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Psychology Workshop Series
Session 1: The Role of Culture in Anxiety and Depression
Welcome to the first session of our Psychology Workshop Series, organized by House of Friendship and sponsored by Wake County.
Our psychology workshop, The Role of Culture in Anxiety and Depression, explored how our emotions and mental well-being are deeply influenced by the cultures we live in.
Led by Dr. Salumeh Safayi, the session shed light on how cultural values shape the way we experience, express, and manage anxiety and depression.
📖 Session 1 Highlights
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The Role of Culture in Anxiety and Depression: how societal values influence our understanding of emotions.
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The Culture of Shame and Anxiety: how emotional suppression and fear of judgment can manifest as physical distress.
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Cultural Tools in Managing Anxiety: exploring the therapeutic effects of music, poetry, rituals, and storytelling.
🌍 This session welcomed both Iranian and non-Iranian participants. To make the workshop more inclusive, we enabled closed captioning translation, ensuring that everyone could fully engage with the material regardless of language.
✨ The workshop emphasized how collective rituals, storytelling, and cultural practices can restore meaning, connection, and emotional balance - reminding us that healing is not only individual but also social and cultural.
📅 Event Date: November 8, 2025
📍 Location: Online Session
Session 2: The Role of Culture in Anxiety and Depression
Welcome to the second session of our Psychology Workshop Series, organized by House of Friendship and sponsored by Wake County.
Our workshop, Migration Stress and Coping Strategies, explored how the process of moving to a new country impacts emotional, psychological, and physical well-being.
Led by Dr. Salumeh Safayi, this session examined the challenges migrants commonly face — from employment difficulties to language barriers and offered practical tools to support healthy adaptation and emotional resilience.
📖 Session 2 Highlights
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Understanding Migration Challenges
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Psychological and Physical Impacts
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Effective Coping Strategies
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When to Seek Professional Help
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Personal Growth Through Migration
🌍 This workshop welcomed participants from diverse backgrounds, creating a supportive space to openly discuss the realities of migration. Closed caption translation was available to ensure accessibility for attendees of all language levels.
✨ The session emphasized that while migration brings real stress, it also offers opportunities for self-discovery and personal transformation. With understanding, support, and healthy strategies, migrants can navigate challenges while building a meaningful new chapter in their lives.
📅 Event Date: November 22, 2025
📍 Location: Online Session
Session 3: Combating Immigrant Isolation
Welcome to the third session of our Psychology Workshop Series, organized by House of Friendship and sponsored by Wake County.
In this session, Combating Immigrant Isolation, we focused on one of the most common yet often unspoken challenges of migration: the experience of social isolation and loss of belonging.
Led by Dr. Salumeh Safayi, the session explored why immigrants are particularly vulnerable to isolation, from the sudden collapse of familiar support systems to the emotional pressure of adapting to a new social and cultural environment. Special attention was given to immigrant self-criticism and how internal expectations can deepen feelings of loneliness.
📖 Session 3 Highlights
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Understanding why isolation is common after immigration
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The loss of previous social and emotional networks
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External pressures from adapting to a new environment
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Internal barriers such as self-criticism and comparison
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Differences between real and superficial social networks
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Characteristics of healthy, supportive relationships
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The importance of recurring spaces and warm introductions
A central part of this session was the participant discussion, where attendees openly shared their own experiences of isolation after immigration. These exchanges created a supportive space for reflection, validation, and learning from one another’s journeys.
🌍 This session welcomed participants from diverse backgrounds. Closed caption translation was enabled to ensure accessibility and inclusive participation.
✨ The workshop emphasized that isolation is not a personal failure, but a shared experience — and that connection can be intentionally rebuilt through small, consistent, and meaningful steps.
📅 Event Date: December 06, 2025
📍 Location: Online Session
