Meet Our Providers

I am a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with over 25 years of experience working with children experiencing emotional, social, behavioral, and learning challenges. I completed my residency program in Psychiatry and my fellowship program in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Chicago. Following the completion of my clinical training, I spent 12 years as the Medical Director of Mt. Sinai Hospital’s Outpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Program, where I continued as a consultant for the clinic for four more years. For more than 12 years, I served as the Medical Director of the Inpatient Unit for adolescent girls at Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center. In addition to my clinical practice, I also enjoy teaching and have had the pleasure of educating a variety of medical students, as well as, psychiatric and pediatric residents in the assessment and treatment of children with emotional and behavioral disorders.

My years of clinical experience in large medical groups left me searching for a new model of more personalized care for children, adolescents, and families struggling with emotional and behavioral problems. In 2007, I embarked on the journey of assembling a team of skilled professionals including psychologists, neuropsychologists, developmental specialists, and psychiatrists to provide comprehensive, scientifically-based assessments and treatments in a supportive and nurturing environment. The result of this journey is Afg Guidance Center. Over the past several years, Afg Guidance Center has rapidly grown into a unique and thriving program that allows our team the opportunity to collaborate and create personalized treatment to each of our patients. I am proud to be a part of this talented group of clinicians and look forward to continuously learn from them, as well as, from my patients.

I am a Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatrist experienced with the treatment of emotional, interpersonal, and behavioral disturbances. These areas include depression, anxiety, mood instability, and executive functioning dysregulation. I received my medical degree from Rutgers University-New Jersey Medical School. I completed my general psychiatry residency at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in New York City and my child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

I am drawn to the field of medicine and psychiatry by the prospect and desire to work with children, teens, and their families. I specifically welcome the challenge to work with young adults to implement lasting change and ensure they feel heard, understood, and accepted. I strive to draw out insights from clients, work together toward a shared understanding and discovery, and tailor treatment approaches in a strength-based model.

In the field of psychiatry, medications cannot take the place of support. In child and adolescent psychiatry, we tend to “start low and go slow” with medications. By doing so, children are on the least amount of medication necessary. I am fortunate to be surrounded by a group of diversely and highly trained clinicians, who can evaluate and support the educational and therapeutic needs of our clients. Their perspectives and expertise are invaluable in shedding light on the client’s needs, helping me to learn and grow in this field.

As an Adult Psychiatrist, I am experienced with the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders (including depression, bipolar, OCD, PTSD) and ADHD. I received my undergraduate degree in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago with minors in biology and neuroscience. I went on to get my medical degree from Midwestern University Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed my general psychiatry residency at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine.

I enjoy working with patients, often in conjunction with their families, in order to help them live up to their full potential. I strive to make sure patients feel heard and believe in working collaboratively toward an appropriate treatment plan that meets their goal using as few medications as possible. I also believe that not everything can be treated with medications alone and that no person exists as an island. Therefore, I am thrilled to be able to work in conjunction with highly and diversely trained clinicians who can provide additional support and therapies to ensure the best possible outcomes.

Urooj Yazdani holds an M.D. from the Chicago Medical School and an M.Ed. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. She completed her adult psychiatric residency training at the University of Louisville and her pediatric psychiatry fellowship from the University of Chicago.

As a former teacher, her interests in the realm of child & adolescent psychiatry have been vast and include common physiological illnesses such as anxiety, depression, and ADHD as well as nuanced topics such as the manifestations of childhood trauma, refugee and immigrant mental health.

Her research on the link between systemic poverty and intergenerational trauma became the basis of a feature documentary, titled ‘A Destruction’. The film was created with the support of Johns Hopkins University, the Indus Resource Centre and Kartemquin Films. It was developed by the Tribeca Film Institute and was screened at film festivals around the globe. The film has been contracted for broadcast distribution through Filmoption International, educational distribution through InfoBase Learning and Alexander Street/Proquest Films. It has debuted on television networks around the globe as well as classrooms and universities across the country.

Through her unique skill set, Dr.Yazdani hopes to be an influence on how to make the public invested in complex psychodynamic issues. She aspires to utilize her skills in media literacy, her expertise in storytelling and her passion for advocacy for the betterment of our global community.

I am a board-certified adult psychiatrist. I completed my adult psychiatry residency at Saint Louis University and will complete my child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at the University of Chicago this summer. I have experience treating many conditions, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar, OCD, mood instability, ADHD, and trauma.

Whether working with children, adolescents, or adults, it is such a privilege being a part of one’s journey toward mental well-being. My therapeutic philosophy involves a holistic and collaborative approach. I work closely with patients and their families to create a personalized treatment plan that tailors their unique needs and aligns with their specific goals. My approach prioritizes lifestyle and behavioral factors, while remaining open to the use of medication when necessary. Most importantly, I believe in maintaining an atmosphere that is safe, affirming, and supportive.

Beyond my clinical practice, I am committed to advocacy efforts aimed at reducing stigma surrounding mental health and improving access to care for gender diverse populations. My goal is to make a positive impact not only in the lives of my patients but also in the larger context of mental health awareness and support.

I am a Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatrist. I completed my psychiatry residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Child and Adolescent Fellowship at the University of Iowa. I have extensive experience treating ADHD, anxiety, depression, OCD, tics, and trauma-related disorders.

Mental health isn’t just about managing symptoms—it’s about nurturing the whole person. My treatment philosophy involves combining therapeutic methods, family support, lifestyle modifications, and medication (when appropriate). I’m committed to building a partnership with patients and families, where trust and open communication are key to achieving real, sustainable progress.

As a mom myself, I understand the importance of finding balance and emotional well-being in daily life.

I work with adults, children, and their families, focusing on trauma, parent-child relationships, life transitions, personal growth, and fostering attunement to oneself and others. I earned my undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Philosophy from Saint Louis University. Before graduate school, I worked as a residential counselor at a residential program. I then obtained my Master’s and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Roosevelt University, specializing in Clinical Child and Family Psychology. My professional experience includes providing therapy and psychological assessments in inpatient and outpatient hospital settings, a trauma center, a mobile unit, and community mental health centers, working with children, adolescents, adults, and their families.

With more than 20 years of experience as a licensed clinical psychologist, I have worked with clients ranging in age from those in their early teenage years to older adults. My work settings have included private practices, hospitals, residential facilities for the chronically working collaboratively with clients is informed by psychodynamic theory, cognitive behavioral treatment, and existentia; psychotherapy. I am certified to offer dialectical-behavioral treatment, and I am trained in conducting Eye-Movement desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy.

A major area of expertise is trauma. Part of the training for my doctoral degree was at the North Chicago Veterans Administration hospital, and I also worked for eight years at the United States Navy’s Recruit training Command. I have worked collaboratively with veterans, active duty personnel, new recruits and family members of those serving in the military.

Other areas of experience include mood disorders, personality disorders, severe mental illness and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

As a therapist with a robust background in neuroscience, I have dedicated my career to helping teens and adolescents navigate their mental health challenges. My approach integrates evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). I completed an internship at Roger’s Behavioral Health at a PHP/IOP level, where I honed many of my skills. Fluent in both Spanish and English, I am open to working with Spanish-speaking patients and eager to expand my practice to include new age groups. My clinical experience spans treating depression, anxiety, and OCD. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking, playing Dungeon and Dragons and video games, and exploring content on YouTube.

I am a passionate scholar-practitioner in the field of Clinical/Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience, investigating neuronal mechanisms of our brains and trying to understand how patterns of the brain functionality determine people’s behaviors.

For over 20 years, I divide my time between clinical practice, teaching, training, consulting, and scholarly writing and research. My clinical work is based on psychological, neuropsychological, and psychophysiological assessment and interventions.

The specific areas include disorders and conditions associated with changes in the brain functioning as a result of developmental issues, genetics, trauma, infection, poisoning, etc., and they include:

• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Learning Disabilities (LD)
• Anxiety
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Depression
• Bi-Polar Disorder
• Sleep Disorders
• Autism and Asperger’s Disorders
• Attachment Disorder
• Tourette’s syndrome and other Tic Disorders, and others.

I also have an extensive clinical experience working with patients in minimally conscious state, vegetative state, “locked-in syndrome,” and coma after severe brain traumas. I received my Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Psychology from St. Petersburg State University, Russia. I continued my education and specialized in Clinical Neuropsychology at Moscow University and later completed my post-doctoral training at Northwestern University, Institute of Neuroscience.

My clinical philosophy could be described in two statements. First, I believe that every patient can be helped. A combination of international training and long-term experience helps me to implement this belief. It is a matter of a correct and timely diagnosis, and tailored treatment to achieve success in helping a patient to overcome a psychological/neuropsychological deficit.

Second, I believe that it is important to be open to new ideas and approaches to treatment. With new achievements in psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience and the expansion of scientific methods, we get advanced and promising tools for dealing with all kinds of psychological problems.

My colleagues and I have developed a comprehensive and innovative approach called “Neurobehavioral Modulation” which allows through utilization of modern advanced neuro-scientific achievements and techniques bring a patient to a new level of neurophysiological functioning and reach peak performance in various areas.

I began my work in neurobehavioral therapy in April of 2022 with Dr. Labkovsky as an intern at AFG Guidance Center. My interest in the field grew after taking a neuropsychology course at Northwestern University where I had the opportunity to witness a live demonstration of an electroencephalogram (EEG) assessment. I took a particular interest in EEG and neurofeedback and worked closely with Dr. Labkovsky through an independent study aimed to enhance my knowledge and experience.

Neurobehavioral Therapy (NBT) caught my attention because of its focus on the relationship between the brain and behavior. NBT aims to change the way an individual’s brain functions to effectively improve symptoms of psychological conditions. Every person is unique and requires an individualized treatment plan. Not only is NBT proven to be effective, but it offers individuals a medication and talk free approach, further expanding treatment options. I am dedicated to continuing to be a part of this innovative approach to treating psychological disorders and conditions.

I graduated from Northwestern University with a B.A. in Psychology and am thrilled to be working at AFG before pursuing a PhD in neuropsychology. My clinical experience, extensive training, and attention to detail enable me to provide quality and tailored care to my clients through a supportive and compassionate approach.