Meet Our Team

Dr. Amin Salek, Psy.D.

Dr. Amin Salek’s journey into psychology is deeply personal and professionally unique. After earning his bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from UCSD, he pursued medical studies at UW Madison School of Medicine. However, his own struggles with chronic pain and psychosomatic symptoms led him to explore the profound connection between the mind and body. His introduction to psychosomatic medicine marked a turning point, inspiring him to shift his career focus from medicine to psychology.

Determined to bridge the gap between physical and mental health, Dr. Salek obtained his master’s and doctorate in clinical psychology from Loma Linda University, specializing in health psychology through internship and postdoctoral training. Over the years, he has dedicated his career to understanding and treating chronic pain, psychosomatic symptoms, and the mind-body connection. He has worked with Dr. John Sarno, whose groundbreaking work on psychosomatic medicine and the role of repressed emotions in chronic pain has greatly influenced his clinical approach. Drawing from Sarno’s insights, Dr. Salek integrates psychosomatic medicine, Pain Reprocessing Therapy, and other mind-body interventions into his treatment, empowering individuals to transform pain into strength by addressing both the psychological and physiological components of healing. At iHealth Psychology, he integrates CBT, DBT, ACT, Somatic Experiencing Therapy, Trauma-Focused CBT, and Pain Reprocessing Therapy, offering a holistic, evidence-based approach to recovery.

Clinical Training & Experience

Dr. Salek completed his internship at the Wright Institute’s Integrated Health Psychology Training Program (IHPTP), an APA-accredited site, where he worked as a primary care psychologist in multiple medical clinics. In this role, he collaborated with multidisciplinary teams, including physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers, integrating behavioral health services into medical settings. His work focused on treating chronic pain, psychosomatic symptoms, and co-occurring mental health disorders, using evidence-based approaches to help patients manage their conditions effectively. Through this experience, he gained extensive expertise in health psychology, mind-body interventions, and the intersection of medical and psychological care.

For his postdoctoral training, Dr. Salek joined IMCES, an APA-accredited health psychology postdoctoral program, where he continued to work in multidisciplinary settings alongside physicians, case managers, nurses, and specialists. During this time, he provided care to severely mentally ill (SMI) clients and gained firsthand experience in understanding how diversity, socioeconomic status, and life stressors impact both mental and physical health. His work further reinforced his understanding of how psychosocial factors influence chronic illness, pain, and overall well-being, and he remains committed to providing integrative, holistic care to underserved populations.

Research & Scholarly Contributions

Dr. Salek has been actively engaged in research, contributing to the field of health psychology and clinical supervision. His research projects include:

• The Placebo and Nocebo Phenomena – A Modern Outlook
  Doctoral Dissertation, defended October 1, 2021,

  • Published in the International Journal of Neurobiology
    Read Here

• Exploring the Effectiveness of the Innovative Multifaceted Supervision Model: A Correlational Analysis Between Supervisor and Supervisee Perspectives – A Mixed Methods Study

  • Presented at the International Interdisciplinary Conference on Clinical Supervision on June 17, 2024
    IMCES, Los Angeles, CA

• Evaluating and Enhancing the PIER Model: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Early Detection and Prevention of Psychosis, IMCES, Los Angeles, CA

Teaching & Training

Dr. Salek is also committed to teaching and training future healthcare professionals. He serves as a guest lecturer at the Wright Institute’s IHPTP, educating new intern cohorts on psychosomatic medicine, the psychology of pain, and Pain Reprocessing Therapy. Additionally, he has delivered multiple presentations to physicians on the impact of psychosomatic symptoms and effective strategies for addressing them in clinical practice.