MSc, PhD

Dr. Mehdi Hazari is a neurophysiologist and religious scholar. He provides religious counseling to Muslims across North America, specifically related to challenges of Islamic identity and navigating life in the West, marital issues, youth matters and other contemporary topics. His goal is to support the PSYCHED4U team in providing the most useful resources and tools to the community to improve mental health and religious resilience.

MS, MA/MFT

Sarah Zaidi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences and a Masters degrees in Applied Health Informatics and Clinical Marriage and Family Therapy. Sarah's passion for counseling, psychology, and destigmatizing mental health issues in Muslim communities led her to pursue a certification in Islamic Psychology and Counseling. Recognizing the importance of community engagement, Sarah founded "sukoonwithsarah" and the Shia Muslim Mental Health Conference with IMAM (PSYCHED4U). She also collaboarates with the community via Mufid Seminary, SPACE, Al Kisa, and Shia communities across the United States, the UK, and South Asia.

Sayyid Sameer Ali is currently pursuing a degree in clinical mental health counseling. He has served as an religious scholar since 2010 across North America and is passionate about Islamic psychology and mental health wellness in the Muslim community. He spent 6 years studying in the hawza, followed by a masters in religious studies (Stanford) and is a board certified chaplain with 10 years of experience providing pastoral care and support in medical and university settings. He specializes in providing support for anxiety, depression, career counseling, and spritual and religious wellness.

BA, MS

Berak Hussain is a Registered Psychotherapist with 20 years of psychotherapy experience in Canadian academic institutions and local and international community organizations where she recently launched her private practice, Serene Nafs Wellness. She has a BA in Psychology and a Masters in Educational Counseling and is a member of the Colleges of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario. She is a passionate public speaker in Muslim Mental Health, Social Justice, Islamic and Women issues and poetry. She has also developed and implemented Islamic wellness programs with widow/orphan charity groups in Iraq and is currently the Ambassador for Al Kawthar Project for Widows & Orphans.

EdS

Farah Alkhafaf is a School Psychologist, she graduated from the University of Dayton. Her interests include Special Education, Trauma, Acculturative Stress, Positive Psychology, and Educational Leadership. She specifically specializes in serving students in the areas of academics, social emotional health, and behavior, and she leads team discussions on special education needs and interventions.

Hadil Hamam graduated in 2021 from the University of Toronto (Scarborough) with a Bachelor of Science, double majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology and minoring in Studio Art. She recently completed her Master’s in Counselling Psychology and is now a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). In her previous role at Cota Health, she supported adults living with mental health, cognitive, and addiction-related challenges. She is trained in Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI) and Harm Reduction. Hadil currently serves as the Female Youth Lead at Al-Huda Muslim Society, where she helps organize faith-based programming and youth engagement initiatives. In her downtime, she enjoys creating Islamic multimedia and kinetic art, as well as spending quality time with family and friends.

Khadeeja Ali Syeda is currently a senior in her fourth year at North Carolina State University, studying psychology and human biology. After earning her bachelor's degree, she plans to continue her education in psychology by pursuing a graduate degree. Her psychological research so far has focused on enhancing the educational experiences of K-12 students in public schools. In her future studies, she hopes to gain a deeper understanding of how to help students navigate traumatic events within the context of their education. She also has an interest in Islamic psychology, which she aims to explore throughout her academic and professional journey.

MSW

Kawthar is a Social Worker and Therapist with a Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, with a focus on Integrated (Holistic) Mental Health. Her experience includes working in schools and community organizations such as Zaman International, MiSide, and ACCESS. She has had the privilege of working extensively with refugee populations, women, and youth in various roles, including Girl Scout leader, teacher, mentor, and camp counselor. Her therapeutic approach is grounded in compassion, openness, and spirituality. Her areas of expertise include, but are not limited to, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, ADHD, women's issues, spirituality, relationships, familial conflict, and life transitions.

MA, PsyD, CPC

Dr. Seyed Hadi Yassin is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC) with a doctorate in Psychology. He is the founder of H.A.D.I. Life Coaching (est. 2013) and the author of Why Should I Get Married?. Dr. Yassin offers international coaching services, specializing in parenting, marriage, relationships, and family dynamics. His services have reached clients in more than 12 countries. His expertise includes depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, postpartum challenges, premarital coaching, marriage conflicts, parenting, anger management, divorce recovery, and autism support. By combining psychology, Islamic scholarship, and hands-on coaching, Dr. Yassin empowers individuals, couples, and families to cultivate emotional resilience, spiritual growth, and stronger, healthier relationships.

MS, LLPC

Ahmed Almusawi is a mental health counselor who has previously worked with children, both in schools and in a clinic environment. He also currently provides therapy to individuals ranging in age from late teenage years to adults of all ages. He specializes in working with clients with mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety, as well as OCD, gambling addiction, and more.

MA, LLPC

Nourelhouda Jouni is a licensed Professional Counselor. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology and masters degree in Rehabilitation counseling from Wayne state University. She works with children and adults to offer a safe and sacred space for them to explore their sufferings, deepest fears, and specific needs. She creates a space for people to reconnect with themselves and those they love and to recognize and celebrate the joy of progress.

BS, MA

Aya Nasrallah holds a B.S. in Behavioral and Biological Sciences as well as recently finishing her M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University with a concentration in Spirituality, Mind, and Body and Research Methodology. She is primarily interested in researching classic as well as novel methods to alleviating and preventing adverse mental health outcomes in the Muslim community.