Speaking about mental health and the Afghan diaspora experience.
Sara Stanizai, LMFT (she/her) is a licensed therapist who founded Prospect Therapy to create a queer- and trans-affirming practice that focuses specifically on serving first-generation American and immigrant communities.
As a queer first-gen herself, Sara’s clinical and professional work focuses on serving the Afghan diaspora, specifically fellow Afghan-American women, through retreats and group experiences that help participants find community and reconciliation with self, culture and ancestry.
Speaking
Presentations topics include:
- The Afghan-American Women’s Experience
- First- and Second-Generation Immigrant Mental Health
- Imposter Syndrome and Identity Development for Children of Immigrants
- Diversity in Leadership and Entrepreneurship
- Barriers to Workplace Resilience for Children of Immigrants
- Intersections of Queerness and Biculturalism
- Active Allyship for the Transgender Community
- Bisexual-Affirmative Mental Health
- Supporting Queer and Trans Loved Ones
Previous Speaking Engagements
Medallia: Couch Talks
Topic: The Problem with Resilience: Why Your Queer + BIPOC Colleagues are so Tired
Palomar College: Many Face of Women in Leadership 2022 panel speaker
Topic: Leveraging Your Culture in Leadership
Asian Mental Health Collective: TransformAsian Conference 2022
Topic: Identity Development
Afghan American Community Organization:
Annual Conference 2022
SEED Speaker: Your Secrets Will Set You Free
Workshop Facilitator: Afghan Enough: Imposter Syndrome in First-Gens
Models of Pride Conference 2019
Topic: Bi+ Affirmative Care
Mental Health Association of Orange County Conference 2019: Meeting of the Minds
Topic: Imposter No More: Using Cognitive Therapy to Treat High-Functioning Anxiety
Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference 2018
Topic: Active Allyship for Trans and Nonbinary Communities
Gender Odyssey Conference 2018
Topic: Active Allyship for Trans and Nonbinary Communities
Training, Workshops, and Consulting
Consulting topics include:
- Developing a successful group practice
- How to fill and run group programs in your business
- Providing LGBTQ+ Affirmative care
Previous Engagements
Southern California Counseling Centers:
Providing LGBTQ+ Affirmative Therapy 2020
NVIDIA:
Supporting LGBTQ+ Loved Ones 2021
Yellowbrick:
Mastering Goal-Setting for the New Year 2021
Afghan American Conference:
Afghan Enough: Imposter Syndrome 2022
Workshops
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health:
Transforming Community Care: AANHPI
LGBTQIA2-S Mental Health and Wellness Projec
Sara Stanizai:
Eldest Daughter Workshop
What People are Saying about Sara
“Sara is extremely dialed in when it comes to understanding the connection between being an immigrant/first-generation and Impostor Syndrome.”
Sara is extremely dialed in when it comes to understanding the connection between being an immigrant/first-generation and Impostor Syndrome. I think her ability to help people gain insight and implement compassion towards themselves is above average. I’m sure her clients benefit greatly from her direct communication and willingness to call out those beliefs that they have adopted about themselves that were never, or are no longer, applicable.
—Stevon Lewis, LMFT Therapist and Speaker
“She is a trusted guiding light not only for the Afghan community but the whole collective.”
In watching Sara facilitate her Afghan women’s group and retreat, I witnessed someone who is doing what they were born to do. There is a sense of destiny about her work. She holds compassion and heart to allow a brave space for others to be themselves fully. She’s raw, real and fun! She is a trusted guiding light not only for the Afghan community but the whole collective. She is an alchemist, turning pain into love. I highly recommend her for any type of transformative work.
—Farah Siddiq Healer, Teacher & Tech Founder
“Sara Stanizai is not only an amazing therapist and clinical supervisor but a passionate community advocate...”
Sara Stanizai is not only an amazing therapist and clinical supervisor but a passionate community advocate for bi+, LGBTQ, BIPOC, immigrant, and Afghan American communities with a unique blend of smarts, innovation, genuineness, and humor.
—Dr. Mimi Hoang, Psychologist, Author, Educator, Activist
“I admire how she breaks stereotypes and brings us into her intimate world where her participants can show up as their fully integrated selves...”
Since meeting Sara, I’ve been inspired by her authenticity and approach to creating safe spaces for the immigrant community. Although she has a global perspective and helps anyone – her unique focus on Afghan American women has been like no other that I’ve seen. I admire how she breaks stereotypes and brings us into her intimate world where her participants can show up as their fully integrated selves – as an immigrant myself, I understand how compartmentalizing our identities is extremely exhausting. Sara’s approach is a template for many of us to learn from and to implement into the immigrant dialogue.
— Meymuna Hussein-Cattan, Entrepreneur & Nonprofit Founder
“Sara's works in the field, lived experiences, and life learnings are vital in advancing the exploration of identity needed...”
I’ve had the pleasure of featuring Sara in a number of Asian Mental Health Collectives’ events addressing the Asian monolith and breaking the stereotype that all Asians are one unit. Sara’s works in the field, lived experiences, and life learnings are vital in advancing the exploration of identity needed to provide mental health care that is focused on the unique needs of the individual.
—Christian de Luna, Chief of Strategy, Asian Mental Health Collective