Community Highlights: Meet Niaz Khani, Psy.D.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Niaz Khani.

Hi Niaz, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I immigrated to the United States from Iran when I was nine years old, an experience that deeply shaped how I see people and their resilience. As the eldest of three daughters, I naturally stepped into a caretaker role early on — always tuned in to others’ emotions and wanted to help.
From a young age, I knew I wanted to be in a helping profession. I wasn’t sure at first whether that would mean pursuing medicine or psychology, so I majored in both Biology and Psychology, with a minor in Child Development. I spent years volunteering and working in different helping roles, and I realized that what drew me most wasn’t the medical or technical side — it was the human side. I was far more fascinated by people’s emotions, behavior, and inner worlds than by lab work or dissection. That realization led me to pursue psychology more deeply.
In addition to my academic and clinical training, I’ve done extensive personal work in my own therapy, which profoundly shaped the way I understand growth, pain, and healing. That experience helped me develop deeper empathy, humility, and respect for the courage it takes to do inner work — something I now bring into my work with every client and supervisee.
I went on to earn my Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Graduate School of Professional Psychology, and I’ve been practicing as a psychologist ever since. I started my career in community mental health, then led the Mental Health Department at Pierce College for more than 11 years while building my private practice in Santa Monica. Along the way, I taught in several graduate programs, trained and supervised numerous psychology interns, and later served as the Executive Director of The Saturday Center for Psychotherapy, which was a non profit organization that provided high quality mental health services at a sliding scale.
Throughout my career, I’ve continued to run consultation groups for therapists, because I value creating spaces where clinicians can grow in reflection, community, and integrity. At the heart of all of it — whether with clients, students, or colleagues — is a deep respect for people’s stories, resilience, and the possibility of growth through connection.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road — but I don’t think it’s meant to be. Growth, both personally and professionally, tends to come through the challenges.
As an immigrant and a first-generation professional, I had to navigate a lot of uncertainty early on — adapting to a new culture, learning a new language, and finding my place between two worlds. There was often a quiet pressure to succeed, to make the sacrifices of my family worthwhile, which at times felt heavy.
Professionally, the path to becoming a psychologist is long and demanding. There were years of training, supervision, and self-reflection that required deep patience and persistence. Balancing full-time work, graduate school, and later leadership roles while maintaining presence and compassion for others has taught me a lot about boundaries, humility, and self-care.
Like many therapists, part of my growth came from doing my own personal work — confronting my own vulnerabilities, learning to tolerate discomfort, and understanding that healing isn’t linear. Those experiences allowed me to show up more authentically for others and to hold their pain without losing hope in their resilience.
Looking back, each obstacle helped shape how I practice today: grounded, compassionate, and deeply aware that struggle often carries the seeds of transformation.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Niaz Khani, Psy.D.?
My practice is centered around creating a warm, inclusive, and reflective space where individuals, couples and families can explore their inner worlds and strengthen their emotional well-being. As a licensed psychologist in California and New York, I offer both in-person sessions in Santa Monica and virtual sessions across both states.
I specialize in working with individuals navigating life transitions, anxiety, grief and loss, trauma, relationship concerns, and fertility and reproductive mental health. I also provide consultation and supervision groups for therapists, helping clinicians deepen their insight and understanding of themselves as they navigate the complexities of therapeutic work.
My approach is relational, psychodynamic, and intersubjective. I use the relationship that naturally develops between my clients and me as a way to help them understand and shift the patterns that shape their connections outside the therapy room. Through this process, clients often find themselves able to experience more authentic, fulfilling, and intimate relationships in their daily lives.
What sets my practice apart is the combination of clinical depth and human warmth. My work is informed by both rigorous training and my own personal growth — I understand the courage it takes to enter therapy and believe that healing happens through genuine connection, curiosity, and compassion.
I value diversity and welcome people from all walks of life, including LGBTQ+ clients, immigrants, and those navigating complex cultural identities. My goal is to help people feel seen, supported, and empowered to live with greater self-understanding and authenticity.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud that my practice reflects who I am as both a person and clinician — thoughtful, inclusive, and grounded in the belief that healing is possible when we approach ourselves and others with empathy and openness.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’ve never thought of myself as a “risk-taker” in the traditional sense — I don’t seek out uncertainty for its own sake — but I’ve come to understand that much of life, and certainly much of growth, involves risk.
For me, risk-taking has often meant stepping into the unknown with faith in my values and my capacity to adapt. Immigrating from Iran at a young age was the first profound lesson in uncertainty — learning a new language, culture, and identity taught me that stability often follows after courage. Later in life, pursuing a doctorate in psychology, starting a private practice, and taking on leadership roles all involved risk — financial, emotional, and personal. Each time, I had to tolerate vulnerability and trust that growth would come from showing up fully, even without guarantees.
In my clinical work, I see risk as essential to change. Therapy itself asks for an enormous leap of faith — to be seen, to speak honestly, to imagine new ways of being. I often help clients recognize that risk doesn’t have to mean danger; it can mean aliveness. Taking emotional risks — allowing closeness, naming truth, setting boundaries — are often the moments that lead to transformation.
So while I may not label myself a risk-taker, I deeply value the kind of quiet, deliberate risks that come with being authentic — in life, in love, and in the work of healing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.drniazkhani.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drniazkhani/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063597546127
• Other: https://doctor.webmd.com/doctor/niaz-khani-7579095a-6a75-4301-856c-16b47b3d8684-overview?lid=A14147565

Image Credits
Infinite Photo LA