Practice Philosophy:
Dr. Ali Mirzaei’s practice philosophy is centered around the conviction that everyone deserves to maximize their potential and lead a fulfilling life. Treatment encompasses a variety of modalities including wellness, healthy living, nutrition, mindfulness, meditation, psychotherapy and judicious use of medication. Compassionate and caring, Dr. Mirzaei takes the time to understand each individual’s unique sociocultural background in addition to their medical and developmental history. She pays particular attention to personality traits and personal experiences that may be influencing symptoms. The diagnostic process begins with a review of the patient’s medical history and sometimes includes laboratory tests and imaging, when indicated, to gain an in-depth understanding of biological factors that may be contributing to symptoms. Collaboration with other physicians and mental health providers is an important aspect of treatment, to ensure that each person is receiving the optimal level of care.
Areas of Expertise:
Dr. Mirzaei has significant experience in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, trauma, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), psychosis-spectrum diagnoses and addiction medicine. Patients benefit from her extensive knowledge base and expertise in psychopharmacology and other biological therapies. When prescribing medication, she employs a comprehensive risk-benefit analysis, taking into consideration a patient’s age, gender, and medical comorbidities as well as factors like family history and sociocultural milieu. She is adept at using short-term, problem-focused therapeutic techniques including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), supportive psychotherapy and motivational interviewing as part of treatment. As an immigrant, she is uniquely attuned to cultural differences that influence symptoms, including issues related to acculturation and assimilation. She also has expertise in the treatment of individuals with co-occurring disorders including substance use.
Experience and Training:
Dr. Mirzaei received her medical doctorate from Tehran IAU, and completed 4 years of residency training in psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. During her residency, she treated a wide spectrum of psychiatric disorders in diverse populations in a variety of inpatient and clinical settings. Passionate about healthy living habits, she was recognized with a Wellness Award during training for championing resident wellness and spreading awareness about healthy living. Notably, she was consistently rated among the top 3% of nationwide psychiatry residents at annual in-service training exams. She has trained extensively in evidence-based treatments using a biopsychosocial approach, which spans psychotherapy and biological therapies as well as nutrition, sleep hygiene and healthy living counseling.
Dr. Mirzaei is fluent in Farsi.