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 specialize in the treatment of children and adolescents with a variety of social/emotional and behavioral needs, with an emphasis on children and adolescents who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder or who experience related difficulties.  I earned my undergraduate degree in Psychology from Northwestern University with a minor in Spanish.  I then pursued my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Adler University in Chicago, with an emphasis in children and adolescents.  My training and work experience has encompassed a variety of settings, including private schools and pediatric developmental centers.  However, I have primarily focused my training and work experience in the therapeutic day school setting.

I believe in meeting patients where they are at and fostering a safe, nonjudgmental space to support patients in meeting their goals.  To that end, I practice from a primarily humanistic theoretical orientation.  However, I acknowledge that each person is an individual and requires a unique approach to facilitate growth and insight.  As such, other theoretical orientations may be utilized at times.  As a musician, I enjoy including the expressive arts into treatment, and I also bring humor and fun into individual therapy sessions through play therapy techniques.

Additionally, I strongly believe that incorporating families in the therapeutic process is essential to the overall treatment and care. I value connecting what is learned in the individual therapy space to the family and community setting. I look forward to joining you on your journey towards growth.

I specialize in the treatment of children, adolescents, and young adults with a wide range of social, emotional, and behavioral needs. I value providing each patient with a holistic and integrated approach to care, and emphasize understanding each patient through a comprehensive lens that incorporates emotional, social, developmental, and diversity aspects in order to successfully progress through life-transitions. I earned my undergraduate degree in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago with a minor in Theology. I then went on to earn my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Adler University in Chicago. Being in the field for nearly a decade, I have trained and worked in a variety of settings, including private practice and college counseling, with a primary focus in therapeutic day school settings.

I strive to provide a nonjudgmental, validating, and empathetic approach to therapy by creating an environment in which my patients and I can work collaboratively as I support them alongside their journey of healing while helping them reach their goals. Theoretically, I primarily work through the humanistic lens, however, I recognize that therapy is a unique process and other therapeutic approaches may be used at times to best meet the needs of the patient. I provide a warm, safe, and humorous environment to meet patients where they are at in order for them to feel unconditionally accepted and supported as they begin the therapeutic journey toward healing, growth, and building insight.

My clinical training, interests, and experiences have strengthened my skillset to relate to individuals of all ages who may be facing extreme concerns. I am committed to always remaining curious, culturally sensitive, and finding ways to contribute to the mental health field through volunteer work and research, particularly to address barriers that may impact access to care.

As a therapist, I have provided individual and family therapy to children, adolescents, and families. I have always had a passion to work with this population as I understand life’s daily challenges can be difficult to navigate. During my adolescence, I faced multiple changes including moving to the United States, navigating its unique academic system and culture while maintaining my own cultural identity. Experiencing these difficult transitions ignited a desire to pursue a career that will allow me to mentor young individuals through difficult chapters of their lives and help them find empowerment.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and received my Master of Arts in Counseling from Northwestern University.  Additionally, I completed my clinical internship at AFG Guidance Center where I received extensive training with children and adolescents diagnosed with a variety of disorders including Anxiety, ADHD, and Depression. Prior to rejoining the team at AFG Guidance Center, I worked at a private practice where I continued to develop my clinical skills providing therapy to children, adolescents, and their families. Throughout my academic and professional career, I have come to understand how experiences shape maladaptive behaviors, and how self-awareness is a key to making therapeutic change. I have developed a deeper clinical insight into helping families understand relationship dynamics, how these dynamics impact the family system, and helping them develop strategies to move forward in developing healthy, positive relationships.

My style of therapy is based on the concept of flexibility. I use an integrative approach including the use of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Solution focused therapy, and Play Therapy. This allows me to adaptively address an individual or family’s presenting concerns and creatively design a treatment plan based on individual needs. I firmly believe that a healthy family system helps raise a healthy child and find it optimal to include all available members of the family in the treatment process.

I perceive each child and adolescent to be resilient and full of potential regardless of their obstacles or diagnoses. As a clinician, I believe in guiding them to discovering their unique, internal strengths and finding self-efficacy. While adversities can seemingly inhibit the development of these qualities, they also can provide opportunities to achieve growth and healing. Working at AFG as an intern helped hone my skills as a clinician. I am honored to be back as part of this team that ceaselessly contributes to my development.

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.