Why We’re Here
Kaneeza Lafir is a licensed clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst, born and raised in Sri Lanka. She started her journey with psychology in Madras (now known as Chennai), South India, where she completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Her foundational training was in Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Dr. Lafir received her doctoral degree in clinical psychology (PsyD) from Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola University in Southern California. While in graduate school, Dr. Lafir was exposed to Object Relations Theory and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, and became completely enamored by both of these modalities. Her predoctoral internship training was completed at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and her postdoctoral training at the Biola Counseling Center. She also served as an adjunct faculty member at Rosemead School of Psychology. Her postdoctoral hours provided her with the opportunity to also serve as a clinical supervisor for graduate students, a role she continues to be still passionate about. Her 12-year association with Rosemead transitioned when she decided to pursue her passion of becoming a psychoanalyst and also to begin the next part of her journey: private practice.
After becoming a Licensed Psychologist, Dr. Lafir began serving as a clinical supervisor at a psychological counseling nonprofit organization in South Orange County and served as their Director of Clinical Training, which included supervising Trainees, MFT Interns (now referred to as Associates), predoctoral and postdoctoral Interns, all while maintaining her private practice and beginning to pursue her 2nd and 3rd doctoral degrees (a PsyD and a PhD), both in Psychoanalysis.
In 2015, Dr. Lafir was invited to help develop a for-profit counseling center by its founder Dr. Larry Kuhn, a former supervisee of hers. Here she had the opportunity to not only serve as a clinical Psychologist/Clinical Director, but to enter the corporate world and serve as a consultant. In the beginning of 2017, Dr. Lafir became the owner of this counseling center, now known as Prepare to Change Counseling, and towards the end of 2017, founded the non-profit arm of this counseling center.
