Biography
Dr. Samar Harfi is a licensed clinical psychologist and Director of Clinical Training at Khalil Center in Illinois. She is a Fellow of the International Association for Islamic Psychology (IAIP) and has published, co-authored, presented, and provided training on topics related to Islamic Psychology and Muslim mental health. She has also served as a peer reviewer for scholarly and professional submissions to the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Muslim Mental Health Conference (MMHC).
Dr. Samar’s clinical interests include psychological trauma, mood disorders, religious OCD, and adjustment disorders. Her clinical work is informed by an interpersonal, process-oriented, and Islamically integrated approach, with attention to the cultural, spiritual, and contextual dimensions of mental health.
As part of her formative education, Dr. Samar completed introductory Islamic studies in ʿAqeedah, Fiqh, Hadith, Tajweed, and Qur’an. She has participated in mental health initiatives nationally and internationally and was recognized for her work with refugees in Chicago with the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2012.
Clinical Focus
• Psychological Trauma (i.e. sexual, socio-political/historical trauma, secondary trauma, etc.)
• Mood and Personality Disturbances
• Anxiety
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Scrupulosity) وسواس قهري
• Adjustment problems (i.e. grief, life transition, and stress management, etc.)
Modalities
• Individual Therapy (Adults)
• Psychological/Cognitive Evaluations
• Clinical/Professional Supervision
Languages Spoken
• English
• Arabic