How she works
Licensed and accountable
Najla Sallum is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Florida license #SW19846, practicing under Chapter 491 of the Florida Statutes, with more than fourteen years of clinical experience.
Three languages, no interpreter
Evaluations run directly in English, Português, or Español. Your words reach the report without passing through a third person.
Cultural awareness in practice
Immigration stories cross cultures, and the evaluation respects that: how families are structured, how distress is expressed, and how much courage it takes to talk about either.
Trauma-informed, always
Interviews move at a humane pace. Nobody is pushed to relive events, and difficulty remembering is treated as a clinical reality, not a problem with you.
Accuracy over advocacy
The report says what the clinical findings support, no more and no less. That independence is exactly what makes it worth filing.
Communication you can count on
Families get answers in plain language, in English, Português, or Español, from the first call to the last question after the report arrives. You will always know what stage your evaluation is in and what, if anything, is needed from you.
Attorneys get a responsive clinical partner: the referral question confirmed before the interview, honest timing estimates, and a report organized so it can be read quickly and cited cleanly.
Want the fuller picture?
Common questions, answered
What families and attorneys ask about the evaluator.
Who conducts the evaluation?
Najla Sallum, LCSW, personally conducts every evaluation interview and writes every report. There is no rotating staff; the clinician you speak with on the first call is the one who evaluates you.
What is her role at Aurora Counseling?
Najla is the founder of Aurora Counseling and Wellness Center and its evaluating clinician for immigration matters. She also provides therapy, which stays separate from the evaluation role.
How does she work with attorneys?
Directly and promptly: confirming the referral question before the interview, flagging timing risks early, and answering questions after the report is delivered. Attorneys can call the office themselves to scope a case.
Does she decide the outcome of my case?
No. The evaluator documents clinical findings; USCIS, the immigration judge, or the consular officer decides the case. That boundary is stated plainly because it is what keeps the report credible.
Where can I read more about her background?
The full professional profile lives on this site, along with a hub of free preparation tools and resources for families considering an evaluation.