C. Girvani Leerer, Ph.D., AZ Licensed Psychologist (#4687), is the Clinical Director of The Sanctuary. Dr. Girvani provides clinical direction and oversight to behavioral (mental) health services and helps implement the program structure and vision at The Sanctuary. In addition to her background in Psychology and Behavioral Health, She is also a shamanic energy practitioner and teacher, allowing her to bridge the behavioral health and alternative and complementary health aspects of The Sanctuary’s unique recovery program. Dr. Girvani also provides some counseling and energy psychology services at The Sanctuary.
Dr. Girvani is a graduate of Northeastern University with a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Counseling Psychology. In addition to her licensure in Arizona as a psychologist, she is licensed in California (PSY #24631) and Massachusetts (PSY #7289), and on The National Register in Psychology.
Dr. Girvani was previously the director of Arbour-HRI Center for Women’s Development in Brookline, MA, an inpatient/partial hospital, and intensive outpatient program for women with trauma, dissociative, eating, and co-occurring substance abuse disorders. She was also a Harvard Medical School Clinical Instructor in Psychology and clinical supervisor and teacher at The Cambridge Health Alliance Victims of Violence Program founded by Judith Herman, M.D. Dr. Girvani is an Internal Family Systems (IFS) Certified Therapist and teacher, has advanced training in Clinical Hypnosis, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), trauma, dissociation, and attachment, and is also certified in Past Life Regression Hypnosis through the American Hypnosis Association. Dr. Girvani is a graduate of two prestigious shamanic training programs, the Four Winds Light Body School founded by Dr. Alberto Villoldo, where she was previously on the faculty, and Sandra Ingerman’s Two-year Teacher Training program for Shamanic Teachers which focuses on how to teach shamanism in our diverse western culture in the 21st century.
As a Shamanic Psychologist, Dr. Girvani integrates Western psychology and trauma therapy with indigenous and core shamanic healing and energy psychology, and mindfulness and awareness practices based on her 30 years of spiritual study and meditation practice. Dr. Girvani works with spiritual, psychological, and emotional issues and their physical manifestations in a knowledgeable and compassionate manner to help people break free from old dysfunctional patterns, anxieties, trauma, addictions, and limiting beliefs to change their story and take the leap to a new story and life.
Girvani Leerer, Ph.D. talks about Neuroplasticity and Epigenetics. Our brains have the capacity to change throughout life. You can change your brain in an environment that supports you.
Girvani Leerer, Ph.D. talks about getting to the root cause of addiction and trauma.
The Sanctuary’s holistic approach.