Sareen Khodabakhsh, LMFT
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Sareen Khodabakhsh, LMFT
Clinical Director
Meet Sareen, our Clinical Director!
Addiction is often misunderstood in many cultures, and for me, this became the driving force behind my career. From early on, I felt a deep passion to help families overcome addiction and unhealthy dynamics, so they could build healthier and safer communities. That passion led me to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), where I’ve spent the past 12 years specializing in addiction, trauma, and family systems.
I began my career working directly in the field of addiction, and I quickly learned that once addiction is understood, the human psyche and behaviors become far easier to grasp. Over time, my expertise has allowed me to expand into many areas of mental health, supporting individuals with concerns related to addiction as well as those facing other emotional and relational struggles.
Today, I serve as the Clinical Director at House of Life, where I lead our dedicated clinical team and oversee the care of our clients. My responsibilities include supporting our staff as they work tirelessly in our detox and residential programs, ensuring that every client receives care in a trauma-informed environment, and personally meeting with clients to explore their traumas, design treatment plans, and help create long-term pathways to recovery. What I love most about this role is helping my team deepen their understanding of the disease concept and guiding them to connect with clients through compassion and trauma-informed care. It is deeply rewarding to know that I am supporting both the clinicians and the clients in their journeys.
House of Life itself is a truly unique place. We are a small, six-bed facility nestled in a serene and beautiful environment. Our size allows us to individualize care for each person, ensuring that no client is ever treated like just a number. We place a strong emphasis on outdoor living and encourage clients to reconnect with nature as part of their healing process.
My therapeutic style is collaborative, direct, and always grounded in trauma-informed practice. I also incorporate spirituality into my work because I believe it is the foundation of recovery. To me, true healing requires a strong spiritual connection, and I have seen how a relationship with God can lead to profound transformation and lasting recovery.
On a personal level, my compassion and empathy for humanity motivate me every day. As a mother of young children, I feel a responsibility to help create healing and love within a community that has been marked by so much pain. I want to be part of rebuilding a stronger, more spiritually grounded humanity. My own life experiences — including seeing the impact of addiction firsthand — have shaped my values and fueled my mission to help as many people as possible break free from the grip of addiction and step into a life filled with hope and recovery.
When clients and their families walk into House of Life, I want them to feel connected and safe. Recovery work is difficult, and feeling both of those things is essential for healing.
Beyond my work as a therapist and clinical director, I also write blogs on topics such as trauma, family systems, addiction, relationships, and recovery. My goal in writing is to make complex topics easier to understand so that people can empower themselves with knowledge and resources.
If there’s one thing I hope people take away from learning about me, it’s that I am a caring, non-judgmental, and empathetic resource who is here to help.