About
Etemad-Haary
proper noun | eh-tem-AHD HAH-eh-ree
1. An Iranian-origin compound surname formed from etemad (اعتماد), meaning “trust,” “reliance,” or “confidence,” and haary (haeri), derived from haer (حائر), denoting “one who is liberated,” “one who has emerged from constraint,” or “one belonging to a sacred or inviolable place.”
2.A family name implying a lineage associated with trustworthiness and a tradition of spiritual or intellectual independence.
Areas of Focus
The following are areas I frequently work with within a relational, depth-oriented, and trauma-informed framework:
Developmental and childhood trauma
Interpersonal and relational trauma
Intergenerational and cultural trauma
Identity-related concerns and questions
Dissociation and fragmentation of experience
Anxiety and chronic nervous system activation
Personality organization and longstanding relational patterns
These areas are approached as interconnected expressions of relational, developmental, and cultural history rather than isolated problems to be fixed.
Education
M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy, Chapman University
B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine
B.A. in Criminology, Law and Society, University of California, Irvine
Credentials
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #159891
Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)
Background & Orientation
Before I knew the meaning of my roots, I found myself oriented toward curiosity. As the little philosopher I was, I would observe the world around me, and for every question I had, two more would arise. As I grew and was confronted with life’s circumstances, my questions took on what I would later learn were existential in nature: Why do we suffer? What does it mean to be free? What is meaning if life has none?
As I navigated these questions for myself, I began to notice how much of what I came to believe about who I was developed outside of my conscious awareness. My ancestry, culture, and early relationships quietly informed how I understood myself, others, and my place in the world. I came to see how deeply relational this process is, and how meaning is often formed in relationship long before we have language for it. As this awareness grew, I found myself able to shape a sense of meaning and purpose that felt more aligned with who I am.
This orientation toward inner-knowing and meaning-making remains central to my work as a psychotherapist. I believe that sustainable change occurs when we become more aware of, and more able to relate to, the parts of ourselves, others, and the world that we unknowingly hide from, push against, or disown. Through relationship, these patterns and beliefs become more visible and therefore more available for reflection and change.