Our Philosophy
We believe that people’s behaviors are more than their thoughts, feelings, emotions, and perceptions. These are all aspects of our personality, which, to a large extent, are run by our ego-self. Although those aspects of ourselves are valuable and important, that part of us that is non-physical, which is our soul or spirit, is often ignored or misunderstood, and without it, our joy and life satisfaction are severely limited. This philosophy is the foundation for the model of therapy that we have created, and named Multi-Dimensional Relational Therapy (MDRT).
Our Story
Why and how Heart to Heart Counseling was created
The story of Heart to Heart Counseling begins in January of 2004, when Dr. Robert Jaffe and Mitra Rashidian met through a classified advertisement that Dr. Jaffe had placed in the CAMFT (California Association of Marriage and Family Therapist) magazine, looking to hire an intern for his private practice. Mitra, at the time, was a psychiatric social worker, and was completing her internship to obtain her psychotherapy license, while beginning her Ph.D. program in Counseling.
Dr. Jaffe had opened his solo private practice in 1984, and specialized in the treatment of trauma and addictions. Mitra’s areas of interest were in sexual healthcare, with the focus on sexual challenges and couple’s relationships. From the beginning, they both felt an instant chemistry based upon their mutual enthusiasm and dedication, to finding better ways of helping others lead more fulfilling and happier lives. Eventually, Mitra received her Marriage and Family Therapy license along with her Ph.D. in counseling and completed her Post-doctoral fellowship. They both continued with their years long journey together, maintaining their respective private practices, as well as providing workshops and seminars both nationally and internationally.
Together, they published in scientific journals, created podcasts, and spoke about their clinical and research findings related to their areas of specialties. Through this voyage, they both observed, in their treatment of couples, two overlooked areas that were interfering with their ability to create closeness and intimacy. One of these areas they named the ego-self, and the second, they named the spiritual-self. They consistently observed how the ego-self overshadowed the spiritual-self, which is the container for all the qualities that enable people to fully love and connect with each other. They realized that these two areas had been largely neglected in psychological literature, and the understanding of this led them sixteen years later, to form a business partnership together, and as a result, in 2020, Heart to Heart Counseling was born. This collaboration, which included a combined sixty years of research, and the practice of psychotherapy, helped them to create and produce a new model of psychotherapy, which they named Multi-Dimensional Relational Therapy (MDRT). Through this new model, their shared objectives, which are to help individuals and couples in understanding and realizing the essence of their authentic true-selves through egoic and spiritual awareness, allows them to create high self-esteem, lasting love, connection, and intimacy.
Meet The Founders
Robert B. Jaffe, Ph.D, LMFT, has been working as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Ericksonian Certified Hypnotherapist, with over four decades of clinical experience in Encino, California. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from California State University, Northridge – Northridge, California, a Master of Science degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of LaVern, LaVern California, and a Doctoral degree in Philosophy and Hypnotherapy from the American Institute of Hypnotherapy, in Anaheim California. He concentrates his practice focusing on the treatment of addictions, trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and couples counseling. He further specializes in the treatment of childhood trauma, sexual abuse, neglect, and emotional/physical abandonment. His many years working in the community and his extensive academic and in field training have established Dr. Jaffe as a seasoned and experienced psychotherapist.
Website LinkedIn Psychology TodayMitra Rashidian, Ph.D., LMFT., CST, ABS., is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in full-time private practice in Encino, California. Dr. Rashidian is a Clinical Professor at the Department of Allied Health Studies at Loma Linda University, California. In addition, she is a Certified Sex Therapist through The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT). Also, she is Board Certified Diplomate by the American Board of Sexology (ABS). Further, she is a Certified Hypnotherapist via the Ericksonian Foundation in Arizona. She was trained at The Valley Trauma Center in Van Nuys, California, where she worked extensively with sexual assault survivors.
Dr. Rashidian earned her Ph.D. in Counseling at the University of New England (UNE), School of Health, in Armidale, Australia. She then completed a two-year post-Doctoral fellowship position at UNE with the focus on sexual healthcare and inclusion. She received a Master of Science degree in Counseling – Option: Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University, Northridge – Northridge, California. She has presented her research topic and findings locally and abroad, at various conferences, and lectured at workshops throughout Europe, and the United States. Further, she has written and published articles and book chapters in numerous scientific journals.
Committed to sexual healthcare and mental well-being research, Dr. Rashidian has focused on the enhancement of relationships and sexual enrichment over the past 25 years. Her passion is to help all people achieve and experience joy and fulfillment with their partners. “We all want everlasting happiness in our lives, and I believe that this is achievable.”
In addition to her clinical and research pursuits, she possesses a remarkable talent in the culinary arts, an enduring passion for painting, a fervent dedication to gardening, and a strong commitment to maintaining a healthy lifestyle through mindful eating and regular exercise habits.
Further information about her clinical work and focus can be obtained at Psychology Today, trfsq.com, and ResearchGate.
Website LinkedIn Psychology Today ResearchGateOur Purpose and Plan
Our purpose in creating this new paradigm is to both assist clinicians and help individuals and couples give new meaning to their life journeys. Through the inclusion of the ego and spiritual dimensions in psychotherapy, people will have a new way of both understanding and transforming themselves, to create within a new sense of purpose, and a new way of embodying and communicating love with each other.
We plan to continue bringing awareness to individuals and couples including professionals in our field, new innovative ways in which they can iincorporate this into their own lives and practices. To this end we have been creating products such as e-books, newsletters, workshops, seminars, and psychotherapy services to professionals and the public.
Pillar I
Belonging
Commitment: Your welfare and ours are intimately linked together. |
Integrity: Our word is our bond. |
Trust: You matter to us. We will always treat you as special and unique. |
Pillar II
Professional Development
Collaboration: Taking our ego out of the mix when we share with our fellow professionals. |
Excellence: Our goal is always to improve the quality of care to our clients and patients. |
Results: Our client’s satisfaction is always the best judge of how well we are doing. |
Pillar III
Personal Growth
Transparency: We strive to eliminate secrets from our life so that others may know us. |
Communication: We wish to be knowledgeable teachers and eager and willing students. |
Courage: We commit to speaking our truth, even when it is challenging. |