“We will explore thoughts and feelings leading to behavioral patterns that no longer serve you and work toward developing habits that can bring productivity, assurance, and confidence in your ability to live more fully and authentically.”
What was your path to becoming a Licensed Mental Health Counselor?
Even though therapy has felt like a familiar place for many years, it has been a long journey to finally work as a professional in this field. As early as I can remember, I had family members and friends share their stories with me and find comfort in doing so. However, as I grew older and immigrated from Pakistan to the US with my family, my focus shifted to pursuing a career that would land me a lucrative job. That being said, I worked as a computer engineer for over a decade at large corporations. This fulfilled my financial goals but left me feeling dispassionate. As this feeling continued to take more mental space, I began to get in touch with my childhood interest in comforting people through their experiences. At the age of 35, I took a leap, enrolled in a master’s program, and eventually said goodbye to my corporate job. Through this journey, I have learned to be courageous in following my passion and know that change is possible at any stage of life.
What should someone know about working with you?
I offer a person-centered approach in order to understand your perspective on your previous and present experiences. We will explore thoughts and feelings leading to behavioral patterns that no longer serve you and work toward developing habits that can bring productivity, assurance, and confidence in your ability to live more fully and authentically. Having previously worked with clients who have experienced loss, abuse, and other disruptive events in their lives, I am very sensitive to how these experiences can affect and shape future perspectives. In therapy, we will work on understanding these perspectives and uncovering your strengths in the face of adversity.
How do your core values shape your approach to therapy?
As a Muslim woman and a person of color, I understand what it is like to be marginalized and pigeon-holed. As a therapist, I feel it is absolutely my responsibility to prevent that experience from happening to others. Therefore, my approach in therapy honors my client’s worldview and holds the space for them to safely explore their feelings.
“my approach in therapy honors my client’s worldview and holds the space for them to safely explore their feelings.”