Welcome to The Diaspora Psychologist. I’m Dr. Shirin Zarqa-Lederman, PhD, LPC, LCADC, one of the founders of The Diaspora Psychologist. My clients refer to me as Dr. Shirin.

I’m an international counseling psychologist specializing in trauma services and community psychology, and I work with clients around the world. I’m licensed as a Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) in New Jersey.

Before starting my own practice, I coordinated adolescent substance abuse programs in New Jersey and New York, where I developed treatment curricula for group and family therapy and later served as a community liaison. My early years as an in-home therapist gave me the opportunity to work closely with children and families in their own environments, using a holistic, family-centered approach. It was in these intimate settings that I began to see how generational and racial trauma shape everyday life.

I earned my M.A. in Child and Adolescent Psychology and my Ph.D. in International Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, where I focused on trauma services. During my doctoral work, I co-authored The Story of Amal with the Refugee Working Group to help refugee children process anxiety, and I completed field experiences in Ghana and Rwanda, developing culturally responsive methods for children and adolescents experiencing trauma reactions. My dissertation, Descendants of Palestine: Exploring the Right of Return in Diaspora, explored identity, generational trauma, and the multicultural experience of Palestinian Americans.

In my practice today, I use a community psychology framework combined with experiential therapy, narrative methods, and Indigenous approaches. Therapy with me often moves beyond words—I invite clients to make soap, learn tatreez (traditional Palestinian embroidery), or engage in other cultural practices as ways of reconnecting to identity and community while processing grief, trauma, and resilience. These hands-on methods allow clients to live their therapy, not just talk about it, fostering healing through creativity, heritage, and embodied practice.

I’m also a proud member of the American Middle East and North Africa Psychological Association (AMENA-PSY) and the American Counseling Association (ACA). Through a telehealth model, I help clients understand how generational trauma shows up biologically, psychologically, and socially across the lifespan.

Outside of my clinical work, I’m a writer and storyteller. I authored The Trotters of Tweeville, a children’s book series that teaches kindness and positive social skills. The series is a two-time Mom’s Choice Award® winner and has been donated to children’s libraries all over the globe. My essays on identity, diaspora, and lived experience have appeared in MissMuslim NYC, Story Monsters Magazine, and The Meteor. I’ve also contributed psychological expertise to outlets including Care.com and Jezebel.

I look forward to working with you—whether you’re seeking support in navigating trauma, exploring identity, or reconnecting with your cultural roots. Together, we can create space for growth, healing, and resilience.