About Dr. Avansian
Dr. Liliyan Avansian is a registered psychological assistant, who holds a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Alliant International University. She has extensive training in individual and group psychotherapies, with a particular focus on trauma, substance abuse, and pain management. She also has valuable training in marital and couples therapy. Dr. Avansian works from an integrative perspective to meet the needs of her clients, utilizing a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) orientation, whilst incorporating psychodynamic and humanistic modalities, as well as psycho education. Having conducted research on depression, anxiety, grief and loss issues, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, she also integrates concepts from her research into her clinical work.
Areas of Expertise and Treatment Modalities
- Anxiety (generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, illness anxiety, agoraphobia, body-focused repetitive behaviors [BFRB])
- Depression (including postpartum)
- Chronic Pain
- Chronic Illness and Adjustment to illness (eg. cancer and other medical conditions)
- Insomnia and other sleep disturbances
- Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Trauma (physical, emotional, sexual)
- Anger Management
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Life Transitions and Adjustment
- LGBTQ+
- Minority, Cultural, and Identity Issues
- Infertility and Family Planning
- Relationship Difficulties (marriage, codependency, communication)
- Traumatic and acquired brain injury (eg. TBI, Parkinson’s, stroke, Multiple Sclerosis [MS])
- Grief
- Aging
- Parenting
- Substance Abuse
Dr. Avansian’s therapy treatment modalities include:
- Individual, Couples, and Family Therapy with ages 17+
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Existential Therapy
- Humanistic Therapy
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Integrative Therapy
- Exposure Therapy for trauma
Dr. Avansian is proficient in administering, scoring, and interpreting various types of neuropsychological and psychological tests. She does case conceptualization with special sensitivity to her clients’ cultural diversity. She has focused much of her research on issues of immigration, sexual stigmatization, and sexual diversity, and she has vast experience working with the LGBTQ population.
Dr. Avansian is fluent in English, Farsi, and Armenian and is able to conduct therapy and assessment in those languages. She is currently an unlicensed psychologist completing her post-graduate hours towards licensure. She provides individual and couples therapy services as a Psychological Assistant (PSB94023542) under the supervision of Dr. Narineh Hartoonian (PSY26980), a clinical psychologist and founding partner of the Rowan Center for Behavioral Medicine.
