what is faith-focused therapy?

Alhamdulilah, I’m really glad you’ve stopped by to read this page because, honestly, it’s the most important part of what I do as a female, Muslim therapist. In fact, my relationship with Allah and my love for this deen, are why I show up to do this work every day. I help Muslim women like you and me reconnect with ourselves so we can reconnect with Allah in ways that make us feel purposeful, hopeful, and very much alive.

There’s a lot of information on this page because there’s so much I want to share with you on this important topic, so you might want to run and grab a cup of tea. My hope is that you’ll learn something new about the amazing field of Islamic Psychotherapy.  Perhaps you’ll even feel a spark of hope about embarking on your own healing journey that supports you as a whole Muslim woman while honouring your values and encouraging you to hold firm to the rope of Allah, in shaa Allah.

You may be wondering what exactly I mean by faith-focused therapy, so I thought I’d share a few thoughts with you. I’ll start by sharing my purpose with you. Bismillah!

At Muslimah Therapy, my purpose is to please Allah by providing compassionate, faith-focused therapy to Muslim women and girls. I am committed to supporting self-awareness, facilitating healing, and inspiring a life-long journey of learning and growth. Ultimately, I empower my sisters in Islam to nurture and develop deep inner connections so they can experience the love, care, and reverence that our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has reserved for the women of his ummah.

Essentially, the therapy I offer here at Muslimah Therapy is psychotherapy within an Islamic framework. It’s an approach that acknowledges and incorporates Islamic principles, values, and teachings into the therapeutic process to address the psychological and emotional challenges we all face from time to time. Some of the beautiful things about therapy offered within the framework of Islam, is that it recognizes the importance of the spiritual dimension of human existence; it emphasizes the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and soul; and it respects the undeniable connection between faith and mental health.

Faith-focused therapy offers a culturally sensitive, holistic approach to healing and personal growth, taking into account one’s faith, beliefs, and cultural context as well as all the inner workings that make us human. Islamic psychotherapy emphasizes the importance of connecting with one’s deen, seeking guidance from the Qur’an and Prophetic traditions, and incorporating Islamic rituals and practices as tools for personal growth and healing.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard of sisters going to see a non-Muslim therapistor even Muslim therapists whose values weren’t aligned with the client’s. Inevitably, these sisters ended up feeling even more disconnected from their creator. Though they may have left therapy with some new tools and resources, they also left with the heaviness of the shame they now carried from having lost their spiritual connection. In some cases, sisters left in an even worse state than when they started. 

What’s most heartbreaking is that a lot of the times the therapists they worked with were kind people with good intentions. They simply did not have the knowledge, wisdom, or insight to hold space for these sisters who, more than anything, needed a boost in their iman. It goes without saying that for the Muslimah, there simply is no growth or healing without Allah, because ultimately He is the source of everything. It is only by His will and mercy that we heal our past wounds, find new meaning in our lives, and start to live from a place of authentic, wholehearted surrender which brings us unequivocal peace and contentment. This is why I have made it my life’s mission to support sisters on their healing journeys through the plentitude of resources and gifts Islam offers.

A central concept in Islamic psychotherapy is the idea of fitrah, which refers to the innate disposition and natural inclination towards goodness that every human being possesses. Through faith-focused therapy, I provide a supportive environment for sisters to realign their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors with their fitrah so they can transform their state into one of inner harmony, balance, and contentment. By integrating Islamic teachings such as self-awareness & accountability (muhasabah), reflection (tafakkur), seeking forgiveness (tawbah), embodying gratitude (shukr), developing a conscious awareness of Allah (taqwa), and cultivating unwavering reliance on Allah (tawakkul), we work together to identify and build resources, strengthen resilience, overcome challenges, and ultimately facilitate sustainable change.

Islamic psychotherapy also emphasizes the importance of a supportive therapeutic relationship between therapist and client. As a Muslim therapist who works within this framework, I create a safe and non-judgmental space where my clients can freely express themselves and explore their concerns within the context of our deen. I work collaboratively with my clients to identify and challenge negative patterns of thinking and behaviour, while also incorporating Islamic themes of forgiveness, mercy, and hope. By integrating Islamic principles and psychological techniques, Islamic psychotherapy offers sisters a unique approach to therapy that addresses psychosocial emotional needs while nurturing spiritual growth in a gentle, loving way.

Finally, one of the things I love most about Islamic Psychotherapy is that it recognizes the significance of community and social support in promoting a believer’s well-being. The concept of this ummah, our blessed community of believers, emphasizes the interconnectedness and mutual support among individuals. The Prophet ﷺ said, “The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.” — Ṣaḥīḥ Al-Bukhārī 6011, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2586. 

Islamic psychotherapy recognizes that individuals are not isolated entities, but are part of a larger social fabric. Engaging with the community provides a sense of understanding, validation, and belonging, which can be instrumental in the healing process. This is why I’m committed to providing services like ongoing group therapy; support groups for demographics including teenagers, converts, as well as others who may be experiencing loneliness and isolation—the elderly living on their own, newly separated or divorced sisters, and new moms come to mind.  These therapeutic gatherings for sisters, create much-needed spaces where we can come together to share experiences, seek guidance, and receive emotional support. Through this collective effort, sisters can draw strength, find solace, and enhance their personal growth in alignment with their faith and values, in shaa Allah.

If this sounds like something you’d like to explore further, please book a free, 45-minute discovery call where we can hop on a Zoom call and chat for a bit. I’ll share some more about the work I do and you can ask questions you may have, in shaa Allah. I look forward to exploring how I can support you on your journey to healing and wellness, in shaa Allah.