autism Spectrum Disorder and with inpatient patients who have Dementia or under Hospice Care at a Senior Assistance Facility in Pottstown, PA.
Therapeutic Orientation
Humanistic | Compassion Focused | Emotion Focused | Eastern-Western Practices | Cognitive Behavior Therapy | Dialectical Behavior Therapy | Behavior Therapy | Trauma Focused | Health Coaching
Academia and Workshops
I was a Graduate Seminar Leader and Practitioner Consultant for UPenn's Counseling Programs. I also assisted with the placement process for practicum and internship as well as managed the schools database and relationships with partnered organizations.
I have been a Clinical Supervisor for pre-licensed professionals pursuing licensure status in PA and CA.
I co-led a professional development workshop with Dr. Marsha Richardson on the topic "Preventing Stress & Teacher Burnout Workshop" for school teachers in the district of Philadelphia which was organized by Philadelphia Education Fund.
I was invited to author a chapter for Education and Youth Development in Pakistan which was published in the Adolescent Psychology in today's world: global perspectives on risk volume series.
During my undergraduate studies my research for my dissertation project focused on studying Smoking Motivation in Young Adults. Behaviors were studied in relation to Generalized Anxiety, Trait Anxiety and Self-Efficacy.
I was a Graduate Seminar Leader and Practitioner Consultant for UPenn's Counseling Programs. I also assisted with the placement process for practicum and internship as well as managed the schools database and relationships with partnered organizations.
I have been a Clinical Supervisor for pre-licensed professionals pursuing licensure status in PA and CA.
I co-led a professional development workshop with Dr. Marsha Richardson on the topic "Preventing Stress & Teacher Burnout Workshop" for school teachers in the district of Philadelphia which was organized by Philadelphia Education Fund.
I was invited to author a chapter for Education and Youth Development in Pakistan which was published in the Adolescent Psychology in today's world: global perspectives on risk volume series.
During my undergraduate studies my research for my dissertation project focused on studying Smoking Motivation in Young Adults. Behaviors were studied in relation to Generalized Anxiety, Trait Anxiety and Self-Efficacy.
About Sahar
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What Brought Me To This Profession
People who know me will not believe this when I say that I was an angry kid. I remember what it felt like to need help and not be able to get it. Psychology was in it's infancy where I grew up. I did not have access to programs in school nor mental health resources. As a result, I did not know much about the field but I knew that I wanted to make my life useful to others and that helping people was a healing feeling for me. Naturally I was a good listener and observer within my social circle. A friend jokingly nicknamed me our college's psychotherapist. There is a saying that therapists are usually doing this work way before they gain their credentials. I think in my case this was true but I was very lost in the process and did not take a straight path to where I am now. Nonetheless I am grateful for my journey and all that brought me here. I get to lead from my heart and call it my job. |
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Outside of Therapy
I enjoy working out at the gym, being in nature, a good yoga class and spending time with friends and family. I also enjoy being a mother- seeing the world through my little ones lens, learning new things, being creative, reading, writing, organizing, creating systems, trying out new recipes and hosting. I was born in San Francisco and raised in Pakistan. I lived in London while I was in college then moved to Philadelphia where I spent 12 years before circling back to San Francisco in 2022.
I enjoy working out at the gym, being in nature, a good yoga class and spending time with friends and family. I also enjoy being a mother- seeing the world through my little ones lens, learning new things, being creative, reading, writing, organizing, creating systems, trying out new recipes and hosting. I was born in San Francisco and raised in Pakistan. I lived in London while I was in college then moved to Philadelphia where I spent 12 years before circling back to San Francisco in 2022.
Languages
I can conduct sessions in Urdu, Hindi and also understand Punjabi and Hindko
I can conduct sessions in Urdu, Hindi and also understand Punjabi and Hindko