About Me

I am Dr. Saba Khodayarifard, a psychotherapist (specialized in psychoanalysis). I studied clinical psychology in Iran and after successfully finishing my Bachelor’s in the University of Tehran and my Master’s in Iran’s University of Medical Sciences, two of the top universities in my country, I became a registered clinical psychologist in Tehran in 2006. I acquired my Doctorate in Psychotherapy Science in Vienna, in the Sigmund Freud Private University and finished my psychoanalysis training in a psychoanalytic institute in Innsbruck, Psychoanalytisches Seminar Innsbruck (PSI). I work with adults and also with children and adolescents in individual, couple, family and group settings. Since 2001, I have treated patients suffering from a range of mental difficulties and disorders, for example depression and mood disorders such as bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders such as panic disorder and social phobia, obsessive-complusive disorder, burn-out and post-traumatic stress disorder, personality disorders such as borderline, dependent, insecure or obsessive-compulsive personality disorders, psychosomatic problems, psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and psychoaffective disorder, eating or sleeping disorders, as well as a range of marital and sexual problems, conflicts in relationships or in the family, educational problems or difficulties in raising children.

I am currently working as a psychotherapist in my private practice in Waidhausenstraße in the 14th district in Vienna. I am also teaching at the Sigmund Freud University in Vienna since the winter semester 2019 and have the position of supervisor and training analyst. I have taught there before in 2012 and 2013. I have previously worked for four years in the Sigmund Freud psychotherapy clinic for children and adolescents. I don’t work in the clinic anymore since I have my contract with the insurance and can offer patients therapy with insurance coverage in my practice.

Some of my topics of interest include neuroscience especially neuropsychology, cognitive and personal development, psychopathology, personality disorders, projective drawing tests (Person, House, Tree, and Family drawing tests), psychotherapeutic diagnosis and techniques, psychoanalysis, psychodynamic psychotherapy, Object-Relations, Ego and Self psychology, as well as psychotherapeutic text analysis.

• October 1993 – June 1997  

Matura – Hoda High School, Tehran (Average mark: 19.03*)

• October 1997  – April 2001

Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Tehran, (Average mark: 18.22*); Topic of dissertation: Tree Drawings in Children with vs. without ADHD (Persian)

• October 2001 – October 2005

Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Iran University of Medical Sciences, (Average mark: 18.34*), Topic of dissertation: Comparison of four Projective Drawing Tests in Children with vs. without History of Physical Abuse (Persian)

• October 2007- May 2012

Ph.D. in Psychotherapy Science from Sigmund Freud Private University, Vienna (Summa cum laude); Topic of dissertation: Shift Events and Psychotherapy Outcome (English)

• 2009 – 2013

Psychoanalysis edcation and training at the Innsbruck psychoanalytic institute, Psychoanalytisches Seminar Innsbruck (PSI). Registered in the health ministery’s list of psychotherapists since 15 October 2013.

*All marks are out of 20.

• 2001 – 2005  

Training in Integrated Psychodynamic Psychotherapy at Tehran Psychiatric Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences

• 6 July 2006 

Registration as a clinical psychologist in Tehran

• 2002 – 2003

Training in Systemic Couple and Family Therapy at Tehran Psychiatric Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences

• Nov. 2003

Training in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy

• Jan. 2002 – Jun. 2007

Clinical psychologist and psychotherapist under supervision in Tehran, Iran

• Psychotherapist under supervision in Tehran Psychiatric Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences
• Psychotherapist under supervision in Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran (Family and Child Clinic)
• Member of a therapeutic team in Development’s New Horizons, a psychotherapy center in Tehran

• Oct. 2005 – Oct. 2007   

Psychotherapist in Shahid Beheshti University (Family and Child Clinic)

• since Jul. 2006 

Licensed clinical psychologist and psychotherapist in Tehran

• Psychotherapist in Shahid Beheshti University (Family and Child Clinic) in Tehran
• Member of a team of therapists in Development’s New Horizons, a psychotherapy center in Tehran
• Private Practice

• Oct. 2007 – 2011   

Psychotherapist under supervision in Vienna, Sigmund Freud Outpatient Clinic

• since 2012 

Member of Community of the Austrian-Iranian Doctors or Österreichisch-Iranische Ärzte Gesellschaft (ÖIÄG)

• since 2015   

Member of the Union of Iranian Academics in Austria or Union Iranischer Akademiker (UIA), since 2018 elected board member

• June 2012 – Aug. 2013 

Lecturer at the Sigmund Freud Private University Vienna

• 25.09.12 – 25.04.13  

Psychotherapist under supervision in Vienna’s General Hospital (AKH)

• since 15.10.13     

Licensed psychotherapist in Vienna

• since 1.10.2013        

Associated Member of the PSI

• since 2013     

Member of the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR)

• Jan. 2014  – August 2017 

Psychotherapist at the SFU Psychotherapy Clinic for Children and Adolescents

• since 2017     

member of the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine (NICABM)

• since winter semester 2019

Lecturer, supervisor and training analyst at the Sigmund Freud University, Vienna 

Khodayarifard, S. (2012) Shift events and psychotherapy outcome. Doctoral dissertation, University of Sigmund Freud Vienna.

Khodayarifard, S. (2013). Psychoanalysis with a Case of Chronic Heart Neurosis and Panic Attacks. Case Presentation for the Psychoanalysis Training, Psychoanalytisches Seminar Innsbruck (PSI).

Khodayarifard, M., Pritz, A., Khodayarifard, S. (2009). Integrated psychodynamic therapy of panic disorder: a case study. International Journal of Psychotherapy, 13(1), 49-62.

Khodayarifard, M., Pritz, A., Khodayarifard, S. (2008). The impact of group and individual cognitive-behavioral intervention on the mental health state of male prisoners. International Journal of Psychotherapy, 12(2), 50-66.

Khodayarifard, M., Rehm, L. P., Khodayarifard, S. (2007). Psychotherapy in Iran: a case study of cognitive-behavioral family therapy for Mrs. A. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 63(8), 745-753.

Khodayarifard, M. & Khodararifard, S. (2007). Applying cognitive-behavioral family-therapy combined with chiropractic in treatment of psychosomatic disorders (Masculoskelt). Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, 28, 299-304.

Khodayarifard, S., Abedin, A., Yazdandoost, R. Y., Pourshahriari, M., Gharaee, B. (2007). Comparing the results of projective drawing tests in physically abused vs. normal children. Journal of Family Research, 3(9), 455-469.

Khodayarifard, S., Mergenthaler, E. (2009). Shift events and psychotherapy outcome: What are the causes for shift events and how do they correlate with good or poor therapy outcome. 7th European SPR Conference, 1-3 October 2009, Bolzano/Bozen, Italy.

Khodayarifard, M., Pritz, A., Khodayarifard, S. (2008). Integrative psychodynamic therapy of panic disorder: a case study. The 5^th World Congress of Psychotherapy, 12-15 October 2008, Beijing, China.

Khodayarifard, M. Pritz, A. Khodayarifard, S. (2008). Applying cognitive behavioral family therapy in treatment of a psychosomatic disorder, The 5^th World Congress of Psychotherapy, 12-15 October  2008, Beijing, China.

Khodayarifard, M., Khodayarifard, S. (2007). Treatment of gender identitiy disorder using cognitive behavioral family therapy: a case study. 10^th European Congress of Psychology, 3-6 July 2007, Prague, Czech Republic.

Khodayarifard, M., Khodayarifard, S. (2007). Cognitive behavioral family therapy for sexual abuse in adolescence: a case study. 10^th European Congress of Psychology, 3-6 July 2007, Prague, Czech Republic.

Khodayarifard, M., Khodayarifard, S. (2007). Applying cognitive behavioral family therapy combined with chiropractic in treatment of psychosomatic disorders. The XV International Congress of the International Society of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, 13-17 May 2007, Kyoto, Japan.

Khodayarifard, M., Khodayarifard, S. (2007). Applying cognitive behavioral couple therapy in treatment of alcoholism: a case study. The 4^th Pan Asiatic Congress, 18-20 May2007, Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Khodayarifard, M., Khodayarifard, S. (2006). The effect of family therapy based on cognitive behavioral approach in treating social phobia: a case study. 2006 International Congress of Psychotherapy in Japan & The Third International Conference of Asian Federation for Psychotherapy, 28 August- 1 September 2006, Tokyo, Japan.

Persian – mother language
English
German