Dr. Sanam Hafeez immigrated to the US from Pakistan when she was 12 years old, and she was the first one in her family in this country to go to college. Though both of her parents were college educated and has an uncle in London who has a master’s in psychology, there was no one to really guide her through the college experience. She started college earlier than her peers (17 years old) and found the freedom of college intoxicating. At first, she thought that she could stay in her room and read all of the books and materials instead of attending classes. She gravitated toward older people, and it was these friends who helped her realize the importance of going to class and educated her on how doctoral programs, and the schools that offer these programs, are the hardest schools to get into. She recalls, “I was very quickly made aware of the fact that I wasn’t going to sail into a program.” In this podcast, Dr. Hafeez shares her interesting and unique journey and offers impactful advice regarding building a successful career in the field of psychology.

Dr. Hafeez earned her PsyD in School-Community Psychology from Hofstra University. Dr. Hafeez is a neuropsychologist, Director & Founder of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services (CCPS) with two locations in NY (one in Manhattan and the other in Queens), and a TV & media medical expert. She is published as a contributing author to The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. She has appeared as an expert guest on The Dr. Oz Show, CNN News, CBS, NBC, and others. Dr. Hafeez is fluent in English, Urdu, Hindi, and Punjabi (Pakistani and Indian languages) and shares how this helped her find opportunities and grow her business.

During our discussion, Dr. Hafeez actively sought out opportunities to set herself up for a very successful academic and professional career. The advice she offers throughout this podcast is practical and impactful. For example, she states, “one of the things that I love to tell everyone, but especially the younger people, [is] that your friends can truly make your or break you.” She knew in high school that she wanted to be a psychologist and was undeterred from that path. Even when her academic advisor at Queens College, where she attended for her undergraduate degree in psychology, laughed at her when she told her that she wanted to get a doctorate in psychology, Dr. Hafeez didn’t let her break her spirit or deter her from her goal. Her advisor stated, “I can’t believe you think you’re going to get into a doctoral program. You’re not going to get into a doctoral program. Your best bet is to get a masters in psychology and then try your luck.” Dr. Hafeez didn’t apply to a single master’s program. Instead, she applied to only three doctoral programs and was accepted into all three of them (Hofstra University, Pace University, Long Island University). She shares a few of the reasons why she selected Hofstra University for her doctorate instead of the other universities.

When opening her own private practice, Dr. Hafeez recalls never “skimping” on hiring help or staff. She states, “I know I could not do everything myself. I knew I needed help with answering phones, making appointments, billing, support staff, people to help with the psychometrics of things. So, I have always hired very generously, compensated generously, and it’s paid me back.” She believes treating people with respect and knowing your own limitations as it “allowed [her] to flourish and grow as a person, as a clinician, it’s helped my evolution.” She grew her practice very organically through hard work and referrals, and eventually got contracts with the City of New York and with the Departments of Education in Long Island, and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties.

We discussed her private practice at length and how fascinating the brain is because it never really takes a rest, even when you are sleeping.