Eliza Dushku Embarking on 'Her True Calling' After Earning Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling

BOSTON, June 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Former actress Eliza Dushku, now devoted to her "her true calling" as a therapist, furthered that avocation earlier this month by earning an advanced degree in clinical mental health counseling.

Dushku, who had starring roles in several hit television series and successful movies, received her Master of Arts degree from Lesley University in Cambridge on June 6.

"Graduating with my master's degree (!!) feels like more than an achievement—it feels like a deep calling realized," Dushku, 44, posted on her Instagram page. "True growth, energy, and passion—manifested."

Dushku plans to use her education, as well as the knowledge gained through her own healing journey, to help others recover from trauma, addiction, and other mental health issues.

"Today, I stand grounded and ready to support others on their journeys of becoming—through self-discovery, healing, and transformation," she said. "The connectedness I feel in holding safe, compassionate space for those who seek the undertaking is such lifeblood now."

In her post, Dushku thanked her two sons and her husband, Peter Palandjian, the CEO of Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation and a former professional tennis player, "for the little sacrifices made & love you gave, each day to honor and support this dream 🙏." She also expressed gratitude to her friends, classmates, and professors for their encouragement and support.

Dushku stepped away from her acting career in 2017 to begin working toward a new career in mental health counseling. She has become certified in psychedelic assisted therapy.

During the campaign, Dushku said she had previously used psychedelics to foster her own wellness and recovery from past trauma. She and Palandjian added that they were funding research and clinical trials into the potential uses of psychedelics.

"I had the means to shift directions and choose a course in my life that focused on healing myself so that I could help heal others," Dushku told Boston Magazine last year. "I would be remiss if I didn't now share the transformation and the peace and the passion that I have. This is just absolutely so clearly my real calling, my real purpose."

She ended her post with the Latin phrase "Non sibi sed toti," which translates to "not for themselves, but for all," in reference to her shift to a career of helping others overcome trauma.

A Boston native, Dushku starred in the supernatural drama series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and its spin-off series "Angel," as well as in two other series in the genre, FOX's "Tru Calling" and "Dollhouse." Her filmography includes roles in "True Lies," "Bye Bye Love," "Wrong Turn," "On Broadway," and "The Scribbler," among others.

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SOURCE Eliza Dushku