Meet Nusha Nouhi of Marina Health of California

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nusha Nouhi.

Hi Nusha, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story began at City of Hope Medical Center, the summer between my first and second year of college. I had volunteered there before, but this time was different. I was placed in the pediatric cancer wing. One of the patients on the unit was nineteen, my age at the time, and my experience watching her care and interacting with her that summer shifted my journey into alignment.

Our experiences were very different. I was stressed about prom and college send-offs, while she was managing leukemia since age sixteen. We spent many afternoons talking about life beyond the hospital walls, about family, music, and everything in between. We were able to bond and connect through stories and words, and she once shared that the companionship that summer helped her feel more connected in such a disconnected place.

It was the first time I truly saw the bridge between emotional and physical well-being, the interwoven connections of it all. When I returned to San Francisco that fall, I decided to switch majors from pre-med to psychology. I followed that interest through my bachelor’s degree, then into a combined master’s and doctoral program, continuing to focus on the intersection between mental and physical health. My training and early career work were focused on working in integrated medical teams, side by side with physicians, nurses, and educators, learning what it means to treat the whole person and not just the diagnosis. I loved it then, and I still do 10 years later.

Today, I continue to consult and train healthcare providers on how to integrate mental health assessment and communication techniques to strengthen patient care and treatment alignment. I also continue to provide individual therapy for adults going through major life transformations, from managing chronic illness to navigating different stages of life.

For me, the alignment has always been about connection: bridging science/research, compassion, and human experience to help people heal from the inside out. The path to this work has been meaningful, but not always easy, and the lessons along the way shaped both my approach and tested my resilience.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Switching majors was not a smooth road. My parents’ dream of their Persian-American daughter becoming a medical doctor was gone. And psychology? In the early 2000’s, there was little awareness of the field or understanding of what psychologists truly did. Many people in my network were unsure of my new path, but I knew that building upon the mind-body connection was exactly where I was meant to be.

Clinical psychology programs in the United States are among the most rigorous in the world. Balancing program and then licensing requirements while life in my 20’s continued to unfold was not always easy. I had to learn how to create steadiness within my own life so I could continue my journey to support the steadiness of my future patients.

This balance meant building strong social connections, implementing boundaries, and finding ways to grow through constant change. Looking back, those years shaped more than my professional identity. They built the foundation for how I live and work today: grounded, adaptable, and maintaining steadiness on helping others find balance and meaning through their own transitions.

We’ve been impressed with Marina Health of California, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Marina Health was inspired by my walks along the marina near my home in San Diego, a place where I found solace and peace after very long days of work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, watching the waves reminded me of the steadiness we all need during the waves of life, and that image became the foundation for my practice.

At Marina Health, we provide one-to-one therapy for adults navigating major life transformations, chronic illness, or high stress changes. My work focuses on the intersection of mental and physical health, helping clients understand how their emotional well-being directly influences their overall health and daily functioning. I also continue my work in integrated health by providing customized trainings and consultations for medical providers and healthcare teams, supporting them in strengthening communication, engagement, and alignment with their patients.

Over the last twenty years, I’ve learned that real healing happens when science and compassion come together. My approach blends clinical experience with genuine humanity, cultural understanding, and a deep respect for each person’s unique story. What I’ve seen time and again is that healing extends beyond medication and information. It thrives through connection, trust, and the opportunity to reconnect with one’s sense of self.

Marina Health continues to grow with the same philosophy that inspired it by the water: steadiness through uncertainty, clarity through change, and the belief that growth is always possible. I remain deeply proud of the work we do and continue to learn, evolve, and create new ways to help individuals and professionals thrive through change, together.

Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
What I would want readers to know most is that change does not need to be feared. It is often uncomfortable, but it can also be an invitation to growth, clarity, and strength. The more we allow ourselves to meet life with curiosity rather than judgment, the more space we create for healing.

Pricing:

• 15-min Video Meet (required for new therapy patients): $0
• Individual Therapy: $250
• Bariatric Pre-surgical Evaluations: $250
• Organizational training: inquire for custom pricing

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.marinahealthca.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nushanouhiphd/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NushaNouhiPhD
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnouhi/
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marina-health-of-california/

Image Credits
Jules Morgan