Immigration/Refugees

Services offered by Sara Katanforoush and Fatema Rashed

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Immigration and refugee experiences often come with profound emotional, psychological, and practical challenges that can feel overwhelming and deeply isolating. Individuals and families may be forced to leave behind the familiarity of home, beloved family members, supportive communities, and cultural traditions. This separation can result in intense feelings of grief, homesickness, identity loss, and cultural disconnection. The emotional weight of leaving everything known and stepping into the unknown is often underestimated.

Upon arrival in a new country, individuals must navigate an unfamiliar environment, language barriers, and different societal expectations, all of which can create confusion, anxiety, and fear. These challenges are often intensified by complex immigration processes, legal uncertainty, financial hardship, and, in some cases, discrimination or social exclusion. The ongoing stress of simply trying to survive or support a family in a foreign place can take a significant toll on mental health.

For refugees, the trauma is often even more acute. Many have endured war, persecution, violence, or forced displacement. These experiences may leave long-lasting emotional scars, such as post-traumatic stress, nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, or hypervigilance. The pain of these past experiences is often compounded by the uncertainty of the future or the fear of being separated from loved ones.

Therapy provides a compassionate, culturally sensitive, and nonjudgmental space to process the pain, trauma, and grief that often accompany immigration and refugee journeys. Through therapy, individuals can explore coping strategies, build emotional resilience, reconnect with their cultural identity, and begin to find meaning and strength in their experiences. It can also be a vital tool for reclaiming a sense of belonging, hope, and personal agency in a new life chapter.

At Grounded Psychology, psychotherapists Sara Katanforoush and Fatema Rashed offer safe and supportive care tailored to the unique needs of immigrants and refugees, helping individuals heal, grow, and move forward with strength and dignity.