Dr. Payam Ghassemlou (he/him) is currently in private practice providing individual therapy. Having over twenty-five years of extensive training and research in the field of counseling and mental health, Dr. Payam has developed an integrative approach toward helping his clients improve the quality of their lives. Dr. Payam also taught first-year medical students in the Doctoring 1 program at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Here, he instructed medical students on topics related to patient-centered interview, ethics and professionalism, empathy, cultural sensitivity, and developing communication skills.  Teaching has enhanced his ability to discuss complex psychological factors in an easier to understand fashion.

Dr. Payam is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California (MFC33893), and Oregon (T3518), and a telehealth provider in Florida (TPMF1589). He has a Ph.D. in Transpersonal Psychology as well as a Master of Science in Counseling. He is also a  Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP). Dr. Payam is skilled at providing counseling services and psychotherapy for clients wanting to resolve their life related difficulties. 

Since graduating from California State University Northridge and starting his mental health clinical training in 1992, Dr. Payam has been trained and seen clients at the following agencies:

LA Gay & Lesbian Community Service Center 

Los Angeles Center for Group Therapy

Kruks /Tilsner Youth Shelter

Hollywood Sunset Community Clinic

The Los Angeles Free Clinic

Hollywood YMCA Counseling Center

Substance Abuse Foundation of Long Beach   

 

Additionally, he has participated in training programs or seminars at the following learning institutes:

Somatic Experiencing® International (SEI)

Somatic Practice (Training with Kathy Kain)

Internal Family Systems Model (IFS)

C. G. Jung Institute of Los Angeles 

Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis

The Los Angeles Institute and Society for Psychoanalytic Studies

UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center

Cedars-Sinai Health System 

The Trauma Resource Institute

The Office of Continuing Medical Education, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

He is a clinical member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and provides case consultations for other psychotherapists who need his expertise.

Dr. Payam has written and lectured on topics related to somatic psychotherapy, Eastern spirituality, mindfulness, diversity, climate justice, Eco-Anxiety, internalized homophobia, equal rights for LGBTQ+ persons, addictions, and embracing creativity. 

  

Volunteer Work:

AIDS Project Los Angeles

CSUN Helpline

Gays and Lesbians Initiating Dialogue for Equality

LGBTQ+ Center in Los Angeles and Long Beach

Children’s Therapy Center

UCLA

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

MFT33893

Florida telehealth provider registration number  (TPMF1589)