About
HI, I’m Naj, and I know for a fact that you don’t have to choose between deep connections and inspired productivity.
You can pursue your professional goals while investing in the meaningful relationships around you. And you can learn how to manage stress so you avoid burnout and exhaustion.
Stress can actually be your friend!
The right amount of it builds resilience and pushes you to perform. Using research on resilience and motivation, we’ll tackle burnout and stress with a unique self-care plan that’s tailored to you.
What about the ever-present perfectionism that’s haunted you for years?
When you find the enduring confidence you are looking for, it’s easy to let go of perfectionism (which is inherently fear-based). Professional success feels rejuvenating when you define it based on what you want to accomplish (rather than the failures you want to avoid).
You’ve grown tired of other people’s definitions. Now let’s define what success means to YOU.
In our time together we’ll build skills so conversations no longer lead to conflict. You’ll know how to have difficult conversations when you need to.
In and out of work, the deep connections and camaraderie you are looking for will be easy to create once you have the tools to ask for what you need, set boundaries, and manage conflict
If those are the results you’re looking for from therapy, then I’d love to be your therapist. Reach out today for a free consultation.
About Naj Alikhan
I deeply relate to the anxiety of perfectionism, the desire to not let anyone down, and the ever-present fear of failure that my clients bring to session.
My life’s work has been to gather and develop tools to help dedicated professionals overcome these challenges. After a decade of persistence and amazing mentorship, I have succeeded at that task.
I like to say that even though I don't run a start-up, understand quantum physics, or know how to code, I understand and relate to the people that do.
I affectionately call my practice “therapy for nerds” because I am a nerd. And like most nerds, I love immersing myself in a subject until I forget the world around me exists.
My clients share that they often feel misunderstood and unseen.
They share stories of finding me after searching for a therapist for some time – and usually after a bad fit or two.
They talk about feeling unseen by a previous therapist who missed nuances in their cultural background or professional ambition.
You work hard for everyone else. You make sure to see what others are going through.
So, when you are misunderstood or unseen, it’s even more hurtful.
Background
I graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a degree in Philosophy. It was my original intention to attend law school, but after an eye-opening internship, I changed course. I realized I cared more about people than the law, a trait that is often a liability in that field.
After a few years of soul searching, I moved back to Santa Barbara where I attended Antioch University and received a degree in Clinical Psychology.
Great mentorship is the springboard to advancement in any field, and I’ve had the honor and privilege of being mentored by therapists that I aspire to be like.
Dr. Rick Williamson from Emmada Psychology Center in Pasadena was involved in resilience research at Princeton University in the 1990’s. I studied under him for two years as we applied that research while working with nonprofits in South Los Angeles.
While in Santa Barbara, I did my training and internship hours at Community Counseling and Education Center, an organization with a 40-year history in the area. There, prolific author and therapist David Richo shared his decades of wisdom as one of my supervisors. I credit him, and the other supervisors at CCEC for my success in this field.