Azadeh Afsahi is a psychotherapist, international speaker, and the founder of Houses Inc., a pioneering nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring hope, dignity, and belonging to survivors of severe trauma and human rights violations. Often described as a “smuggler of hope,” Azadeh specializes in bringing culturally appropriate, trauma-informed care into the world’s most restricted and stigmatized environments, where healing is often silenced or suppressed. Drawing on her clinical expertise and frontline advocacy, she works directly with individuals in conflict zones who have been targeted by state violence, supporting survivors as they rebuild their lives with dignity.
A therapist holds the hands of a patient, offering mental health care that is culturally appropriate for the patient's experience.
Personal Essays

When the Therapy Room Becomes Another Closed Door: Why Traditional Western Mental Health Care Fails Survivors of Torture and State Violence  

Much of our perception of what “works” in therapy is intimately linked to our cultural ideas of language, trust, and safety. Psychotherapist and human rights clinician Azadeh Afsahi examines the Western framework of suffering and restoration—and the need to reimagine mental health care for non-Western patients. Read More

  • Azadeh Afsahi
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