In my practice, I'm passionately dedicated to guiding individuals towards transformative solutions & resolutions in the areas that I specialize in which include: anxiety, childhood trauma, sexual trauma, religious/cult/control dynamics trauma, perfectionism, codependency, emotional eating, addictive patterns, relationships issues, high performance, entrepreneurship, & reclaiming & integrating the true self within. I also specialize in psychedelic & plant medicine preparation & integration. I am most versed in Ayahuasca, but also have training in Ketamine, Cannabis, MDMA, & Psilocybin.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session, clients can expect a warm, grounded space where they don’t need to have it all figured out. We’ll start by getting to know each other—I'll ask questions about what’s bringing you in, what you’re hoping to explore or shift, and any relevant history that feels important to share. I’ll also introduce you to how I work, which integrates mindfulness, somatic experiencing, IFS/Parts Work, & EMDR, depending on what feels right for you. There’s no pressure to dive in too deep too fast—our first session is about building safety, clarity, and a sense of collaboration. Most clients leave feeling more understood, more resourced, and with a better sense of what working together can look like.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
One of my greatest strengths as a provider is my ability to hold a grounded, compassionate, and nonjudgmental space where clients feel deeply seen and supported—especially with the parts of themselves they’ve struggled to accept. I bring a unique blend of somatic wisdom, trauma-informed care, and spiritual attunement to my work, which allows me to meet people on multiple levels: emotional, physical, psychological, and energetic. I have a strong intuitive sense for what’s happening beneath the surface, and I help clients gently access and work with those deeper layers in a way that feels safe and empowering. I’m skilled at weaving together tools from Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems, EMDR, and breathwork to create a personalized, integrative path forward. My clients often tell me they feel more connected to themselves, more resourced in their bodies, and more able to move through life with clarity and self-trust after our work together.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I’m best positioned to serve clients who are self-aware, open to inner work, and ready to go beyond surface-level coping to explore the deeper roots of their patterns, emotions, and experiences. Many of the people I work with are high-functioning but feel overwhelmed, stuck, disconnected from themselves, or caught in cycles of anxiety, people-pleasing, or perfectionism. I especially resonate with individuals who are navigating life transitions, exploring their spirituality, healing from complex or developmental trauma, or integrating transformative experiences like breathwork, meditation, or psychedelic journeys. My clients are often seekers—sensitive, thoughtful people who want to live more authentically, regulate their nervous systems, and cultivate a deeper connection to themselves. Whether you're new to this work or have been on a healing path for a while, I offer a grounded, compassionate, and body-based approach that meets you where you are and supports lasting, meaningful change.
About Sarai Darbandi
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Somatic
Somatic Experiencing, developed by Dr. Peter Levine, is a body-based healing approach that helps us work with our nervous system—something we all have and all need to regulate, especially in today’s fast-paced, overwhelming world. It supports people in becoming more aware of their internal sensations and gently releasing stored survival stress from the body, helping the nervous system return to balance. Instead of focusing only on talking or analyzing, Somatic Experiencing works directly with the body, where emotional overwhelm, stress, and trauma responses are often stored. It’s an incredibly valuable tool for anyone who feels reactive, anxious, frozen, stuck, or overwhelmed by intense emotions, and it helps build emotional resilience and regulation over time. Whether or not you've been through "big T" trauma, learning how to work with your nervous system is essential—and Somatic Experiencing gives you a powerful, accessible way to do that.
EMDR
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a powerful therapy that helps people reprocess stuck memories and emotional patterns by using bilateral stimulation—in my practice, this often means having clients do bilateral tapping. This rhythmic left-right stimulation helps the brain integrate past experiences that were never fully processed, reducing emotional reactivity and body-based symptoms. EMDR addresses the past by targeting the root memories, the present by calming current triggers, and the future by installing positive beliefs and preparing the nervous system for future situations. Unlike traditional talk therapy, which can keep people stuck in mental loops, EMDR works directly with the nervous system and subconscious patterns, creating deep and lasting change without needing to rehash every detail. It’s especially effective for people who *know* they’re safe or capable but still feel hijacked by old emotional responses.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Internal Family Systems (IFS), developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz, is a powerful and compassionate approach to understanding ourselves by recognizing that we’re made up of many different “parts” or inner voices—something we all experience, whether we realize it or not. Instead of trying to get rid of parts like the inner critic, the people-pleaser, or the anxious voice, IFS helps us build a relationship with them and understand the roles they’ve been playing to try to keep us safe. At the heart of IFS is the idea that we all have a core Self that is calm, clear, and capable of healing the wounded or protective parts within us. It’s a deeply healing tool for anyone who feels stuck in patterns, overwhelmed by emotions, or disconnected from who they really are. Whether or not you've had major trauma, learning to relate to your internal system with curiosity and care can lead to profound shifts in emotional regulation, self-understanding, and personal growth.
Mind-body approach
I utilize trauma-informed, evidenced mased mind-body approaches that go beyond talking and/or understanding, while these are helpful, modalities like Somatic Experiencing & EMDR assist someone in accessing and shifting their nervous system states & memories.