Meet Deniz Firat

We had the good fortune of connecting with Deniz Firat and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Deniz, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
The habits that have helped me succeed are rooted in both practical routines and a philosophy of life that I strive to live every day. At the core of this philosophy is: Stop Dreaming and Start Creating. I’ve learned that greater self-awareness of who I am and why I do what I do helps me avoid repeating mistakes and keeps me aligned with my purpose for forward momentum. Mastering self-awareness isn’t easy, but I nurture it by staying close to my Passion, Principle, Purpose, and Values. Each morning, I ask myself: What do I stand for? This guides my intentions and the actions I take.

Discipline is another habit that has been transformative. Motivation is fleeting—I almost never rely on it—but discipline provides the armor to act with intention even when I don’t feel like it. For me, discipline is not restriction; it’s freedom. It’s about nourishing my body with healthy food, moving it regularly, and committing to morning rituals that set the tone for the day.

My morning ritual is sacred. It’s designed to energize my body and mind, connect me to my purpose, and cultivate courage to face the new day. It includes journaling, meditation, and a workout—practices that ensure my actions move the dial toward my goals. This rhythm not only supports my personal growth but also helps me show up as a better psychotherapist, ready to build genuine connections with my clients throughout the day.

I also prioritize silence, solitude, and focus. For most of my day, I intentionally disconnect from distractions such as my phone, email, and social media. I dedicate at least an hour daily to being alone, during which I engage with poetry—either reading or writing poems. I spend time in nature, which allows me to reflect, recharge, and find meaning. As a part-time poet, I’ve learned that stillness and quiet rhythms nourish me far more than prescribed routines or surface-level conversations.

Finally, giving back and staying connected to my community is essential to me. I volunteer at an animal rescue and with the elderly, which grounds me and reminds me of the positive impact, even minimum, we can have on others. I believe that many of our problems stem from loneliness—and yet, ironically, we often feel lonely together. The ongoing and growing loneliness pandemic deeply concerns me. For this reason, I make an effort to ensure that people are not alone. This is why I volunteer and why I became a therapist: to build genuine connections with others and provide care that has become increasingly rare in our society.

Of course, life doesn’t always allow for perfect execution. Chronic illness and cancer forced me to rewrite my “normal” and adapt my habits to my body’s limitations. Even then, I found ways to honor these practices in forms that fit my energy and circumstances—because success is not perfection, it’s consistency and intention.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My path to becoming a therapist has been anything but linear. Before entering this work, I spent over a decade in international humanitarian and community development—working with the United Nations, United Way, and other nonprofit organizations alongside communities navigating displacement, violence, and systemic harm. What stayed with me most were the quiet acts of dignity and resilience I witnessed in the face of loss. Those moments ultimately led me to the therapy room.

Equally defining have been my own lived experiences. I am a cancer survivor, live with a chronic illness, and move through life with a deeply attuned nervous system. For years, this sensitivity felt like a burden; today, I recognize it as a gift. Illness and difference have continually invited me to rewrite my sense of “normal,” to slow down, and to discover strength and meaning in limitation. These experiences ground me in humility and allow me to hold space for others with presence and reverence.

What sets me apart is not only my multicultural and multiethnic background—as a Third Culture Kid shaped across continents—but also my commitment to creating a sanctuary where grief, illness, identity, and sensitivity are not confined to a diagnosis or label but embraced fully. My work is for those who carry deeply and feel profoundly—yet it is open to anyone seeking a place where their complexity will be welcomed.

The greatest lesson I’ve learned is that healing is not about erasing pain, but about cultivating meaning, purpose, clarity, and dignity in the midst of it. That’s what I hope to offer every person I sit with: the reminder that even in impossible times, courage and transformation are still possible.

What I want the world to know is this: I strive to be more than a therapist; my clients find a thoughtful ally who understands what it means to carry loss, navigate cross-cultural life, and find courage. My work is not just about therapy sessions—it’s about creating spaces where people can reclaim their voice, their values, and their dignity. It’s about honoring difference and building connection in a world that often dismisses both. My story is woven into my work, and my hope is always to help others see that even in impossible times, meaning and transformation are still possible.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend were visiting Los Angeles, I’d skip the tourist traps and take them straight to the city’s hidden treasures—the places that hold the soul of LA.

We’d start in nature, because LA is at its most alive on its trails. I’d take them hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains, wandering through Topanga Canyon, or exploring the rugged beauty of the trails in East LA. On a quieter day, we’d head to Eaton Canyon in Altadena or Griffith Park for sweeping views of the city. These are the places where you can feel LA breathe.

Food is another love language here, and I’d want them to taste the resilience and creativity of this city’s immigrant communities. We’d stop at family-owned restaurants in East LA for unforgettable tacos, eat Korean BBQ in Koreatown, enjoy Armenian and Middle Eastern food in Glendale, and support small businesses in South LA that have rebuilt after hardship, including the wildfires. Each meal would be a story of survival, culture, and joy.

For art and culture, I’d take them to the Arts District to wander through galleries and street murals, to the Getty or LACMA for a world-class afternoon, and to a Shakespeare in the Park performance under the stars. We’d catch a poetry reading at Beyond Baroque in Venice or a local open mic in Highland Park. One evening, we’d hear live classical music at Walt Disney Concert Hall—a reminder that LA’s heartbeat isn’t just Hollywood, it’s art in every form.

The week would be a blend of trails, hidden cafés, community restaurants, music, poetry, and the quiet beauty of LA’s overlooked corners. In my view, that’s the real Los Angeles: not just the glamour, but the resilience, the creativity, and the countless cultures that make this city feel alive.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I owe a heartfelt shoutout to all of my supervisors and mentors across every chapter of my career. From my current work as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT), working under supervision at Right Place Counseling and also at Brave Soul Therapy, to my clinical training at Miracle Mile Community Practice and Antioch Community Services; from my volunteer work at the United Nations and community-building role at the United Way of Monterey County, to my early professional experiences at the international law firm Perkins Coie and in advertising at Duncan and Associates—each of them has shaped the professional I am today.

What they all had in common wasn’t just skill or knowledge—it was a commitment to being good people first. They confirmed my already existing value in life: they showed me that no matter what you do for a living, you must stand for what you believe in, act with fairness, humanity, kindness, and ethical integrity. From there, the professional excellence and hard work naturally follow. That lesson has guided me in every role I’ve had and continues to guide me as a therapist today.

Website: https://www.denizfirattherapy.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denizzfirat/

Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/1529619

Image Credits
these are all my photos, taken by me, with my camera. I don’t have photos of what i do because i am a therapist and I cannot display my clients