Member Highlight — Julia Zabasky, LMFT

Nazila Amighi, LMFT

I had the pleasure and honor of interviewing Nazila Amighi, a past SFV-CAMFT President for our Member Highlight feature. She served on the SFV-CAMFT Board of Directors from January 2017 to December 2019 as the President Elect, President, and Past President. Nazila’s goal is to keep her “loyalty” to our chapter.

She is a licensed marriage and family therapist practicing in Sherman Oaks, and currently offers telehealth. She graduated from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, receiving a master’s degree in clinical psychology, with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy. Nazila has three years of intensive training in postmodern theory. She offers sessions that include narrative couple’s therapy, attachment theory, Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM), and mindfulness, as part of her toolbox. She interned with a specialist in couple’s therapy for two years, is a certified premarital counselor through Prepare-Enrich, and offers assessments to gain a better understanding of where individuals intersect and where they differ in various aspects of a relationship. She is bi-lingual and can facilitate therapy in Farsi.

Nazila is passionate about helping couples and individuals discover the joy of being in a connected relationship by practicing deep communication, resolving conflict, learning to be better parents, and being mindful of ways culture can affect relationships. Nazila has the personal and professional experience necessary for helping clients with their cultural problems. She helps them have a better understanding of their culture and how to be mindful of learning not to allow the negative effect of it in their lives and their relationships. Nazila focuses on assisting individuals in “finding their preferred relationships, and not repeating relationships that go with their narrative.”

Nazila has been happily married for 34 years. The secret of her happy marriage is focusing on appreciation, understanding, communication, and acceptance. Nazila is a proud mother. Her son is a doctor receiving his training as a urology resident at the University of Washington. Outside of her work she enjoys dancing, connecting to nature, and spending time with friends and family.

We’re so grateful to have her as a member of our chapter!

Julia Zabasky, LMFT, is passionate about working with foster-care youth and assisting them with finding a permanency plan, either returning to their families or placement in transitional housing. Her work includes management of trauma, depression and anxiety. She utilizes the Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy model in her work and sees clients in private practice. Julia holds an MBA, and a Master’s in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University. She may be contacted at 818.516.2038 or JZabasky@pennylane.org.