Collaborative and direct.

Collaborative and direct.

I generally utilize a faith-based approach, incorporating Islamic and therapeutic principles with clients who benefit from this.  Research has found that incorporating spirituality and religion into therapy yields positive results.  I will help you explore various effective ways of approaching and responding to the problems you are dealing with.  Through therapy, we will identify symptoms, patterns, concerns, and areas in your life that are causing you distress, and we will work together to develop a plan of action for how to best address these issues.

Seeking a Muslim therapist can help gain a holistic approach to counseling that offers psychological and spiritual help while considering the cultural context.  Some of the main ideas we keep in mind as we navigate the therapeutic process include:

  1. “Allah doesn’t change the condition of a person until he/she changes what is within themselves.”  This verse shows us that change is possible no matter how stuck you feel;
  2. moving forward typically involves changing how we think and behave in response to past or current events in our lives;
  3. Allah created each of us with emotions.  The feelings you experience are a natural part of life and deserve our attention; and
  4. We are not held accountable for our thoughts and emotions, but we are held accountable for our actions, and these are within our control.  We can learn skills to deal with uncomfortable feelings and challenging situations more effectively.

More specifically, I use various techniques to help my clients meet their goals and tailor my treatment approach to suit the needs of each client.  I also emphasize treatment methods that are supported by the latest research findings.  While the specific techniques I use in therapy vary with the needs of our clients, I primarily use a combination of cognitive-behavioral (CBT), interpersonal therapy, and solution-focused therapy.  These have been summarized below to give you a better idea of what they mean:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is an action-oriented, practical process that helps clients regain control over their lives and the issues they face.  It is based on the premise that our thoughts can either positively or negatively impact our feelings and behaviors.  It is not necessarily our circumstances that most strongly determines how we think, feel and behave.  Instead, how we interpret what happens to us determines how we feel and believe about ourselves, our lives, and the world around us.  Every single one of us has biased, unhelpful, and inaccurate ways of looking at the world at times.  It’s a natural part of being human and how our brains process information.  The good news is that it is completely possible to learn to change our ways of thinking that cause us problems and interfere with our lives.  The goal is to help you to view your experience in a more accurate and balanced manner.  Our work will also include exploring behaviors that are interfering with your attainment of life goals and will address these in ways that will contribute to your growth.
  • Interpersonal Psychotherapy: Relational psychotherapy focuses on problems in a person’s relationships that create distress and negatively impact their life and psychological well-being.  Problematic patterns in current and/or past relationships may be explored to increase awareness of how these interactions have contributed to current issues.  Once we are aware of these patterns, we will work to address them by gaining new ways to deal with the people and situations in your life.
  • Solution-Focused Therapy: Solution-focused therapy focuses on solution-building rather than problem-solving.  It explores current resources, future hopes, and specific goals to work on in therapy.  Through this approach, we focus on taking achievable steps to guide you toward the life that you want to lead- one that is fulfilling and filled with contentment.

Here is what to expect.

Here is what to expect.


1

Psychological assessment in a safe and confidential environment

Identifying negative patterns or cycles in thoughts and behaviors is essential in therapy. Our first step is to understand the present issues that led you to seek counseling, including the different relationships in your life and any past concerns that may be impacting you presently.


2

Creating goals by carefully considering what you want

Once we’ve figured out the problem, we need to figure out ways to address it. Early in the process, we will decide on goals that will lead you to a happier and more fulfilling life by eradicating negative patterns and replacing them with healthier ones.


3

Evaluating progress to provide insight into the impact of therapy

In every session after that, we will assess the progress that you’re making in reaching your therapeutic goals to ensure that you are on track toward achieving peace and happiness.


4

Termination of therapy and the beginning of the new you!

We will gradually conclude our therapy sessions by stretching out our sessions to ensure that you have the support you need to confidently apply what we’ve learned together in your daily life.