Welcome! My name is Golshid Fadakar, also known as Goldie. I am a licensed therapist and have been working in the clinical field for over 12 years. I am of Iranian descent and have worked in a wide variety of settings, including at a psychiatric hospital, residential treatment, lower levels of care (PHP/IOP), and outpatient therapy.

My passion lies in working with individuals desiring to achieve more independence, working through emotions and feelings, increasing self-worth and self-esteem, addressing areas of guilt/shame and avoidance, establishing better boundaries, and improving the relationship within themselves and with others.

As a therapist, I believe the therapeutic relationship is one of the fundamental factors in the process. I take a strengths based and psychodynamic approach, while providing compassion and solution focused therapy. Due to my experiences working with individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, it is imperative to me that cultural competency is acknowledged and promoted.

I have obtained diverse clinical experiences through working with individuals with eating disorders, trauma/PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance use. I’ve been trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM).

Currently, I work at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in their Outpatient Psychiatry and Human Behavior department. I provide short-term CBT therapy for individuals addressing areas of depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, mood disorders, grief, chronic illness, and chronic pain.

For over 5 years, I worked at Reasons Eating Disorder Center at the Inpatient Hospitalization, Residential, Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) in the greater Los Angeles area. I provided individual, group, and family therapy to adolescents, adults, and the geriatric population. I provided therapy to active military, Veterans,  LGBTQIA+ populations, and individuals from all walks of life.

I’ve also provided therapeutic services to adolescents and their families at Phoenix House, a residential substance abuse treatment facility located in Sylmar, CA. I’ve been trained in Aggression Replacement Training (ART), Seeking Safety, and Strengthening Families Program (SFP).

I possess a school counseling credential (PPSC) and have provided academic counseling and clinical services to K-12 students in the Los Angeles County area. Furthermore, I have worked at the University of Southern California (USC) providing academic and socio-emotional counseling to graduate students in the School of Social Work.

I am also a clinical supervisor, providing trainings, guidance, and clinical knowledge to Associate Marriage and Family Therapists (AMFT), Associate Clinical Social Workers (ACSW), and Associate Professional Clinical Counselors (APCC).

In my leisure time, I enjoy running 1/2 marathons, trying new cuisines and restaurants, venturing to various Costcos to find the latest deals, and going to the beach.

Education

M.S. in Counseling-California State University, Northridge
B.S. Human Services & B.A. Psychology- California State University, Fullerton