Campus Directory
Sahar Al-Najjar
| Title: | Adjunct Faculty |
| Email: | alnajjar@sxu.edu |
| Department: | Psychology |
Biography
Sahar Al-Najjar is an adjunct professor of psychology at Saint Xavier University and Concordia University. She is a clinical psychology doctoral candidate at Adler University. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Governors State University (2018), master's degree in counseling from Loyola University (2021), and second master's degree in clinical psychology from Adler University (2023). Al-Najjar is the recipient of the 2023 and 2024 Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois Fellowship and the 2023 Albert Schweitzer Fellowship. As a clinical psychologist in training, Al-Najjar has clinical experience working in diverse settings, including community mental health, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, outpatient VA medical centers, and university counseling centers. Her current research focuses on immigrant and refugee populations and centering the lived experiences and voices of marginalized communities. Al-Najjar has been a committee member of the Illinois Childhood Trauma Coalition’s Committee on Refugee and Immigrant Children and Trauma since 2019.
Education
M.A. in Clinical Psychology
Adler University
M.A. in Counseling
Loyola University
Areas of Specialization
- Multicultural Psychology
- Health Psychology
- Liberation Psychology
- Decolonial Psychology
- Humanistic Psychology
- Trauma Psychology
- Psychoanalytic Diagnosis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy
Courses Taught
- PSYCH 361: Introduction to Clinical and Counseling Psychology
- PSYCH 397: Internship
Selected Honors/Awards
2024 Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois Fellowship, Illinois Board of Higher Education
2024 Adler University Psi Chi Chapter, The International Honor Society in Psychology
2023 Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois Fellowship, Illinois Board of Higher Education
2023 Eleventh Annual Multifaceted Themes of Diversity Conference Award, Adler University
2023 Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, Health and Medicine Policy Research Group
2022 Professional Development Research Travel Scholarship, Adler University
2021 Doctoral Merit Scholarship, Adler University
2020 School of Education Scholarship, Loyola University Chicago
2020 Thirtheenth Annual Graduate Research Symposium Award of Excellence for Outstanding Presentation in Social Sciences, Loyola University Chicago
2017 National Dean’s Honors, Governors State University
Presentations/Publications/Productions
PUBLICATIONS
Al-Najjar, S., Amos D., Parikh R. (2023). “Working Towards Prevention Rather than Pathology.” In S. Chao, and K. Wilson (Ed.), Facilitating Social Justice, Service Delivery, and Advocacy Through Multicultural Counseling Competencies Textbook (pp. 257-270). IGI Global.
Al-Najjar, S., Colburn, S., Palmer, G. (2023). “A Decolonial Framework to Addressing Clinical Care: Bridging Community and Clinical Psychology.” The Community Psychologist, 56 (1), 5-6.
Al-Najjar, S., Kayyal, A., Khaled N., Masud, H. (2022). “Remembering the Life and Legacy of Ibrahim Makkawi.” The Global Journal of Community Psychology, 13 (1).
PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS
Al-Najjar, S. (September 2024) “At the Intersection of Human Rights and Psychological Health: Examining the Impact of Intergenerational Trauma from Structural Violence.” Presented at the Fifth Annual AMENA-PSY Virtual Conference.
Al-Najjar, S., Amos D., Parikh R. (June 2023) “Clinical Care with Middle Eastern/North African Communities.” Presented at the 19th Biennial Conference of the Society for Research and Action (Division 27), Morehouse College, Atlanta, Ga.
Al-Najjar, S., Amos D., Parikh R. (May 2023) “Inclusion not Isolation: Implementing Cultural Competence within Clinical Praxis.” Presented at Adler University’s 11th Annual Multifaceted Themes of Diversity Conference, Chicago, Ill.
Al-Najjar, S., Amos D., El Moghrabi H., Parikh R. (August 2022) “Decolonizing Clinical Care with Diverse Populations.” Presented at the American Psychological Association Convention 2022, Society of Clinical Psychology (APA Division 12), Minneapolis, Minn.
Al-Najjar, S., Amos D., El Moghrabi H., Parikh R. (February 2022) “Etiology of Discrimination: Working Towards Prevention Rather than Pathology.” Presented at the 39th Annual Winter Roundtable Conference, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City, N.Y.
Al-Najjar, S. and Kaundinya, P. (March 2021) “Clinicians from Marginalized Backgrounds: Epistemic Discrimination in Training and Practice.” Presented at Loyola University’s Annual Interdisciplinary Graduate Research Symposium, Chicago, Ill.
Al-Najjar, S. (June 2020) “Trauma Healing: An Intersectional Approach to Integrative Care in
Minority Mental Health Communities.” Presented at Loyola University’s Annual Interdisciplinary Graduate Research Symposium, Chicago, Ill.
Al-Najjar, S. (March 2020) “Social Justice Approaches to Intergenerational Trauma within Minority Mental Health.” Presented at Loyola University’s Student Diversity and Multicultural Affair’s Social Justice Symposium, Chicago, Ill.
Al-Najjar, S. (May 2019) “Arab American Mental Health Disparities and Culturally Sensitive
Interventions.” Presented at the 14th Annual Statewide Summit for Bilingual Parents, Oak Brook, Ill.
Al-Najjar, S. (September 2018) “Understanding Trauma within Immigrant and Refugee Communities.” Presented at the Fifth Annual Mental Health Conference at Prairie State College, Chicago Heights, Ill.