Background and Education
Nadia earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Moravian University with minors in Ethics and Spanish. Following that, she completed her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Northwestern University. She first entered the mental health field as a behavioral health technician at KidsPeace in Orefield, PA, helping children and adolescents navigate their time in an inpatient residential treatment through running psycho-educational and therapeutic groups. After her five years at KidsPeace, she supported children, teens, and families in an outpatient telehealth position based in Philadelphia. Her background working with children, tweens, and teens provides a rich understanding of the many stressors young people face today. She learned to engage even the most reluctant clients, bringing warmth, curiosity, and respect. Her genuine willingness to meet people where they are, collaborating with them on their journey, and highlighting their strengths amidst struggles, is the foundation of her work.
Specialty areas:
- Depression
- Identity Issues
- Life Transition Stressors
- Highly Sensitive People
- Conflicts in their Interpersonal Relationships
- Religious and Childhood Traumas
Clinical interests include:
- Trauma-Informed Care
- Integrating Insights from Neurobiology
- Honoring the nuances that come with Women’s Health
Mindfulness and Solution-Focused
Mindfulness begins with a present moment awareness. Where it intersects with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is when it becomes an approach that supports people in not only understanding that their thoughts have an impact on their moods, motivation, and actions – but also in gaining skills to become less triggered and reactive to the thoughts that arise. With solution-focused therapy, we recognize that no problem exists one hundred percent of the time. Knowing this, we look for positive exceptions and build on them.
Strengths-Based and Wellness-Oriented
Nadia integrates a holistic wellness framework, focusing not only on mental and emotional wellbeing but also on other domains of wellness such as relationships, leisure and recreation, physical health, and more. She seeks to understand not only areas where you need support but also what is going well for you, your current supports, innate strengths, and resiliency factors. She is an avid reader and approaches her work with compassionate curiosity, rooted in gratitude for the art of human interaction.
A Focus on Deeper Understanding
Changes, especially big changes that come with a move, loss, or illness, often cause people to question everything. Changes are inevitable, and oftentimes are out of our control. What we can control is our reactions and actions through these times. Questions still remain, such as how does one make meaning out of the changes and hardships they face? What does it mean to have a life purpose, or to lead a purposeful life? How can near-death experiences, health crises, and other reminders of mortality awaken a deeper understanding of what matters most in this life. Clients are often sitting with these big questions but unsure where to bring them or who might understand.
Culturally Sensitive and Culturally Responsive
Nadia is a first-generation Master’s-level clinician who provides individual therapy to clients of color. She embodies a culturally competent model in which clients are invited to share their experiences, beliefs, and questions around navigating the world. She supports clients in exploring their own unique web of intersecting identities and loyalties to familial, cultural, and personal values, especially those in South Asian and Muslim communities. By creating a healthy environment where trust is built and respect is mutually established, her goal is for individuals to feel empowered as they explore and cultivate greater emotional and mental wellbeing.