Meet Racha Fares

We were lucky to catch up with Racha Fares recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Racha with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

Short answer: my father. I’ve always been competitive, especially in college, where I thrived on the challenge of outshining my peers in any academic contest. But when it came to my first job after graduation, I was thrown into a whole new arena. I’d never worked a day in my life before, and suddenly I found myself nervous, unsure, and easily intimidated by authority figures. The workplace felt like a strange world where my usual drive for excellence seemed out of place.
I come from a culture where respect for authority is paramount. Growing up, I watched my father command a room effortlessly, leading his factory and side businesses with a mix of love and respect that inspired everyone around him. But in the office, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my eagerness for growth and my desire to be assertive might come off as disrespectful or aggressive. So, I often held back, nervous to speak up to my superiors.
It wasn’t until I spent longer in the same job that I began to feel more at ease, realizing that I could voice my ideas without sacrificing respect. Still, I wasn’t fully confident. But then something changed. I became my own boss.
That’s when I saw my true leadership style emerge. I was no longer just following someone else’s rules. I became the type of boss I’d always admired: firm but fair, loving but strong. I didn’t have to choose between being compassionate and being competent. And in those moments of success, when my father would give me a proud nod and say, “Great job, that was the best way to handle that,” I realized just how much of his leadership had rubbed off on me.
Now, as I run my practice, I feel incredibly blessed to work with a team that shares the same passion and dedication. We face challenges together, but we always learn and grow from them. Every single person on my team plays a crucial role in making this place run smoothly—and I couldn’t do it without them. The work is fun, even on the tough days, and I feel fortunate to have built something where everyone feels valued and proud of the work we do.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

As a neuropsychologist, I work with patients to help identify neurological diagnoses, that are resulting in cognitive (memory, attention, executive functioning, language, visuospatial, and motor) symptoms. Typically a referral from their medical provider usually their neurologist initiates the process often to help clarify diagnosis and provide recommendations for treatment/care. I see many unique cases but the most common include diagnoses of dementia, traumatic brain injury, seizures, stroke, neurodevelopmental delays, ADHD, and Autism.

Something that makes my training a little different is that I’m also trained in cognitive rehabilitation, which isn’t something most neuropsychologists typically provide unless they choose to add it to their practice. I really enjoy this part of my work because it’s more treatment based which means, I get to spend more time with patients, see their progress, and actually witness meaningful change. It’s very rewarding and helps balance out the diagnostic side of my role, where I usually see patients only a few times for assessment.

Cognitive rehabilitation is often provided by speech pathologists, and they do a fantastic job at it. Therefore, this is a great and often recommended option for my patients. However, in some cases, patients need their treatment to also includes a psychological component alongside the cognitive training to make the intervention more comprehensive and effective; which is where I come in. with this in mind, I only see a select group for cognitive rehabilitation which often includes TBI/PTSD mix and adult patients with late diagnosis of Autism.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I believe that my very early discovery of my career goal as a neuropsychologist helped me gain a lot of specialized training which would have typically been taken up by general psych training. Also, I have been fortunate to participate in many training sites that include both pediatric and adult patients which helped me stay very well rounded in my understanding of neurocognitive symptoms and neurological disorder beginning in early development.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

I like to think I have many sides, and I’m definitely not your typical doctor. I don’t wear my degree on my shoulder, and I don’t see myself as above anyone else. I try to stay humble and really connect with people on a personal level. I think a lot of that comes from having traveled and moved around so much, it’s given me a deep appreciation for people.

I’m someone with a lot of interests, and I try to nurture all of them, even if it can get a little hectic at times. Balance is key for me, it’s about giving time to the things that fulfill me without letting any one area take over. Outside of my passion and work in neuropsychology, I love traveling, hosting big gatherings, decorating and refurbishing vintage furniture, staying active, and focusing on fitness and nutrition, and above all, spending time with family.

To keep that balance, I plan ahead. I usually travel twice a year, once around my birthday and once around Christmas, with one of the two abroad. I love creating one-of-a-kind experiences when I host events so I spend time planning different games and food ideas that match the theme. In my downtime, I unwind by hunting online for vintage furniture or art pieces to add to my collection. I also like to set physical goals for myself, like signing up for a marathon or a fitness competition, it keeps me motivated and accountable. Most importantly, I make sure to spend quality time with my 7-year-old son, focusing on shared experiences rather than just things. That’s really what keeps me grounded and fulfilled.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gulfcoastneuropsych.com