Dr. Mitra Rashidian is a practising clinician in sexual health and cross-cultural sexuality and researcher. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling from the University of New England, School of Health, Australia, and has taught counselling at various universities.
Dr Rashidian’s LinkedIn and ResearchGate profiles are linked below.
Mitra Rashidian, Ph.D., LMFT., CST, ABS., is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in full-time private practice in Encino, California. Dr. Rashidian is a Clinical Professor at the Department of Allied Health Studies at Loma Linda University, California. She is a Certified Sex Therapist through The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT). She is Board Certified Diplomate by the American Board of Sexology (ABS). Further, she is a Certified Hypnotherapist via the Ericksonian Foundation in Arizona. She is also a Life Coach. She was trained at The Valley Trauma Center in Van Nuys, California, where she worked extensively with sexual assault survivors.
Dr. Rashidian earned her Ph.D. in Counseling at the University of New England (UNE), School of Health, in Armidale, Australia. She then completed a two-year post-Doctoral fellowship position at UNE with the focus on sexual healthcare and inclusion. She received a Master of Science degree in Counseling – Option: Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University, Northridge – Northridge, California. She has presented her research topic and findings locally and abroad, at various conferences, and lectured at workshops throughout Europe, and the United States. Further, she has written and published articles and book chapters in numerous scientific journals.
Committed to sexual healthcare and mental well-being research, Dr. Rashidian has focused on the enhancement of relationships and sexual enrichment over the past 25 years. Her passion is to help all people achieve and experience joy and fulfillment with their partners. “We all want everlasting happiness in our lives, and I believe that this is achievable.”
In addition to her clinical and research pursuits, she possesses a remarkable talent in the culinary arts, an enduring passion for painting, a fervent dedication to gardening, and a strong commitment to maintaining a healthy lifestyle through mindful eating and regular exercise habits. Further information about her clinical work and focus can be obtained at Psychology Today and ResearchGate.
Here are some of the loving sexual relationship values that she encourages:
- Emotional and physical safety (I need to trust that you will take good care of my tender heart, as well as my body).
- Consent and assumptions (I need to know that my consent is too valuable for you to make assumptions).I
- Integrity (I can always trust you to both keep your word and act in both our best interests).
- Self-expression, giving & receiving what is needed at the moment (We will express the truth of our minds and hearts without manipulation).
- Compassion, caring, physical and emotional availability (We will do our best to communicate and understand what we feel and why we each feel that way).
- Mindfulness (We will stay aware and recognize the changes in our moods and act accordingly).
- Forgiveness (I will be slow to anger and quick to forgive).
- Willingness to change (I am happy to change when done in the service of my growth and our love).
- Non-possessiveness (We do not own each other, nor do we wish to).
Open to discussing the following topics affects a couple’s abilities to be sexually and emotionally intimate:
- Listening to understand, as opposed to listening to convince.
- Listening to understand, contrasted with listening to be correct.
- Needing to be right, versus wanting to relate.
- Becoming non-judgmental (I am not better than you/ I do not know better than you do what is right for you!).
- Using curiosity to foster empathy(Tell me what it is like to be you).
- Accountability (I apologize sincerely when I have hurt you because, I care about you, and I understand what it feels like to be hurt).
- Fostering joy and appreciation (I look for, and comment on the wonderful things you do and are).
- Developing clear boundaries (I own and admit what I think, feel, and believe, and don’t project them onto you).
- Truthfulness and authenticity (We can rely on each other, to tell the truth as we see it. We make every effort to be kind in the telling.)
Provider of Service Information
Mitra Rashidian, PH.D., LMFT., CST, ABS. – A Professional Corporation
EIN: 81- 5088455
NPI: 1629464441
Certified Sexologists [The American College of Sexologists – International]
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
License No: LMFT84702
Mitra Rashidian, Ph.D., LMFT., CST, ABS. 