Reflective Therapy
....moments of calm in the chaos of life
More about me...
Hi there - my name is Naeem and I am an integrative counsellor - a fancy way of saying that I've trained in a number of therapeutic theories which I use in my practice with clients. I thought that I'd share a little more about myself here and why I trained as a counsellor.
I am passionate about social justice, diversity and inclusion - informed by my own lived experienced as well as working in non-majority groups in the voluntary sector. I've also worked on a variety of Diversity & Inclusion and Leadership & Culture strands in the civil service. The environments that we live, work and play in can all have an affect on our identity, self-worth and self-esteem - managing that balancing act is one of the challenges of life.
Volunteering
Volunteering is an important part of who I am and has also played a part in my life - though it; I've had the privilege of working with and learning from different and diverse people and communities. That difference and diversity is an important part of my practice as a therapist. I've been an active volunteer in a cultural and religious organisation for sometime and have an understanding of some of the challenges that minority groups can face.
Joining Switchboard was the start of my journey to become a therapist - initially as a listening volunteer, I later felt that I wanted to contribute more to the organisation and took the decision to stand as a Trustee on the Board of the charity alongside my listening role. I saw the amazing work that many people in the community contribute to - giving their spare time and having an immediate impact by listening to another person - without judgement or direction.
Listening to the journey of others
Many of the calls the helpline could be emotive - involving issues related to the breakdown of relationships, suicide, identity and belonging - as well as the impact of both physical and emotional violence. While these calls were difficult, I realised that I wanted to do more to work with others in a more targeted and longer-term way.
While at Switchboard, I took on a training role supporting new trainees - helping the consolidate their classroom based learning and using their 'listening skills' with service users. Just as important was helping them process the often difficult emotions that they were left with after a call. Some of the most memorable and rewarding moments involved learning, teaching and helping others develop and grow - again, an important part of my practice.
Difference, Diversity, Other, Them
Being different in any way - whether than related to culture, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or anything really - can be an amazing journey of self-discovery and it can also be disruptive and destructive.
Being 'othered'; not being seen, heard or listened to, not represented or not belonging can leave an individual searching for that something that is just out of their reach. Questioning yourself - your very right to be present and exist will undoubtedly have a negative impact on mental, spiritual and physical health.
Working together - what to expect
I don't have all the answers and I certainly don't have all the solutions. What I can provide is a space where you can be you.
A space where you can take a deep breathe without all the restrictions that society can place on a person.
A space where you can be tearful, weary, angry, ecstatic and thoughtful and resentful - where you can experience pain and tears without judgement.
A space where you will have a witness and support on your journey of self-discovery.
© Naeem Rahman 2022. All rights reserved.
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