{"id":3072,"date":"2019-03-22T12:46:08","date_gmt":"2019-03-22T19:46:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forourwellness.org\/?p=3072"},"modified":"2025-10-02T14:55:43","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T19:55:43","slug":"alum-nazila-amighi-achieves-hardwon-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/for-our-wellness\/alum-nazila-amighi-achieves-hardwon-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Determined alum achieves hard-won successes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nazila Amighi\u2019s journey to success took her across continents, oceans, and from one end of this country to another. She invested years into a college degree she never had the chance to use and then became an entrepreneur with two successful ventures. During that time she got married and raised a son.<\/p>\n

But Nazila\u2019s search for identity \u2013 for the opportunity to say one day, \u2018this is who I am,\u2019 was not over.<\/p>\n

Part of that search took her into therapy and she was impressed with how much it helped her. More importantly, working to better understand herself provided the opportunity to pursue another career path. \u2018Perhaps,\u2019 she thought, \u2018I can help others.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted people to understand they don\u2019t have to live with their pain – they can change their story. There\u2019s so much more to their life!\u201d<\/p>\n

So she applied to and was accepted to The Chicago School\u2019s Masters program<\/a> in Marriage and Family Therapy.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cGraduate school was very hard for me \u2013 extremely difficult because of all the writing \u2013 I wasn\u2019t used to all that writing. My classmates would start three days before assignments were due.\u00a0 I needed three weeks. I had to work hard to prepare to write all our assignments.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nazila\u2019s challenge was language. Although well educated \u2013 the product of elite schools as a child and a rigorous technical education \u2013 English was still her second language.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter how long you stay in this country I\u2019m still ESL. I did whatever I could but I was always concerned about my English.\u201d<\/p>\n

At The Chicago School<\/a> Nazila credits Dr. Joseph Futerman, the Associate Chair of the MFT program, with giving her much-needed academic \"\"but mostly moral support.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got great support, I was encouraged \u2013 told often that I belonged there and that I was going to be a great therapist. That support meant a lot to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nazila has been a licensed therapist for three years now and almost immediately after graduation, there were new opportunities that seemed to validate her new career decision.<\/p>\n

First, recognition by her peers \u2013 she has served as president of the San Fernando Valley Chapter of the CA Assoc. of Marriage and Family Therapists<\/a> \u2013 for more than two terms.<\/p>\n

Then Hollywood came knocking. Nazila was cast on the popular reality show, \u201cThe Shahs of Sunset<\/a>,\u201d facilitating therapy sessions for cast members.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have no idea what they will show,\u201d she says. \u201cI was worried about how they would portray me.\u201d But she was pleased with how those segments were produced primarily because the show gave her an opportunity to promote the benefits of therapy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really wanted to stand up to the stigma of therapy \u2013 especially couples therapy. I wanted people to understand therapy and not be afraid of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Nazila describes her experience on the show \u2013 and when she talks about her practice<\/a>, the passion she feels for her work is apparent. As is her dedication to the principles of narrative therapy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cThe client knows more than I do. I\u2019m a facilitator \u2013 we\u2019re equals trying to figure it out. It\u2019s a very humble theory. I feel it\u2019s very creative. I have the tools to help them get to where they want to go and I\u2019m doing all of this with a sense of care.\u201d<\/p>\n

The journey to this place Nazila has found \u2013 where she works to help couples, and special populations such as incarcerated youth \u2013 may have taken a long time in coming. But Nazila says it makes enjoying her work that much more satisfying.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is who I am. When I come to work I honestly don\u2019t feel like I\u2019m going to work. I\u2019m excited about seeing my clients. What are we going to talk about – where are we going today?\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Learn more about The Chicago School<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you would like to learn more about programs at The Chicago School, fill out the form below to request more information. You can also apply today through our application portal.<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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