"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

Sara Soleymani-Alizadeh

Educational Psychologist, M.S.E., Ed.S.

My Personal and Professional Story:

From birth, I stepped into two worlds. Born to a Christian American mother and a Muslim Iranian father, I grew up embracing the beautiful blend of cultures and beliefs that defined my upbringing. When I was nine years old, my parents discovered a shared passion for spirituality and embraced Sufism, which was an influence in my perspectives and continues to inspire me to connect with something deeper.

At the age of 16, we relocated to the United States, where I pursued my training as an educational psychologist. For 11 years, I had the privilege of working in an urban school setting within Milwaukee Public Schools. There, I primarily supported African American populations and some refugee families. Witnessing the strength, resilience, and compassion of the community humbled me, and I became deeply involved in advocating for systemic equity and social justice. I served on the board of the Wisconsin School Psychology Association (WSPA) as the urban representative and chaired the state convention planning committee for five years. Over time, I took on supervisory roles, mentoring interns and first-year psychologists. Eventually, I assumed a district-wide position, providing consultation, support, and training to all 150 psychologists.

In 2018, I embarked on a new chapter in New Zealand. Joining the Ministry of Education (MoE), I dedicated myself to serving the school communities in Auckland’s beautiful Mangere area. Deeply moved by the Maori culture and spirituality, I embarked on a personal journey to learn Te Reo and embrace Te Ao Maori and Maori spirituality. Today, I continue to share my passion for systematic change, through workshops for teachers, school leaders, and education professionals, focusing on adult well-being, trauma-informed practices, social-emotional learning, and understanding behaviour through a culturally safe lens. I strive to foster a culture of well-being at the individual, organizational, and systemic levels.

In my personal journey, I practice my own well-being by embracing spirituality, connecting with nature through hiking, exploring the beauty of our world, and engaging in meditation. I delve into the depths of esoteric principles and truths found in spiritual traditions like Buddhism, Hinduism, and Gnostic studies, intertwining them with my psychological tools to cultivate a balanced and purposeful life.

These professional and life experiences allowed me to practice and witness the beauty and value of integrating my worlds into my connected whole self. The two worlds of my childhood values into spirituality, the two worlds of cultural experiences between Iran and the United States into acceptance and openness to all humans, and the fusion of my professional journeys in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Auckland, New Zealand have deeply enriched my capacity to appreciate and honour the strengths and contributions everyone brings to any given space. I would love to inspire others to connect, bridge, and cultivate the values brought to by their worlds to reach their innate potential in both their inner and outer worlds.  

Furthermore, I love merging the research and theories of my Western psychology training with the spirituality of my Eastern upbringing, translating them into practical and relatable tools that support well-being. Growing up in two worlds and being supported with incredible role models in my parents taught me the power of love. It allowed me to witness and appreciate that when there is love and respect, all the differences of religion, culture, and beliefs, just becomes a beautiful ground for growth. In my practice, I strive to hold an authentic and accepting presence, that honours the values you bring into our space, with love (Aroha) and respect.

Education Background and Registrations:

• Current practising license for educational psychology in the U.S. (Wisconsin) and New Zealand
• Masters in School Psychology
• Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Psychology (Ed.S.)
• Specialist degree as Director of Special Education and Pupil Services (OT, PT, Nurse, Social worker, psychologists, etc.)
• Most importantly, experiential knowledge gained through life experiences

Treatment Approach: I utilize an integrative approach, incorporating various modalities, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness practices.

Common Modalities I utilise, as well as areas of expertise and focus, include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Meditation and various mindfulness practices
• Solution-Focused Therapy
• Systemic perspective and viewing the client within their context
• Motivational Interviewing
• Positive Psychology
• Neuropsychology
• Heart-based approaches such as HeartMath
• Trauma-Informed Practices
• Mild to Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), such as Persistent Concussion Symptoms
• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
• Therapeutic approaches using Esoteric and Spiritual principles
• Anxiety
• Consultation
• Professional Supervision
• Systematic and Effective Leadership
• Staff Retention, especially in fields of caring professions or first responders
• Experiential Learning