Book the best Muslim therapists in Illinois

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), a Bangladeshi American and Multicultural Woman, a daughter of two immigrants, an older sister, a pet-mom of two adorable cats, an artist, a singer, a 200 RYT certified yogini, a writer, a vegetarian, and a trauma psychotherapist who inspires healing through the arts. I strive to help you speak your untold truths so that you can begin to feed your hearts. In working with my clients, I found that healing is unequivocally about feeding our hearts with what brings us peace and ESPECIALLY what brings us joy. We all struggle to show up as ourselves—even I do as I am writing this—but I have chosen to unapologetically be myself so that you can be seen the way you deserve to be seen. For me, and for many of my clients, feeding ourselves with acts of joy are a personal and communal healing movement.

Hello! I’m a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) based in Illinois. I have worked in the mental health field for seventeen years in both hospital and outpatient settings. This experience includes work in direct patient care, program development, and in hospital administration in a clinical director role. I also have taught coursework in psychology and human development in a university setting, and worked in an administrative capacity in secondary education in the state of Illinois. My educational background includes a Masters in Clinical Psychology and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. My clinical approach brings behavioral intervention and education together in a clinical setting. I enjoy using psychoeducation as a foundation for treatment. That means I like to focus on educating the patient on their symptoms/diagnosis so we can collaborate on a treatment plan that they understand and makes sense for their life circumstance. If people understand why they experience the symptoms they have and how their body responds to stressors; it can give them the insight necessary to build skills to cope in a healthy and effective way.

Hi, my name is Neelma Zafar. The stigma in many cultures around mental health can be debilitating. I believe that no matter what background you are coming from, your mental and emotional health should be made as much of a priority as your physical health. Taking the first step and asking for help can be intimidating, but I meet my clients where they are and get to know them and their strengths. My approach is trauma-focused and evidence-based therapy and I believe in empowering my clients. I am trained in EMDR, DBT and CBT. Currently, I am working with sexually abused and sexually problematic children. I do family therapy sessions. I immigrated from Pakistan and I know personally what "trauma" is. I volunteered with refugees and worked with them on their mental health issues. I know Urdu, Hindi, and Punjabi languages. I volunteer at the food pantry and daily bread soup kitchen and strongly believe in giving back to the community. I am hear to listen to my clients in a judgement-free zone in order to help them grow as a person and move past trauma.