Ariana Sorbi

PSYCHOTHERAPIST IN TRAINING — SOCIAL WORK INTERN

Ariana is a graduate student attending Columbia University School of Social Work, working diligently to fulfill her dream of becoming an LCSW. She is the child of Middle Eastern immigrants, a positionality that provides her with a unique cultural perspective. She prides herself in being queer-affirming and believes that therapy should be a welcoming space for open and unprejudiced conversations about gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and sexual activity, or lack thereof. Ariana believes that authenticity and vulnerability are at the forefront of healthy relationships with oneself and others. Through clear communication, unapologetic self-compassion, and an understanding of trauma, Ariana wants to guide you in coming home to yourself and motivate you to advocate for the life you desire and deserve.

Ariana firmly believes in fostering a space where potentially tricky and stigmatized conversations can be approached without judgment. Through studying queer theory and understanding its perpetually dynamic nature, Ariana takes pride in supporting people with LGBTQIA+ identities. Whether you unapologetically wear your identity on your sleeve, would instead not subscribe to labels, feel pressured to keep your identity private, or question your belonging in queer and/or non-queer spaces, you belong here! Ariana believes in having open and unprejudiced conversations about gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, sexual activity (or lack thereof), and pleasure. After all, we cannot grow from shame, but through vulnerability – by understanding ourselves and courageously letting ourselves be seen and understood through therapy, in close relationships, or by the world.

To the people who fear their soul is incapable of being understood – to those who’ve questioned whether they were fit for this world, whether these systems and societal expectations were ever meant to serve them – Ariana sees you. There is space for you here, not just in a therapy session, but in this world. Your fears, frustration, and concerns are just as valid as your joy, so make yourself known. Life can be overwhelming with all of its uncertainties. Ariana firmly believes that you shouldn’t have to navigate it alone.

A Note From Ariana:

“Courage and fear can coexist. I find that they often do – along with hope and sadness, or grief and humor – I could go on. There is no feeling that is “bad” or “good”, no feeling that is “right” or “wrong.” There are just feelings, and then there is you, a powerful individual with many coexisting identities. It’s my goal to help you recognize and dismantle the parts of you that have taught you shame and guilt for being who you are and feeling what you do. Meet me in a space I will create for you to be brave and honest. After all, being human is a wondrously complex and often contradictory experience. I genuinely mean it when I say there is no judgment here.”

The Human Side

On her time off, Ariana takes pleasure in reconnecting with herself, her loved ones, and the outside world. During the day, she loves to try new coffee shops, spend time with her favorite people (and animals), take naps, fill up her sketchbook, visit the library or local bookstore, reblog art online, and take photos of the little joys and blessings she encounters. After sunset, she loves to journal or scrapbook while listening to ASMR, dance with her friends until her bones ache, and watch movies with her siblings.
Morgan Harper Nichols - “Spaces” (Her artwork and poetry are fantastic too!)
Ariana’s secret passion is art history. She considered an art history minor at her undergraduate university but decided to peruse museums without the added homework.
Iced latte with lavender syrup.