Hello and welcome! I'm glad you're here.
Whatever path brought you here, it’s important to know that experiencing challenges in different areas of our lives is a human experience. Many of us (myself included) find ourselves needing support as we navigate these difficulties. Sometimes that support can be our family and friends, and other times, we need someone who might have some more knowledge to offer that can walk alongside us as we figure out what we need to do next.
As a clinician, I believe that people are the experts in their own lives and have within them the strength and the capacity to enact change. I see that my responsibility as a therapist is to first, create and hold space for people who are going through something that may feel vulnerable and difficult to experience. In this space, my intention is to sit with my clients as they share their stories, feel their feelings, and process their challenges. My role is to help empower people to explore their own values and beliefs and to begin making changes that will allow them to live in alignment with those values and beliefs. I hope to support my clients in writing their own life stories and developing authentic fulfilling relationships.
I have over 17 year of experience working with children & youth and individuals & families around various issues including trauma, grief, family relationships/conflict, parenting support, depression and anxiety to name a few. I approach my work firstly through a trauma-informed lens. This means that I recognize the impact of trauma (intergeneration and/or present) on our daily lives and experiences, and I strive to ensure that my space is safe and that my work is collaborative and consensual. I also work from an attachment lens, meaning that I understand that we as humans are social beings, we exist in relationships, and as such, our relationships, good, bad, or ugly can have a profound impact on how we exist in and navigate our world. I draw on other treatment modalities as they fit with my clients.
Finally and perhaps most importantly, I recognize the role that our identities play in how we experience life. As a racialized, Muslim woman, I know that my identity impacts not only how I navigate the world but also how the world experiences me. My cultural background also influences the experiences I have and how I am impacted by the things that are happening around me, both locally and globally. In addition, I recognize that a lot of what we know about psychology is based on a Euro-Western lens, and that doesn't always fit for all of us. So in my work with my clients, I am on a journey of decolonizing my approach to mental health. This simply means that I am integrating culture, community, and awareness of the systemic realities that impact our existence into the conversation. It means that I know that there are many different definitions of healing, and there are just as many paths to get there, and I am honoured to be on this journey with my clients.
Aside from therapy, one of my favourite roles is that of clinical supervisor. I've been providing supervision for provisional psychologists since 2019, and I love it. I was blessed to have had really great supervision as I was first starting this work. It made such a difference for me in my learning and growth, and I appreciate the opportunity to pay it forward. I believe that a strong supervisory relationship can make an incredible difference for clinicians that are just beginning on this path, and it can lead to them knowing themselves more, feeling more grounded in themselves and in the values they have around the work that they're doing, and feeling more prepared and confident to be a kind and ethical clinician.
Additionally, I have experience in the areas of professional development and consulting. I have worked with a variety of professionals and organizations around topics related to mental health and wellness, as well as cultural diversity, including around working with immigrant and refugee families, and with Muslim families.
Finally, I want to acknowledge that if you haven’t done it before (or even if you have), the journey to starting counselling/therapy may feel scary and daunting, especially since for all intents and purposes, I am a stranger to you. In order to remedy that, I’d like to share a bit about who I am.
I am a Muslim, Black woman of Sudanese heritage. I grew up in a family of 5 girls (yes that’s a lot of female energy but we survived each other!) and I’m blessed that I have a close relationship with my sisters now as adults. We’re split between here in Calgary and in Ontario. I am also a foster parent and a dog mom to the fluffiest most loveable puppy ever! In my down time I spend time with my loved ones, I read, and I’ve more recently gotten into baking. To balance that out I enjoy being active outdoors, I love kayaking and I go rock climbing (mostly indoors but I’m finding my courage to do it more outdoors). I also love traveling, and my most recent adventure was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania!
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading. I look forward to learning more about how I can be of service.