Dr. Bahareh Amidi is a published author and TEDx speaker. She holds a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Notre Dame College, a PhD in Educational Psychology from the Catholic University of America, and a certification in poetry therapy from the Institute for Poetic Medicine.

Dr. Bahareh’s story is one of resilience and determination in the face of overwhelming obstacles. At the age of nine, she was forced to flee Iran as a result of the 1979 Revolution and migrate to the United States where she learnt to adapt to the new culture and western surroundings and built her future and a family with a husband and two daughters.

However, you never know what fate has in store for you as it twists and turns around unknown dark corners. Dr Bahareh soon learnt the hard way when she and her husband decided to visit Iran to reconnect with their roots. Little did they know that this choice would forever alter the course of their lives.

One fateful night five years ago, Dr. Bahareh’s husband was arrested by the Iranian military police without explanation, and was sentenced to ten years prison without trial, where he remains to this day as one of three American hostages. The toll of this event, compounded by Dr. Bahareh’s bipolar diagnosis of fifteen years, has been immense as she and her two daughters continue to fight for his release.

Through these struggles Dr. Bahareh discovered the therapeutic power of writing poetry and prose which has helped her during this nightmare. She now wants to share this superpower with others who might be facing difficulties and struggles, as well as challenges of all kind. Her goal is to help people access their inner wisdom and find healing through words, creating spaces where people can express themselves freely and form connections with others. Through Dr. Bahareh’s writing workshops, individuals and teams can begin to unlock their full potential.

Dr. Bahareh has now touched hundreds of lives in groups ranging from corporates, doctors, venture capitalists, survivors of domestic abuse, graduates and university students. They have all benefited from the journey she has taken them on through the exploration of storytelling and interactive dialogue.