Shahrzad Yekta, MA
(Shahrzad Afshinyekta), MFP- Masters (NITT-Y inaugural cohort) Fellow 2014-2015, Shahrzad Afshinyekta is a bilingual Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, behavioral health consultant, and trauma-informed care trainer and speaker. With over 8 years of experience, she helps a culturally diverse range of families and individuals navigate their new life circumstances or adjust to their environments. She is currently in private practice and her latest community project is working with several entities to help with the transition and resettlement of thousands of recent refugee families and children from Afghanistan. Over the past 2 years, since the start of the pandemic, she has held workshops and training for companies and organizations adjusting to new work conditions. She also does workshops for youth and their families about emotional and relational wellness. Some of her areas of expertise include couples counseling, adolescent counseling, family counseling, trauma, crisis management, depression and anxiety management, sleep management, immigrant/refugee readjustment, and workplace consultation (employee self-care, cultural diversity, etc.).
Dr. Laurelle Lea Myhra, Ph.D, LMFT
Dr Laurelle Myhra, Ph.D, LMFT, (MFP Fellow 2007 - 2012) is an enrolled member of Red Lake Nation and it has been her dream to work for her tribe; and now she is the proud Director of their Mino Bimaadiziwin Wellness Clinic in Minneapolis Minnesota. Dr Myhra completed her Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) at East Carolina University in North Carolina, and her doctorate in Family Social Science and MFT at University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Dr Myhra began her career at the Native American Community Clinic (NACC) in 2008 as a licensed MFT. She was specialized in trauma and substance use disorder treatment and supervision. She later was promoted to Clinic Manager and then Director of Behavioral Health. During this time Dr Myhra has led and participated in several research projects that have helped to guide and enhance the clinical practice at NACC. Dr Myhra has published broadly on the topic of mental health and substance use disorders among Native American communities. My greatest accomplishment to date is the successful partnership between NACC and Red Lake that led to the creation of two culturally responsive chemical health programs in the urban core. The Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program, Wiidookodaadiwin Clinic: “We help each other” and the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), Wiinodewe: “Re-Indigenizing the Spirit''. Both programs demonstrate success with improved client outcomes with substance use disorder, drug abstinence, stable housing, emergency room visits, and some wellbeing outcomes. Since then, we have continued to grow our programs with support from state and federal grants.