Born into an Armenian Orthodox family in Tehran, Iran, Talin Mirzakhanian grew up in a home enriched by education, art, and literature. Raised by parents engaged in teaching, architecture, and engineering, she developed from an early age a deep appreciation for both science and the humanities. During her school years in an Armenian school in Tehran, piano practice was her constant companion, cultivating discipline, sensitivity, and emotional awareness—qualities that would later shape her work as a psychotherapist.

Her academic path reflects a rare integration of scientific thinking and human understanding. She initially studied both Clinical Psychology and Physics, later continuing her graduate education in Civil Engineering and Psychology. Talin often describes her path as bringing together the analytical precision of an engineer and the sensitive spirit of a musician, which now informs her approach to psychotherapy.

Talin is a registered psychologist and Emotion-Focused Therapist accredited by the International Society for Emotion-Focused Therapy (ISEFT), Canada. She is the founder and director of EFT ARMENIA – the Institute of Emotion-Focused Therapy in Armenia, the first and only internationally accredited center in Armenia dedicated to introducing and developing Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) within the Armenian psychological community.

Her professional background spans Emotion-Focused Therapy and other evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), existential psychotherapy, psychodynamic approaches, and somatic-oriented therapies. This diverse training enriches her clinical work while maintaining EFT as her primary therapeutic orientation.

Her journey with Emotion-Focused Therapy began in 2018 under the mentorship of Dr. Homayoon Zolfagharinia, a student of Professor Leslie Greenberg. Inspired by the transformative power of working with emotions, she began her international EFT training in 2023, participating in Level One training led by Professor Leslie Greenberg at Cyprus University, organized by the Cyprus Institute of Emotion-Focused Therapy.

While pursuing her doctoral studies in Health Psychology and continuing to advance her academic and clinical expertise, Talin is empowering her journey in EFT under supervision with Dr. Jan Reidar Stiegler, ISEFT board member and mentor to EFT ARMENIA.

Alongside her work with a wide range of clinical difficulties, Talin has developed a strong professional interest in neurodiversity, particularly through her work with youth in Armenia. Recognizing the lack of up-to-date training and research in this area, she actively pursues further study, supervision, and research to support neurodivergent individuals within the EFT framework under the guidance of Dr. Anna Robinson . She is also engaged in integrating EFT with addiction treatment and contributes to international research initiatives in these areas.

Talin provides psychotherapy and counseling for individuals, couples, adolescents, families, and parents, both in person and online, in Armenian, Persian, Spanish, and English. In addition to her clinical practice, she is actively involved in teaching, translating EFT literature, and presenting at conferences, contributing to the dissemination of Emotion-Focused Therapy nationally and internationally.

Through EFT ARMENIA, Talin’s vision is to create a professional center for education, training, and research, supporting the development of highly trained EFT therapists in Armenia and introducing this powerful therapeutic approach to the broader mental health community. Her mission is to bring the science and practice of Emotion-Focused Therapy to Armenia, strengthen psychotherapy standards, and contribute to the emotional well-being of individuals, families, and communities. “EFT Is not about feeling better, It’s about getting better at feelings”