ONLINE CONFERENCE
‘a different therapeutic world’
Hosted
by Sabnum Dharamsi & Abdullah Maynard
Conference Guide
Conference Hosts
Conference
Speakers
Conference Sponsors
Coffee and Dhikr? What is Dhikr?
Dhikr (Arabic: ﺮﻛذ) is the Islamic practice of remembrance of God (Allah) through repetitive chanting, prayer, or invocation It involves the recitation of specific phrases such as verses from the Quran or names of God, often accompanied by deep reflection and mindfulness. The most common form of Dhikr includes reciting the phrase “SubhanAllah” (Glory be to God), “Alhamdulillah” (Praise be to God), and “Allahu Akbar” (God is the Greatest), but there are numerous other expressions and prayers used in different spiritual contexts
Dhikr is not merely a vocal exercise; it is a spiritual practice aimed at cultivating awareness of and connection with the Divine. It is believed to purify the heart and soul, enhance selfawareness, and create a sense of peace and tranquility In Sufi traditions, Dhikr is often performed in groups sometimes with rhythmic movement and music, creating a communal space for spiritual elevation and transcendence.
For many Muslims the practice of Dhikr plays a central role in Islamic spirituality, helping individuals develop a deeper awareness of God’s presence in their daily lives. It is a way of countering distractions and the ego, fostering a state of humility and gratitude.
conference that centres a different way of being Islam: Therapy,Spirituality&Politics
A
Stephen Maynard & Associates, The Lateef Project and Onlinevents are delighted to welcome you to this conference addressing Islam, Muslim mental health, and the reality of both the politics and spirituality of these things. This conference welcomes all practitioners and others who share concerns or interested in these concerns at this time.
This is an online conference combining keynote speakers and Q&A. The Conference is set over Friday night and Saturday to accommodate participants in the Northern Hemisphere from Europe and the Americas. With this and the knowledge that Muslim participants will pray at different times across the globe we ask that Muslim participants please note the ample times given to Q&A after each presentation and use these times accordingly for prayer.
Our aim is to start a conversation concerning Islam and Muslims, therapy, spirituality and politics (geopolitics and domestic), to:
Share and explore Islamic conceptions of self and well-being, that can challenge normative conceptions enabling development in the field as a whole.
Facilitate professional awareness, reflection upon and action regarding the political and systemic realities that weather Muslim mental well-being.
Promote better informed practice through sharing the work of experts in the field.
Promote Islamic Psychological and other appropriate service provision and training. And support students and therapists engaging in this work.
Context of the conference
For over a generation, Muslims in Europe and the Americas have been living lives within the context of a war on Islamic Fundamentalism which at times has been experienced as a war on Islam and everything related to the authentic beingness of being Muslim.
In this time Muslims have experienced increasing levels of sexism, racism & Islamophobia These realities have been both experienced in wider society through interactions with ‘the ordinary public’ and in interactions with the state its institutions the media and with this knowledge production and propaganda.
At the same time societal popularist politics have focussed attention on, and othered Muslims, accompanied by geopolitical pressures caused by both international natural disasters (for example the 2024 Turkey earthquake) and wars and conflicts including in Sudan and Myanmar and the ongoing ‘conflict’ in Gaza.
Such things impact mental well-being in complex ways.
Faced with these realities many of our clients either gain strength from their faith or are faced with existential crises. There is a need for healing. Healing of minds and hearts.
Like universities, mental health provision existed in the Islamic world centuries before Europe and the Western world.
Although neocolonialism continues to threaten to erase the depth and strength of Islamic understandings of well-being, clients, scholars, students and practitioners persistently find historical and present potential to bring to mind and heart visions and memories of a richer ontology, no longer just of mind, but of soul.
Islam:Therapy,Spirituality&Politics
‘a different therapeutic world’
Conference Speakers
Ramzia Akbari Noor
Waheeda Islam
S ohr
Myira Khan
Hooman Keshavarzi
Dr Tarek Younis
Conference Sponsors
Islamic counselling is centred in the understanding that people matter; as such it is deeply spiritual and therefore personal. There are many different models of counselling, and even different versions of Islamic Counselling, but our Islamic counselling is based on the truth that there is more to human beings than what’s on the surface.
We look out for your deeper spiritual centre, found in every newborn human, called the fitra. Painful experiences and the pressures of life can block out or dull the fitra. Islamic guidance and counselling is designed to help the individual to find their own fitra, to hear their inner voice, by clearing the veils that so easily cloud our hearts, allowing the light of clarity to shine.
Our vision is to help establish communities in which people live in spiritual and psychological health and wellbeing, and where they feel empowered to live their life as they wish to in relationship with the divine, free from mental ill-health and psychological oppression.
The Lateef Project is the longest running Islamic Counselling service in the Northern Hemisphere. Based in the United Kingdom we provide services in London and Birmingham to Muslim communities and others who are marginalised by secular statutory mental health provision.
The Lateef Project provides Islamic Counselling and Islamic Psychotherapy to Muslims and others who experience common mental health problems such as anxiety depression or PTSD. We also work to improve statutory mental health provision in England as well as mental health awareness among Muslims.
The Lateef Project is about the business of:
“Not only the systemic improvement of Muslim mental health but primarily the embodiment of the psychospiritual reality of Islam in the current lived reality through psychotherapeutic work, in such a way as to facilitate psychospiritual growth and well-being.”
Working in partnership with Stephen Maynard & Associates the Lateef Project also facilitates the training of Islamic Counsellors trained in the Dharamsi Maynard model through placements and supervision.
The Lateef Project does not charge for counselling believing that appropriate mental health provision form Muslims and the wider community should be free at the point of use in line with the NHS Constitution.
The Lateef Project has:
Demonstrated the greater efficacy of Islamic Counselling than CBT in the short term and the enduring impact of Islamic Counselling on client’s use of health services in the long term.
Provided services nationally during the covid-19 pandemic in relation to both Muslim bereavement and support of Muslim NHS frontline staff.
Provided in ‘situ’ mental health counselling for Afghan sanctuary seekers in hotels following the evacuation of British troops and support staff from Kabul.
Global Relief Trust
Team GRT – Our Humble Beginnings
The spark that ignited our organisation started in 2009 when a group of friends set out on a charity deployment. They witnessed first-hand the inhumane condition of those suffering over a period of 23 days. Acknowledging the fact that millions more people lived like this all across the world, Global Relief Trust (GRT) was born.
From humble beginnings, GRT has helped millions of people around the world through food distribution, safe water projects, construction of homes, schools, and medical centres and vulnerable children programmes. We operate in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Palestine,Yemen, Lebanon, Kashmir, Malawi, Tanzania, and the Rohingya refugees.
Ourvision
Strivingtoeradicatepovertyandtobringhope,empowerment,relieftothe vulnerable,fosteringlastingchangeandpreservinghumandignity.
Ourmission
Ouraimistoachievemaximumimpactandmeaningfulchangebyreducingthe impactofconflictsandnaturaldisastersontheworld’smostvulnerablepeopleand communities.Wealsoprovidelastingroutesoutofpoverty,empoweringpeople andcommunitiestotransformtheirlivesandconditionstoflourish.Wevisualisea caringworldwherewebelievethatthevulnerableandneedyneedtobeserved regardlessofrace,gender,belief,andpoliticalpersuasion.
Ourvalues
Compassion
Attheheartofourethosliesaprofoundappreciationforthewell-beingand protectionofeachindividual,acknowledgingtheintrinsicvaluetheyhold.Our unwaveringcommitmenttocompassionservesasadrivingforce,compellingusto alleviatesufferingandrelentlesslystrivetoeliminatehardship,allwhileupholding theinherentdignityofthoseweserve.
Excellence
Evident in every facet of our mission is an unyielding dedication to combatting poverty. The exceptional calibre of aid we extend to our beneficiaries speaks volumes of this commitment. Fuelled by an earnest aspiration to alleviate suffering, we persistently seek out innovative and efficacious solutions, each designed to create a truly meaningful impact on the lives of those we endeavour to uplift.
Impartiality
Our support is a testament to our unwavering belief in equality. It transcends all boundaries of gender, colour, creed, race, religion, or political persuasion. With an unshakeable conviction in providing assistance justly and without prejudice, we ensure that every individual in need is embraced by our aid, receiving the support they rightfully deserve.
Accountability
We hold accountability and transparency as cornerstones of our organisational identity. Our commitment to openness and honesty in our endeavours is paramount, as we navigate both triumphs and challenges with equal candour. Through maintaining robust lines of communication, we cultivate trust and cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with all those who contribute to and engage in our mission.
Justice
In our pursuit of justice, we champion fairness, equality, and the inherent dignity of every individual We strive to rectify systemic injustices, fostering a world where basic human rights are upheld. Our commitment extends beyond charity to empower communities, ensuring they flourish in an environment defined by equity.
Advocacy
Advocacy is the heartbeat of our humanitarian mission. We tirelessly amplify the voices of the marginalised, advocating for policies that dismantle barriers and promote inclusivity. Through strategic engagement, we inspire change, fostering a global community that recognises and addresses the needs of the most vulnerable with compassion and urgency.
2024 was a BIG year for GRT in more ways than one, we stepped into Supporting Mental Health & Well-Being Locally and Internationally
Global Relief Trust & Quranic Insights are passionate advocates for mental health and well-being, committed to fostering resilience and emotional support within our communities. Grounded in compassion and faith, our mission is to raise awareness, break the stigma around mental health, and provide holistic resources that nurture the mind, body, and soul. Together, we strive to create a safe, understanding environment where individuals can thrive and find the strength to overcome life’s challenges.
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri and Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that."
Addressing the mental health needs of Muslim women requires a multifaceted approach that respects cultural and religious contexts while providing comprehensive and accessible care. Collaboration between religious leaders, mental health professionals, and community organizations is essential to create supportive environments that foster mental well-being.
We hosted our first ever mental health conference for women because we believe it is vital to provide safe and supportive environments where women can openly discuss the unique challenges they face.
We aim to contribute to breaking the silence around mental health conditions and struggles within the community whilst also addressing cultural and religious sensitivities.
Ultimately, we hope it fosters a sense of belonging, provides some psychoeducation (with an Islamic lens) and empowers women to seek the support they deserve to thrive mentally and spiritually.
Rubbia A-Global Relief Trust-Mental Health Ambassador
Mental health awareness in the Muslim community is an essential but often underdiscussed topic. Historically, mental health has been stigmatized in many cultures, including within Muslim communities, where the concept of mental illness has sometimes been misunderstood or minimized. However, in recent years, there has been growing recognition of the importance of mental health and a shift toward greater openness in discussing mental health issues.
2025 we have kept our promise and will be continuing our work in Mental Health…………….
The Muslim, State and Mind
Psychology in Times of Islamophobia
Mental health is positioned as the cure-all for society’s discontents, from pandemics to terrorism. But psychology and psychiatry are not apolitical, and neither are Muslims. This book unpacks where the politics of the psydisciplines and the politics of Muslims overlaps, demonstrating how psychological theories and practices serve State interests and perpetuate inequality especially racism and Islamophobia. Viewing the psydisciplines from the margins, this book illustrates how these necessarily serve the State in the production of loyal, low-risk and productive citizens, offering a modern discussion of three paradigms underlying the psydisciplines: neoliberalism, security and the politics of mental health.
Dr Tarek Younis
View Book Details
Islam:Therapy,Spirituality&Politics
‘a different therapeutic world’
Conference Hosts
Conference Host Sabnum Dharamsi
Sabnum Dharamsi is a pioneer in the field of Islamic Counselling having co-founded Islamic Counselling in 1996. She leads the counselling and psychotherapy training in this model having, in 1998, alongside her co-partner, developed Europe’s first accredited training in Islamic Counselling, inspired by a lifelong apprenticeship to Sufi Teacher Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri. Her efforts have been recognized as visionary, shaping the field through theoretical development and application, teaching, talks, writing, and social media. Sabnum was also the first convener for the Islamic Counselling module at Cambridge Muslim College, providing imams and alimiyyahs with both contemporary and traditional knowledge for over a decade, under the leadership of Sheikh Abdul Hakim Murad (Professor Tim Winter), and has recently facilitated a pilot counselling programme for Islamic Scholars with the Al Salam Institute.
Sabnum’s dedication to social justice extends beyond the therapy room She was Chair of the Muslim Women and Families Helpline for 10 years and was also the Head Facilitator for the Academy of Self Knowledge, an international online academy founded by Sufi Master Shaykh Fadhlalla Haeri, where she worked for over a decade.
Sabnum is also qualified in learning and development, with extensive experience in training and organizational development across diverse sectors. She has worked on numerous leadership development programs; and has designed and delivered training in counselling skills for social services departments, as well as supported initiatives around Looked After Children and Women and Girls at Risk of Exploitation.
Her work in education and professional development includes delivering HIV and Counselling training and development for African communities in London for over seven years during the HIV pandemic. She led Action Learning Sets for the Pan London HIV Network and has contributed to numerous projects in the addictions field Before developing the Islamic Counselling model, Sabnum and her partner created the Counselling in the Context of Racism course the first of its kind in the UK This pioneering course was designed to offer a supportive environment for students of colour and provided what is now considered a decolonial approach to therapy.
Sabnum is a co-author of the article “Our therapeutic direction is towards Light”: transcendence and a non-secular politics of difference in Islamic Counselling training (Dharamsi & Liberatore, 2024), published in the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute. Based on ethnographic research in Islamic Counselling training, this article explores the ways in which this model trains students to engage with relational differences through non-secular notions of reality, the self, and its relation to multiple others. As Sabnum and her co-author write:
“Differences are made sense of through notions of ‘worldview’ and ‘journey’ that go beyond categories of culture, religion, and race, and while these differences are similarly ‘acknowledged’, there is also the possibility of surpassing them through an experiential process of ‘witnessing’ Islamic Counselling’s therapeutic goal, therefore, is not the forging of a pious self, but transcendence: the establishing of a deeply felt understanding of Oneness or Truth”
Sabnum is also the author of “How do Muslims survive and thrive within secular and prejudicial spaces? The Authentic Voice as an act of resistance in Islamic Counselling training” (2022), published in the BPS Psychotherapy Section Review Wherein she explores the concept of the “Authentic Voice” as a powerful act of resistance within the secular and prejudiced spaces that many Muslim clients navigate. She writes:
“The ‘Authentic Voice’ within Islamic Counselling is not merely an expression of self, but a declaration of resistance to the secular and often hostile environments in which Muslims are compelled to survive and thrive. It is through the assertion of this voice, grounded in spiritual, cultural, and personal integrity, that clients can reclaim their narratives, resist marginalization, and navigate the therapeutic space with a sense of agency and dignity”
Sabnum is also co-author of the chapter Islamic Interventions in Counseling Muslims, which is featured in the first edition of Counseling Muslims: An Introduction to Theory and Practice. Additionally, Sabnum is working on a forthcoming chapter titled “Can Islamic Counselling be part of Decolonising Therapeutic Curricula?” In this piece, she critically examines the potential for Islamic Counselling to contribute to decolonial approaches in therapeutic training and practice.
Sabnum has recently been invited to be a regular contributor to Thresholds Magazine (BACP), where she writes the column Walking Lightly.
Through her work, both in clinical practice and as a supervisor, Sabnum challenges traditional therapeutic paradigms, advocating for practices that confront systemic inequities, challenge Eurocentric approaches, and honour the lived experiences of othered groups. She believes that therapy must engage with the broader societal structures of privilege and oppression to create truly transformative healing spaces.
Conference Host
Stephen Abdullah Maynard
Stephen Abdullah Maynard, co-founder of the Dharamsi Maynard model of Islamic Counselling is a significant figure in the field of counselling and psychotherapy, specializing in Islamic-based interventions and mental health provisions for Muslim & minority communities. A student of a sufi teacher for decades he has a deep commitment to addressing the psycho-spiritual well-being of Muslims, Maynard has contributed significantly to the academic and practical discourse surrounding therapeutic frameworks for Muslim clients in secular and often prejudicial spaces.
In his article “The Racism You Know is Not the Racism We Experience: A Perspective on Islamophobia and Racism Concerning the Therapeutic Frame”, published in Psychotherapy & Politics International, Maynard explores the distinct challenges Muslims face in mental health settings, urging therapists to reconsider their approaches and adapt to the unique experiences of their Muslim clients He argues that understanding the intersection of racism, Islamophobia, and mental health is crucial in creating more inclusive therapeutic environments.
Maynard’s scholarly work extends to the development and advocacy of Islamic counselling as a valid and effective approach to mental health care. In his recent article in BIMA Journal of the British Islamic Medical Association, Quantitative Evidence Supporting the Efficacy of Islamic Counselling, he presents compelling evidence for the effectiveness of faith-based therapeutic interventions, calling for a rethinking of mental health provisions for UK Muslims. He emphasizes that Islamic counselling can offer valuable resources for those seeking support that aligns with their faith and cultural values.
His chapter, “Addressing Mental Health Through Islamic Counselling: A Faith-Based Therapeutic Intervention” in British Muslims, Ethnicity and Health Inequalities (2023), edited by Sufyan Dogra, further expands on this theme, offering a framework for understanding how Islamic counselling can address the unique mental health challenges faced by Muslims in the West, as well as insights into some of the diverse presentations of common mental health problems among Muslims.
In “Therapeutic Work with Afghan Refugees in the Context of the 2021 Evacuation”; coauthored with Ramzia Akbari Noor, Akbar Noor and Maynard examine the complex emotional and psychological struggles faced by Afghan refugees and discusses how culturally competent therapeutic practices can offer essential support during times of crisis. Similarly, his article “Thinking Differently About Racism, Refugees, and Anger in Counselling and Psychotherapy” in the Journal of Critical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy reflects his broader interest in how racial, cultural, and socio-political factors intersect with mental health, urging practitioners to reconsider traditional therapeutic models.
Maynard is an advocate of the authentic client voice in therapeutic practice. In How do Muslims Survive and Thrive within Secular, often Prejudicial Spaces (BPS Psychotherapy section Review 2022), he explores the extent to which Muslims can self-reflect, and ‘openly’ present their selves in therapy that is discriminatory, as they plot their course to a personal sense of well-being
He contends that for many Muslims, their faith is not only a source of resilience but also a crucial tool for resistance against the marginalization they face in society.
In addition to his academic and clinical contributions, Maynard has co-authored with Sabnum Dharamsi in “Islamic-Based Interventions” in Counseling Muslims: Handbook of Mental Health Issues and Interventions (Routledge, 2011), providing an essential guide for therapists seeking to integrate Islamic principles into their practice. Their second edition of this chapter is currently under review.
Co-Founder of the Lateef Project and its chairperson since 2010, Maynard also wrote the Muslim Mental Health Scoping Report for the UK Department of Health He is a practitioner, a supervisor and tutor In addition to counselling and mental health work, he has worked in the fields of addictions, HIV/AIDS, and juvenile justice.
Maynard’s work is deeply committed to the idea that mental health interventions must be spiritually appropriate, culturally relevant and sensitive to the experiences of diverse communities. Through his writings and teaching, he advocates for a more inclusive, compassionate, and faith-aware approach to therapy, especially for Muslim clients navigating the complexities of identity, racism, and mental health in the contemporary world.
Conference Host
John Wilson
I am a co-founder and Director at Onlinevents, dedicated to democratising learning in the helping professions. We host the world's first and largest video learning library akin to "Netflix" for these professions.
Additionally, I serve as a Director at Temenos Education and lead the Counselling & Psychotherapy Programme Our focus is on nurturing students to become their most potent selves, both personally and professionally
With over 20 years of experience, I currently manage a private practice as a Psychotherapist and Supervisor, offering services through video, text chat, and virtual environments.
I also facilitate groups and am involved in the Going Global and La Jolla programmes, rooted in Carl Rogers' Encounter Group movement. I am a past Chair and now an Honorary Fellow at the Association for Counselling & Therapy Online (ACTO). I have served on the board of the World Association for Person Centered & Experiential Psychotherapy & Counselling for 6 years.
Islam:Therapy,Spirituality&Politics
‘a different therapeutic world’
Conference
Speakers & Presentation Details
Manifestation and Spiritually Integrated Treatment of OCD Scrupulosity (Waswasa) in Muslim Patients
Hooman Keshavarzi
The expressions of the symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder vary according to the socio-psychological context of patients. In religiously observant populations, OCD symptoms can interact with religious beliefs and practices, known as OCD scrupulosity. The literature is replete with discussions of OCD scrupulosity for Jews and Christian, but minimal research is available on its interaction with Islamic belief in Muslim populations. This paper details some of the most common manifestations of OCD scrupulosity known as waswasa in Muslim populations, thematically categorized based upon the attention afforded to its typical expressions in classical Islamic legal manuals.
These broader thematic clusters of symptoms can be divided into four sections, (i) ritual purity and prayer, (ii) marriage and divorce, (iii) blasphemy and apostasy, and (iv) intrusive thoughts of sin. Additionally, assessment methods and identification of OCD symptomology as indicators of clinical psychopathology are discussed. Accompanying this, is an overview of the potential religious dispensations afforded to OCD patients in Islamic ritual law as disability accommodations. The role and conceptualization of waswasa according to normative Islamic belief is presented based upon the Qur’an, prophetic traditions and Islamic scholarly writings.
To follow, an Islamically integrated approach to cognitive psychotherapy and exposure response prevention therapy (ERP) is offered, drawing from traditional
Islamic faith based healing. Interventions are rooted in a published model of treatment known as Traditional Islamically Integrated Psychotherapy (TIIP). The model proposes a need to counterbalance the OCD patient’s negative attribution bias and accompanying compulsive behaviors that are indicators of excessive fear with a more self- compassionate cognitive orientation. Interventions include a cognitive restructuring component using cognitive techniques of: challenging the evidence, correction of faulty Islamic beliefs through psychoeducation, acceptance of intrusive
Hooman Keshavarzi is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Illinois, he holds a Doctorate and Masters in Clinical Psychology and a Bachelors of Science – specialist psychology track/minor in Islamic Studies. He currently serves as the program director for the Masters in Counseling Islamic Psychology Program in Doha, Qatar, is a visiting scholar for Ibn Haldun University (Istanbul, Turkey) and adjunct faculty at the Hartford Seminary. He is the founding director of Khalil Center – the first Islamically oriented professional community mental wellness center and largest provider of Muslim mental healthcare in North America He is also a senior fellow at the International Association for Islamic Psychology (IAIP), conducting research on topics related to Islam, Muslims and Mental Health. Hooman Keshavarzi is an international public speaker and trainer providing education on the intersection of Islamic studies and behavioral health.
Hooman Keshavarzi has also authored several published academic papers in recognized peer-reviewed journals on integrating Islamic spirituality into modern psychological practice.
In addition to his academic training, Hooman Keshavarzi has studied Islamic theology both formally and informally. He is a student of Shaykh Muhammad Zakariya from Toronto, Canada, where he attended his hadith and spiritual discourses for a number of years. After moving to Chicago, he studied informally with Shaykh Azeemuddin Ahmed, later formally enrolling in Darussalam Academy for 4 years. During this time he also did some specialized coursework with Shaykh Amin Kholwadia in Islamic counseling. He then transferred to Darul Qasim where he is continuing his higher Islamic education.
Clinical Focus
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Trauma
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (Scrupulosity)
• Adjustment Problems (grief, loss, stress management, etc)
• Spiritual/Personal Development
Modalities
• Individual Therapy (Adults)
• Marital Therapy
• Family Therapy
• Psychological & Cognitive Evaluations
Languages Spoken
• English
• Turkish
• Azeri
• Arabic (Classical)
Perspectives on the Personal, the Political, the Spiritual and the Psychological
Sarah Huxtable Mohr
In a brief interview format, this is an opportunity to speak about the way the personal, the political, the spiritual and the psychological are connected for us individually, and for the work in mental health. Looking back over a 30 year journey from mental illness to being a licensed social worker, there will be comments on the intersections between different types of awareness, including Godconsciousness. There will be time spent exploring questions about what mental health actually is, for us individually, and for us societally drawing on the work of liberation psychologist Ignacio Martín-Baró. Participation will be welcomed.
Born and raised in the SF Bay Area, the traditional territory of the Ohlone people, she is passionate about serving her community. She is a certified drug and alcohol counselor and LCSW. She earned her MSW from CSU, East Bay (2017). She has a BA in Religion from Dominican University, with minors in Women and Gender Studies and Philosophy. She has a Masters in Religion and Psychology from the GTU with a Certificate in Islamic Studies (2009) and is a visiting scholar at the GTU. She has published in a variety of formats on liberation psychology, conversion, addiction treatment, and mindfulness, as well as a variety of other topics.
Her most recent book is Islamic Liberation Psychology: The Transformational Force of Self-Development, Community Empowerment, and Revolutionary Change.
The Personal and Political in Therapy
Navigating Identity, Spirituality and Systemic Change as an Anti-Oppressive Practitioner
Myira Khan
This presentation will explore the intricate intersections of identity, spirituality, and politics in anti-oppressive therapeutic practice. It delves into the challenges and opportunities of working as a Muslim counsellor within mainstream settings, highlighting the importance of bringing one’s whole self—cultural, spiritual, and political—into the work. The session examines how therapy as a profession responds to political contexts, and how as a practitioner I can work both in the profession, by supporting clients and supervisees, and on the profession, by advocating for systemic change towards embedded anti-oppressive practice across all levels and areas of the profession.
Myira is a multi-award-winning Accredited Counsellor, Supervisor, Coach, Trainer, Founder of the Muslim Counsellor and Psychotherapist Network (MCAPN), and author of Working Within Diversity – A Reflective Guide to Anti-Oppressive Practice in Counselling and Therapy (published July 2023). Myira has over 15 years of clinical experience, alongside delivering workshops, trainings and events internationally on Working Within Diversity and anti-oppressive practice and is a regular keynote speaker and presenter at conferences and events.
Working Within Diversity, both the book and the accompanying workshop and training series, is a culmination of her counselling and supervision experience alongside her extensive teaching and training experience delivering workshops on identity, culture and diversity, to create a robust foundation and framework for
anti-oppressive practice in therapy, supervision, coaching and all practitioner-led practices and professions, across all modalities.
As the Founder of the Muslim Counsellor and Psychotherapist Network (MCAPN), established over 11 years ago, Myira runs the network for Muslim counsellors, therapists and psychologists, offering support, CPD opportunities and raising the visibility of Muslim practitioners. A visibly Muslim, ethnically-minoritized, neurodivergent/ADHD practitioner, Myira represents a diversity and intersectional identity within the therapeutic and coaching professions, supporting the establishment of diversity, anti-oppressive practice and culturally-attuned practice within the profession, alongside promoting counselling and coaching to ethnicallyminoritized, Muslim, neurodivergent and under-represented, marginalised and intersectional communities and clients.
Gender-Based Violence Othering the Other
Waheeda Islam
Through an exploration that integrates spiritual, political, and therapeutic perspectives, this presentation advocates for a nuanced and decolonised approach to addressing gender-based violence within the mental health field, while challenging the colonial structures that perpetuate both violence and othering. Drawing on experience of working in the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) sector in the global north, this presentation examines how gender-based violence is politicised, particularly in relation to Muslim communities and other minoritised groups, highlighting the selective outrage that exists when it comes to experiences of VAWG in global majority communities.
Special attention will be given to the challenges faced by Muslim mental health professionals and organisations working in the VAWG sector in the global north, and in the current climate of Islamophobia. This will be followed by an exploration of how Islamic spiritual perspectives can contribute to trauma-informed approaches to healing and justice, and how an Islamic faith-based approach to mental health is intrinsically intertwined with activism, anti-oppressive practices and social justice.
Waheeda Islam is a psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, clinical hypnotherapist and amateur poet. She is the Chief Executive of Nour, a charity working with survivors of abuse and trauma. Waheeda passionately believes in working in a compassionate and heart-centred manner, which is rooted in her training as an Islamic Counsellor with Stephen Maynard & Associates. She has her own private practice, Inner Rewilding Therapy, specialising in trauma and working with survivors of abuse. Waheeda is also Clinical Lead at Sister Circle who provide trauma-informed counselling to FGC/Cutting survivors.
Following her Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Supervision, Waheeda provides clinical supervision to counsellors in private practice and at Sisters Circle, and for counsellors at Afghan Association Paiwand, a charity working with refugees and asylum seekers.
In her chapter, 'Themes in an intercultural approach to supervision: working with survivors of abuse', published in ‘Intercultural Supervision in Therapeutic Practice: Dialogues, Perspectives and Reflections’, Waheeda provides a compelling case for mental health professionals to actively champion social justice.
A Critique of Muslim Mental Health
Dr Tarek Younis
Mental health is positioned as the cure-all for society’s problems, from pandemics to terrorism. But psychology and psychiatry are not apolitical, and neither are Muslims. This talk explores how Islamophobia works and unpacks where the politics of the psy-disciplines and the politics of Muslims overlaps, especially as it relates to the Muslim mental health movement. We’ll discuss how psychological theories and practices serve State interests and maintains racism and Islamophobia. Especially in times of genocide, this talk will underline how psychology necessarily serves the State in the production of loyal, low-risk and productive Muslim citizens.
Dr Tarek Younis is the Racial Justice Researcher at Healing Justice London and Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Middlesex University. He researches and writes on Islamophobia, racism in mental health and the politics of psychology. He teaches on the impact of culture, religion, globalisation,and security policies on mental health.
As a registered clinical psychologist, he primarily attends toexperiences of racism, Islamophobia, and state violence in his private practice. His book is called The Muslim, State and Mind: Psychology in Times of Islamophobia.
Latest publications: NEW BOOK: The Muslim, State and Mind: Psychology in Times of Islamophobia, published by SAGE: https://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/the-muslimstate-and-mind/book279425
Younis, T. (2021). The muddle of institutional racism in mental health. Sociology of Health & Illness, 1467-9566.13286. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.13286
Aked, H., Younis, T., & Heath-Kelly, C. (2021). Racism, mental health and pre-crime policing: The ethics of Vulnerability Support Hubs. Medact https://www.medact.org/2021/resources/reports/racism-mental-health-and-pre-crimepolicing-the-ethics-of-vulnerability-support-hubs/
Healing Across Borders Breaking Cycles, Reclaiming Voices
Ramzia Akbari Noor
Centred on the principles of liberation, cultural reclamation and collective healing, this presentation attempts to explore decolonial approaches to therapeutic care for refugees and displaced communities and invites participants to critically evaluate the enduring impacts of colonialism and systemic oppression on refugee experiences, highlighting how these forces shape trauma, identity, and access to healing.
Drawing on decolonial theory, community-based practices, and lived refugee experiences, the presentation seeks to explore the power of reclaiming cultural and spiritual narratives, traditions, and voices as central to healing and empowerment. By centring refugee agency and honouring their resilience, this approach challenges traditional mental health frameworks and invites a shift toward more inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive care.
Ramzia is a psychotherapist trained in the Islamic Counselling Model, with extensive experience providing support to individuals from diverse cultural and faith-based backgrounds. She currently leads the Mental Health Team at a charity focused on refugees and asylum seekers, while also supporting survivors of domestic abuse through her work with Nour.
Ramzia offers culturally and faith-sensitive one-to-one counselling, seasonal group therapy, psychoeducation workshops, parenting sessions, professional training on refugee and migrant mental health, and supervision. Fluent in Dari/Farsi and English, she tailors her sessions to meet the cultural and linguistic needs of her clients.
She is also trained in post-cult recovery therapy, with specialized expertise in addressing the dynamics of power and control in personal relationships, highdemand groups, and cult-like environments.
In addition to her psychotherapy practice, Ramzia collaborates with a leading humanitarian organization in Afghanistan, providing essential support to professionals as they navigate the complexities of the country’s current challenges.
Coffee and Dhikr
Dr Muna Bilgrami A lifelong student of Islamic sciences, Dr. Muna Bilgrami’s principal areas of research focus on the traditions of Islamic Psychology and spiritual wellbeing, ‘irfan and tasawwuf. Of Danish and Iraqi/Iranian origin, her academic pathway includes a BA in Arabic with a minor in Persian from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master’s degree in Islamic Societies and Cultures from SOAS. She wrote her doctoral thesis at the University of Johannesburg, investigating the relationship between master and student in a contemporary spiritual Islamic movement. Dr. Bilgrami enriches her research with over three decades of experience in editing and publishing on Islamic topics.
Morteza Morton Mort is a transformational management consultant, coach, death-doula and specialises in culture change and leadership development using Islamic teachings as a foundation for corporate performance and personal excellence.
Haji Mustafa David Sterling is an author, speaker, businessman and spiritual guide whose journey of personal transformation is at the heart of his work. In his recent memoir, Journey into Grace, he shares his experiences of overcoming adversity and seeing the One Source of Being in every moment. Sterling has traveled extensively, drawing wisdom from many spiritual teachers around the world.
A Ten Minute Breath Awareness Practice for Therapists
Ayesha Powell
A gently grounding and simple breathwork practice to help us feel relaxed, recharged, and alert. This practice is rooted in the Islamic Counselling theoretical approach. Here, we will touch upon themes we encounter as IC therapists both within our clients and ourselves: our existence in duality; using our inner senses; being fully present to our earthly conditioned conscious mind-body-self as well as our heavenly divine consciousness; submission to the divine patterns of reality but activism for justice in the world—contraction, expansion, light, dark, inhale, exhale…
Ayesha worked as a journalist in the UAE and Pakistan for 15 years before moving to the UK 30 years ago, during which time she nurtured her family. She trained as a Conscious Connected Breathwork facilitator in 2009. She was drawn to the simplicity of the practice and its effective role in healing, and felt it integrated seamlessly with her special interest in wellbeing and spirituality. She trained as an Islamic Counsellor for three years with Stephen Maynard and Associates from 2015 and has been seeing clients for the Lateef Project since 2020. She also has her own private counselling practice, seeing clients for both breathwork and counselling, and often combining the two modalities. She lives in East Sussex with her husband. She has three amazing daughters.