Fereshteh Mazdyasni: Professor, Psychotherapist, Mentor and Petroleum Engineer

A champion for children’s rights and wellbeing, and passionate about diversity, Fereshteh Mazdyasni could be described as a force of nature, rather than simply a key faculty member of Phillips since 1997. She received a Bachelor of Science degree at Pahlavi University in 1979, then she attended the University of Southern California’s prestigious engineering program, where she received her MS in Petroleum Engineering with honors in 1981. However, her desire to help others and her fascination with the field of psychology led her after several years to move beyond just a successful career in a STEM field to search out a more personally-fulfilling path as a psychotherapist. Graduating from Phillips with a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy, she ultimately parlayed her degree into a leadership role at Phillips itself, as well as within the community at large. Ms. Mazdyasni has served as the longtime director of the School Based Child Therapy Program at Phillips, through which she has trained and supervised hundreds of Master and post-Master candidates in the field. Today, she is working with Phillips to transform the program into an even more dynamic and successful one. She currently teaches in the MFT program while also training and supervising at the CALFAM counseling center. She has co-developed and written a widely praised 9-volume manual on social skills and violence prevention, which is implemented in many LAUSD schools and also utilized for clinical training. In celebration of her Persian heritage, Fereshteh is also a tireless supporter of the Iranian community in Southern California and beyond. She is a consultant and frequent guest speaker on topics ranging from children’s mental health to successfully working with Iranian and other minority clients and their families. Fereshteh is well known for her warmth, competency, and bold advocacy. “Listen Patiently to the whispers in your ears-make them loud and clear, pay full attention to the little flames in your heart-make them a passionate burning fire, then make a decision. You will be on an insightful, fulfilling, and DELICIOUS path.” Fereshteh Mazdyasni