services - couples therapy
couples therapy
as social beings, we need each other. it is in relationships that we get wounded, and it is in relationships that we also heal. the quality of our relationships directly impacts the quality of our lives. we either thrive or languish because of them. intercultural and interfaith couples are often facing additional obstacles, external pressures, and expectations that are not always treated with the acknowledgment and thoughtfulness they deserve. lgbt+, enm and other non-traditional relationship structures are not always supported or understood by clinicians. at noor, we attend to the specifics in order to help you navigate your relationships with more ease and meaning. being in a relationship that fulfills us and adds to our wellbeing is a gift to ourselves, our partners, and our lives.
relationships are as diverse as the people in them. that’s why we draw from a number of different modalities to serve you best - from attachment theory to systems theory, from providing a space for exploration to leading the way, from skill building in communication to deepening our capacity for empathically supporting our partners. at noor, we are affirming of all genders, sexual orientations, and relational structures.
areas of specialization include: intercultural couples, interfaith couples, ethical non-monogamy, polyamory, sex therapy, intimacy, parenting, infidelity, premarital, and high conflict.
meet the team:
Pauline Yeghnazar Peck
licensed clinical psychologist
Helping educate, empower, and encourage the children of immigrants to live full, free, meaningful lives.
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Hi, I’m Pauline (she/her), a psychologist with over a decade of experience supporting individuals and couples on their unique journeys. As a 1.5 generation immigrant (born in Iran and raised in the U.S.), SWANA woman (Persian-Armenian), and someone in an intercultural marriage, I bring a deeply personal, culturally informed perspective to my work. I specialize in helping children of immigrants bridge the mental health gaps between immigrant upbringings and western psychology, supporting you in doing the two-fold work of breaking harmful intergenerational cycles while reclaiming the goodness of your culture.
I am dedicated to decolonizing the mental field. My vision for supporting a diverse team of individuals dedicated to the same aims is how i founded noor. While i no longer accept new clients, i support the noor team through supervision, consultation and training.
From my free 𝖢𝖴𝖫𝖳𝖴𝖱𝖤𝖣 book club and speaking engagements to individual and group coaching programs, from my boundaries course to speaking engagement, my work now centers around education, speaking, coaching, and more.
When I’m not thinking about culture and mental health, you’ll find me cooking and baking, playing with my two littles, connecting with nature, or reading a book (ok, ok, probably listening to it).
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𝖨𝖦 @paulinethepsychologist
Seher Bajwa
registered associate marriage and family therapist, Registered associate Professional Clinical Counselor
I support 1st gen women cultivate a sense of belonging and multicultural couples enhance their connections.
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Hi, I'm Seher (she/her), a therapist with a passion for empowering 1st/ 2nd generation women to cultivate a sense of belonging and supporting diverse couples strengthen their communication and enhance their connection. As a second-generation South Asian, Muslim woman with mixed Pakistani, British, Indian, and Irish heritage, I understand the complexities of navigating multiple identities. My own third-culture (born in the US, raised in the UAE) background fuels my commitment to supporting those who feel caught between worlds.
I specialize in working with adult children of immigrants, BIPOC communities (especially South Asian and Muslim), and couples from mixed backgrounds. Whether you're dealing with anxiety, depression, self-esteem issues, or relationship challenges, I'm here to help. I integrate trauma-informed approaches like EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and Somatic Experiencing, along with mindfulness and psychodynamic theories, to create a personalized healing journey.
My approach is compassionate, honest, and sometimes even a little humorous—I believe in connecting with you as a fellow human being, not just a clinician.
When I'm not in session, you can find me bowling or painting—two activities that help me recharge. Oh, and fun fact: my name means "dawn," symbolizing new beginnings, something I hope to help you embrace.
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Adena Sarkian
registered associate marriage and family therapist
I help individuals walk through the sacred journey of grief.
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Hi, I’m Adena (she/her), a grief therapist who helps individuals walk through the sacred journey of loss and life transitions. As a first-generation Middle Eastern Armenian, I bring a culturally informed perspective to my work, supporting clients as they navigate grief while honoring their unique experiences and stories.
I believe that you are the expert of your own life, and my role is to meet you where you are on your grief journey. Whether you're processing a significant loss or a major life change, I am here to help you carry both the grief and the love you hold. My therapeutic style is trauma- and grief-informed, integrating narrative therapy, existential, person-centered, and parts work to externalize problems and honor your healing process.
With six years of experience in hospitals, sitting with families making difficult end-of-life decisions, and leading bereavement programs, I bring deep empathy and understanding to my work. I have also been a teacher and life coach, giving me a unique lens for meeting people at all stages of life.
In my spare time, I love taking long drives with good music and experimenting with cooking—especially for those who love to eat!
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Nichole Abdallah
registered associate marriage and family therapist
I help adult children of immigrants reclaim their cultural identities and feel liberated.
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Hi, I’m Nichole (she/her), a second-generation Palestinian-Latina therapist passionate about helping adult children of immigrants reclaim their cultural identities and feel liberated in their own skin. As a third-culture, mixed-race woman in diaspora, I understand the challenges of navigating multiple identities, cultural expectations, and the grief that can come with displacement.
I specialize in working with intergenerational trauma, diasporic grief, and the unique experiences of BIPOC communities, especially the Palestinian diaspora, SWANA folx, Latinx, and Muslims. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, mixed-race identity, or cultural reclamation, I’m here to support you on your healing journey. My therapeutic approach integrates EMDR, somatics, Internal Family Systems (IFS), narrative work, and liberation-oriented, trauma-informed practices. Together, we’ll create a collaborative, non-pathologizing space that affirms your unique experiences and values.
I approach therapy through an anti-oppressive, decolonial, and pro-liberation lens, always centering your voice and experience.
When I’m not in session, you’ll likely find me cooking or working on Tatreez, the traditional Palestinian embroidery that helps me stay connected to my roots.
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✉ therapywithnichole@gmail.com
☏ 626.219.0131
𝖨𝖦 @thepalestinian.latinatherapist
Jean Donabedian
registered associate marriage and family therapist, Registered associate Professional Clinical Counselor
I help the adult children of immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community find the balance between culture and self.
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Hi, I’m Jean (he/they), a queer, non-binary therapist passionate about helping adult children of immigrants and members of the LGBTQ+ community find balance between culture and self. As a second-generation Armenian, I understand the push and pull of cultural expectations and personal identity. My goal is to create a safe, affirming space where you can explore and embrace all aspects of yourself.
I specialize in working with grief, family conflict, body positivity, and navigating life transitions. Whether you’re exploring open relationships, non-monogamy, or dealing with trauma, anxiety, or depression, I’m here to support you in a sex-positive, kink-allied, and gender-affirming environment. My therapeutic approach combines modalities like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and parts work, all through a compassionate and culturally sensitive lens.
Our sessions will feel conversational and trauma-informed, allowing us to connect authentically as we work toward your goals.
Outside of therapy, I get my creative brain going with Legos and immerse myself in worlds of adventure through D&D.
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Talia Tzouris
registered associate marriage and family therapist
I empower queer individuals on their journey towards self-love, connection, and inner peace.
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Hi, I’m Talia (she/her), a pansexual therapist dedicated to empowering queer individuals on their journey towards self-love, connection, and inner peace. As the granddaughter of immigrants with Greek, Hungarian, Irish, and Scottish roots, I’m passionate about helping others navigate the complexities of identity and belonging.
I specialize in gender-affirming, sex-affirming, and queer-affirming therapy, supporting clients through challenges like depression, anxiety, family conflict, self-esteem, relationships, and religious trauma. My approach is warm, non-judgmental, and collaborative, combining feminist, psychodynamic, and somatic practices. I encourage creative exploration as a way to access and understand your inner emotional world.
With a background in neuroscience, hospital emergency rooms, dementia care, and six years in tech, I bring a unique perspective to my work as a therapist. My experience volunteering on a suicide hotline led me to pursue my dream of becoming a therapist.
Outside of therapy, I love music, poetry, and playing ball at the beach with my dogs.
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Niloofar Alishahi
Licensed Creative Arts Therapist Registered Art Therapist, board-certified
I help immigrants and creative folx find balance and joy through creativity, play and inner resilience building.
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Hi, I’m Niloofar (she/her), a queer-feminist therapist and first-generation Iranian immigrant. I’m passionate about helping immigrants and creative individuals find balance and joy through creativity, play, and resilience building. As someone with roots in the Iranian diaspora, I deeply understand the complexities of navigating cultural identity and the struggles of exile.
My specialties include working with adult children of immigrants, BIPOC, and first- and second-generation individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and relationship challenges. I integrate art psychotherapy, expressive arts, drama therapy, psychodrama, and restorative practices into my work, and I’m also trained in DBT and ACT. Together, we’ll engage in an experimental and trauma-informed process where you’ll take the lead unless you seek more guidance.
With a diverse background that ranges from theater to teaching arts, I’ve worked in crisis and drop-in centers for youth in NYC and currently facilitate online mind-body skills and trauma-informed expressive therapy groups for Iranian and Afghan communities in diaspora.
When I’m not working, I enjoy creating art and pottery inspired by mythical and folklore stories from my childhood.
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Marjan Modaresi
registered associate marriage and family therapist
I help adult children of immigrants navigate their identities and find balance in their lives.
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Hi, I’m Marjan (she/her), a first-generation Iranian therapist passionate about helping adult children of immigrants find their path through life’s challenges. I work with BIPOC communities, particularly Middle Eastern, Latinx, and South Asian individuals, supporting them in navigating anxiety, depression, self-esteem struggles, relationship issues, and family conflict.
My approach is eclectic and collaborative, blending person-centered, emotionally focused, and relational techniques to create a culturally-informed, trauma-sensitive space. Whether you’re dealing with life transitions or family dynamics, I believe in working together with humor and directness to help you reach your goals.
With a background in marriage and family therapy and years of experience supporting ESL students, I’m dedicated to creating a supportive environment where you can thrive.
In my free time, you can find me browsing through Trader Joe’s or arranging flowers—two of my favorite ways to unwind!
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More on the name ‘Noor’
May the light + pomegranate and everything that ‘Noor’ represents help you find your way.
Find your light, Live bright.
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noor means “light” in farsi/person, arabic, and other languages. while at noor we work with all the dark and difficult things, the more we do this work, the more we also believe in the truth, the potency, and the healing power of light. light refers to love, to the body and spirit’s natural capacity for healing, to resilience through softness, to connection and belonging. when we can sit with the dark winters of our psyches and our lives, we can savor the feeling of the warmth of the sun on our skin that much more.
in armenian, “noor” means pomegranate. beyond being pauline the founder’s favorite fruit, it is also a national symbol for fertility, life, and abundance. armenian lore holds that a perfectly mature pomegranate is 365 kernels, one for each day of the year. the idea of many parts within one whole speaks to us as diverse humans and therapists who acknowledge and honor that we are all made of different parts. recognizing and returning to our wholeness while honoring the many parts of the overall mosaic that makes each of us unique as well as universally human is what we love most about the transformation process.
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cut, prepared plates of food are a certain universal language and experience of love shared by children of immigrants. The image of an immigrant parent hunched over a bowl carefully preparing little kernels of pomegranates can feel like a familiar scene. Whether your parents literally did this or not matters less than what it symbolizes - the love that may have been present from our immigrant parents even if it wasn’t always in the form we wanted or needed. It reminds us that we can be both deeply loved and deeply hurt by the same people and calls on us to carefully prepare for ourselves, through the work of reparenting, what would be most nourishing for ourselves. That is the work many of us have done, are doing, and are supporting you in doing too.