Sadia Jalali, M.A., L.M.F.T.-S
I’m a native Houstonian and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist - Supervisor (LMFT-S). In over 17 years as a counselor, I have worked with hundreds of clients across many different ethnicities, age groups, and life stages specializing in relationships, premarital education, marriage enrichment, parenting, anger management, divorce recovery, and being Muslim in America. I bring a wealth of personal and professional knowledge and experience to each situation that enables me to empathize and understand my clients and their needs.
Active in the Houston Muslim Community for over twenty years, I have held workshops and speaking engagements for many local and national Muslim organizations. I am certified in different therapy curriculums and continuously attend multiple trainings to enrich myself as a therapist. I strive to continually learn and stay up to date with the newest and best research and evidence-based practices so that I may provide the best options for my clients tailored to their needs.
I've realized that many of my clients whose faith provided the framework of their worldview needed someone in their life to help them navigate their issues and that connection to their faith on an emotional and mental level. I founded SOULACE Therapy in hopes of providing a much needed service to those seeking a faith-based approach to life’s many challenges.
I run Muslim Bliss on social media where I share tips for relationships, specifically pre- or post- marriage (links in footer below). I also graduated with a Masters degree in Islamic Studies from Bayan Islamic Graduate School to better serve the community and ultimately mentor new Muslim therapists. Among my other super powers is raising 7 kids ranging from older teens to toddlers, alhamdulillah.
Ayesha Farooqui, M.A., L.M.F.T.-A
As salāmu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullāh,
My name is Ayesha. I’m a licensed LMFT-A (supervised by Sadia Jalali, MA, LMFT-S), a wife, and a mother, born and raised amongst the Houston Muslim community.
There comes a point in many of our lives when we discover a desire to live greater. Greater for ourselves, greater for our relationships, and greater for Allāh. If you are here, I imagine you have decided to embark on that journey of change and need some help.
We all feel lost or stuck from time to time. Life and its obstacles can be overwhelming and it can be hard to know where or who to turn to.
Perhaps you begin your journey seeking to live beyond anxieties and depressive tendencies. Maybe you seek to bring life and laughter into your marriage and family. Maybe you are on a path to greater mindfulness and purpose in life, or something else entirely.
I believe that Allāh has already placed the strength within you to bring about the changes you desire for yourself and your life. Therapy is a space that can facilitate and aid you in the discovery of solutions, using your strengths and inner wisdom to navigate your way through life’s challenges.
I take a collaborative approach to therapy and have experience working with married couples, premarital couples-to-be, families, individuals, and groups of various ages. I have experience with a variety of issues including marital and familial conflict, Islamic spirituality, attachment, trauma, PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance use, end of life issues, pain and chronic illness issues, parenting, and blended family issues.
I strive to provide my clients with care that stems from the best, most up to date psychology and wellness research, as well as from the rich sea of wisdom and practices intrinsically present within our Islamic tradition. I have multiple trainings and certifications, and am continuously growing in my approaches to ensure my clients receive care that is individually tailored to what they need.
I strive to provide a judgment free space and meet my clients with the empathy and understanding they need. Together, we can help you reach your goals and create a life of wellness and fulfillment, in shā Allah.
في آمان الله
Ayesha Farooqui, M.A., LMFT-A
Education and Training:
Education:
- Psychology B.A. - University of Houston
- Marriage and Family Therapy M.A. - University of Houston- Clear Lake
- 2 year Certificate of Islamic Studies - Islamic Sciences and Research Academy
Trainings and certifications:
- Certified PREPARE/ENRICH marital & premarital facilitator coach
- RELATE & READY marital/ pre-marital assessment analysis
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 2
- Bereavement training
- Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy
- Motivational Interviewing
- Somatic Experiencing