A common ground

Welcome to Common Ground Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, PLLC (CGCMFT). At CGCMFT, we firmly believe that every person, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, possesses the inherent ability to create profound and meaningful change in their lives. Our approach is characterized by collaboration, non-judgment, and wholehearted acceptance of all identities. The intention is to foster an environment that is safe, nurturing, and empowering, where you are encouraged to freely explore your thoughts, emotions, and aspirations.

Dr. Sahar Khoshakhlagh, Psy.D, LMFT, is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist with a private practice in New York City. She welcomes individuals, couples (including those in polyamorous and non-monogamous relationships), and the LGBTQIA community. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Dr. Sahar offers a unique approach to mental health care, with her training in both psychotherapy and systems theory (family systems).

Drawing on her background in General Systems Theory (GST), she recognizes the interconnected nature of human experience and how relational interactions shape behavior. As a systems therapist this allows her to meet you where you are at. She will listen, ask process questions, validate your experience, and provide compassionate care so you can pass the barriers that hold you back from trusting yourself.

Her goal is to increase your degree of self-differentiation and enhance the quality of your relational systems. She uses emotions as a guide to understand your narratives and may incorporate imagery work to challenge limiting beliefs. When working with couples, she helps each partner learn to build understanding for the other's journey. Desmond Tutu described this human connection best when he said, "A person is a person through other people."

Dr. Sahar sees her clients as experts in their own lives and supports their healing and growth through reciprocity, recursion, and shared responsibility. Hence, intention, effective communication, and commitment towards your vision become the foundation of your work together. Instead of viewing clients as casualties of their circumstances, Dr. Sahar perceives you as the architect of your own existence, thereby transitioning the therapeutic partnership from an "individualistic" to a "holistic" perspective.