IQRA Magazine - Winter 2021 by IQRA Magazine

table of contents 4

Letter from the Editor

Healing in Reading

The Case for Faith Based Therapy

Safe Haven

Prayer, Patience and Protecting your Mental Health

It’s Okay if You’re Hurting

Starting the Conversation

Words of Wisdom

20 Listen and Learn 21

Instagram Q&A

MASTHEAD Editor-In-Chief Asmaa Toor, Journalism '21 Managing Editor Mariyam Khaja, Journalism '21 Social Media Manager Areeba Khan, Business Management '23 Administrator Ayleen Karamat, Journalism '23 Writer Sania Ali, Journalism '24 Writer Mariam Nouser, Journalism '22 Writer Aishah Ashraf, Journalism '24

Connect With Us @Iqra Magazine @iqramag @iqramagazine www.iqramag.wordpress.com

Writer Ruisi Liu, Image Arts: Film Studies ‘23 Writer Farkhounda Azizullah, Journalism ‘24 Website Developer/Graphic Designer Nashra Syed, Journalism '23 Graphic Designer Eeman Fatima, Graphic Communications Management '21

Lettter from the Edit Le Editor Dear Readers,

t’s hard to believe the second issue of IQRA is already here. When our planning started in January, we knew almost immediately that we wanted to cover a topic that was taboo in the Muslim community, that was at times difficult to talk about and often dismissed. We knew we wanted to start a conversation on an issue that was prevalent in our communities, yet rarely discussed. With that, we’re so happy to present to you the Winter 2021 edition of IQRA Magazine, bringing you features, profiles and explainers on mental health from an Islamic lens. Our writers each cover an important aspect of mental health and Islam that educates, uplifts and informs our readers. Sania sheds light on the experience of Muslim women in shelter homes and the need for culturally and religiously mental health services and therapy in these spaces. Not everyone can afford therapy however, and Mariam discusses the financial barriers to accessing professional mental health services and the essential role that helplines play in addition to therapy. Exploring alternatives to secular therapy, Ruisi touches on the importance of faith based therapy and Aishah speaks with three Muslim psychotherapists who offer insight on traditional therapy practices and the role of mental health in Islam. Farkhounda offers several podcast recommendations featuring conversations on mental health and Mariyam speaks to the founder of Sabr, an app created to provide meditation through an Islamic lens. Each story brings a new perspective to our theme, and I can’t thank our team enough for bringing this magazine to life in such an informative way. We were so fortunate and thankful to have Mariyam Khaja as our managing editor this year. Her continuous hard work and dedication to IQRA truly made a world of a difference. And thank you to our wonderful team of writers, graphic designers, administrators, social media managers and website developers who put so much effort into creating our second issue. Their ambition and drive have turned IQRA into a publication that we are so proud to be a part of. On behalf of the IQRA Magazine 2020-2021 masthead, thank you to our readers and supporters for keeping up with our journey this past year. We truly appreciate everyone’s warmth and support throughout this entire process. We hope that we can continue to grow our community and reach new heights with each issue. Sincerely, Asmaa Toor Editor-in-chief

Healing in READING Our editors share the books they love that are both emotionally and spiritually uplifting

BY ASMAA TOOR AND MARIYAM KHAJA Timeless Seeds of Advice - B. B. Abdulla If you’re in need of hope or comfort, Timeless Seeds of Advice provides reminders on gaining contentment and becoming closer to Allah. With over 100 lessons and pieces of advice, the book shares lessons and pieces of advice from Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Al-Qayim, Ibn Al-Jawzi and various other scholars throughout Islamic history. The one page reminders are short, digestible and easy to implement in your day-to-day life. For feelings of emptiness or sadness, this book provides heart-warming and relevant solutions each time it’s picked up. — Asmaa Toor

A Place of Refuge - Asmaa Hussein From navigating grief to motherhood, Asmaa Hussein shares her intimate thoughts and experiences and reflects on the prophetic teachings and lessons from the Quran that have helped her move forward. She challenges ideas such as accepting God’s decree means we should stop grieving the loss of a loved one or that feelings of overwhelming sadness are because of a lack of faith. Her beautifully written essays offer comfort in times of distress, and everytime I read A Place of Refuge, there are new lessons I learn. — Mariyam Khaja Don’t Be Sad - Aid al-Qarni For practical and relevant advice on overcoming depression and negative emotions, Don’t Be Sad is an essential read. As Muslims, we know we will be tested in life and we can always find healing in our faith when dealing with those tests. This book helps readers cope with trials and adopt a positive mindset inspired by Islamic teachings. Each page in Don’t Be Sad reminds us that no matter what we go through, we have guidance from the Qur’an, sunnah and scholars who have come before us. — Asmaa Toor

THE CASE FOR FAITH BASED THERAPY

What faith based therapy is and why it might help Muslim students

BY Ruisi Liu

eeing a therapist is no longer fuel for neighborhood gossip and therapy is often what people first think of when looking for professional mental health support. Especially during the pandemic, loneliness and social isolation can be difficult to handle for students of faith who are at home with minimal support.

While some might think that therapy or counselling has no religious basis, that isn’t true. As early as the ninth century, Muslim scholars were researching and diagnosing psychological illlnesses like depression. Muslims are also likely considered the first in history to develop talk-therapy and musictherapy models. But therapy and counselling these days is largely a secular practise. “If you look at western psychology models, it very much takes religion and faith out of the equation,” said Dr. Rania Awaad, a psychiatrist and director of the Muslims and Mental Health Lab at Stanford University. In mainstream society, we don’t often account for religious beliefs and the same goes for western models of therapy that, as Awaad puts it, pushes clients to “check God at the door.” If a client is religious themselves but their therapist doesn’t see religion as being relevant to helping them heal, the therapist might not understand where the client is coming from or what support they need. Faith based therapy hopes to challenge that, providing Muslims with guidance based on Islamic knowledge and teachings. Faith based therapy often follows one of two models. The first is Religiously-Integrated Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (RCBT), in which therapists remain religiously neutral but discuss the patient’s own religious values during therapy, adding a dash of religion into what would normally be a secular practise. This therapy can be tailored to incorporate beliefs of any faith tradition. The second approach centres Islamic beliefs specifically, and is called Traditionally Islamically Integrated Psychotherapy (TIIP). Therapists draw from prophetic and Qur’anic teachings to help their clients heal. This approach can be especially helpful for Muslim university students looking to hold onto their religious beliefs and who might feel alienated by therapy models that don’t take that into account. Ambreen Yousaf, a registered psychotherapist at the Khalil Center in Toronto, said the TIIP model draws on principles of self-discovery, compliance, equilibrium and holistic integration. These principles are used to target elements of the human psyche: cognition of the mind (aql); behavioral inclinations of the self (nafs); spirit (ruh); and emotions (iḥsās). While secular therapy only focuses on your mind, holistic faith based therapy considers the role that our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being play in contributing to our wellness.

Although we might see our mental health and spirituality as being separate from one another, Yousaf said they’re often intertwined. Someone might have obsessive compulsive disorder, for example, causing them to perform wudu ten or 15 times before prayer, while others might think they aren’t worthy of God’s love and mercy. Yousaf adds that a lack of religious practice can sometimes be because of underlying mental health issues. Faith based therapy can tackle issues at the intersection of mental and spiritual well-being. “You don’t need to have a mental illness to seek out a therapist,” said Yousaf. “Clients seek out therapy for a variety of reasons. In the same way we seek out medical help when we have a physical ailment, it doesn’t make you look weak. It’s a sign that your body needs healing or support.”

Beyond therapy, physical practices can help when coupled with professional mental health help. While yoga and mindfulness exercises have become popular in recent years, we don’t have to search far beyond our roots. “Thankfully for Muslims, wellness practices are embedded into our faith already,” she said. We can treat our daily prayers as a spiritual retreat rather than another task on a to-do-list or use dhikr (prayers or phrases used to remember God) as a grounding practice in moments of anxiety. While faith based therapy and incorporating mindfulness practices can be helpful, Awaad said that some are hesitant about giving faith based therapy a shot, worrying that it might be similar to the lecturing or preaching that an Imam might provide. But that’s far from true: the job of licensed therapists isn’t to preach, but to listen in a non-judgemental way. Others fear that seeing a Muslim therapist will mean their private issues are talked about in the wider Muslim community. Awaad argues that fear is also unfounded. “While I certainly bump into my patients all the time, we psychiatrists have a code of confidentiality where we don’t acknowledge our patients in public unless they greet us first,” she said. “We are professionally trained therapists and counselors to walk along the road with you and help you figure out your own decisions in life.” Another concern that Awaad has come across is that some clients are afraid of sharing the sins that God has hidden for them. “We’re taught that we don’t expose our personal sins to the public, but the counselor or person of knowledge can help you,” she said. If you’re struggling with something like drug abuse, she said, you are Islamically allowed to approach a spiritual teacher, doctor, counsellor or another trained professional who can help you. Moving past these misconceptions is key to gaining confidence and reaching out for help. For those on the fence, Awaad said it’s important to trust that your mental health is worth being cared for. “My advice is to take that first step,” she said. “For anyone who takes that first step, I consider them to be very brave because it’s a very hard thing to do. And Islamically, when we take the first step with the proper intention, Allah opens doors for us.”

SAFE HAVEN

Muslim women’s shelters offer mental health support and a place to call home during tough times

BY SANIA ALI

s the pandemic continues to bring lockdowns and safety measures to keep the public safe, for some women, staying at home is anything but safe. Shelter homes for Muslim women have been a safe space for women and children facing homelessness, domestic violence and poverty.

While how much support any shelter home can provide varies based on accessibility and capacity, Muslim women’s shelters are often open to women of all faith backgrounds while catering to the needs of Muslim women by providing prayer spaces, halal food and accommodating with appropriate food serving timings during Ramadan. Needed now more than ever, these shelters provide women with culturally and religiously sensitive services that might be difficult to find elsewhere. But these services didn’t always exist, said Zena Chaudhry, the CEO and founder of Sakeenah Homes. With a background in human rights law, Chaudhry founded Sakeenah Homes after she discovered a lack of sheltering projects catered to Muslim women while helping a family member leave an abusive relationship. “While helping her navigate this space is when I saw that ‘oh my god there’s nothing out here.’ That’s where this whole thing was born from,” said Chaudhry. Sakeenah Homes is a women’s shelter that provides a safe environment for Muslim women and children who may be facing poverty, abusive relationships or need temporary housing to get back on their feet. Aside from accommodating the religious needs of Muslim women, Chaudhry also said that often Muslim women can’t find the services they need in mainstream shelters due to cultural and religious differences. Sakeenah Homes also offers services that differentiate them from other shelters such as teaching women basic life skills that they may not have learned because of the abuse and isolation they faced at home, such as how to file taxes, take public transportation or open a bank account. They also offer reconciliation services like marriage or family counselling for women who have faced communication or marital issues, rather than abuse, at home. Chaudhry said Sakeenah Home’s programs set them apart from other women’s shelter homes by providing women all the services they need in one place. “Having one place where you can get all your things was very important to us,” she said. “Every time survivors have to tell their story, they have to take a lot from themselves.”

••• Women at Sakeenah Homes often come from abusive environments, having faced physical, mental, spiritual or emotional abuse that takes its toll on women. A research article for the journal Violence Against Women found that women experiencing intimate partner abuse are also often dealing with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Therapy has been recommended for individuals

who are transitioning out of an abusive relationship to combat feelings of PTSD, low self-esteem, or depression and anxiety. Chaudhry explained that Muslim women often find that some therapists don’t understand their religious or cultural backgrounds, creating a barrier when women do choose to reach out for help. All caseworkers and counsellors at Sakeenah Homes are qualified and trained to provide counselling from an Islamic lens. Chaudhry said that having a conversation with residents allows them to decide if they want to be counselled from an Islamic framework or not, which is also important as around five per cent of residents at Sakeenah Homes are not Muslim themselves. Similar to Sakeenah Homes, Nisa Homes, another women’s shelter with six transitional homes across Canada for Muslim women and children fleeting abuse, also has counsellors that offer counselling from an Islamic perspective. “Nisa Homes counsellors are able to tailor their care to the client’s needs,” said Reena Vanza, a psychotherapist and Nisa Homes counsellor. She explains that if the client requests a religious approach to their counselling, counsellors are able to provide that through one-on-one sessions, a prayer space and access to the Nisa Homes library with Islamic books. Although many of the clients who come into women’s shelters are fleeing abusive relationships, there are other struggles women may need help with when reaching out. “There’s a lot of reasons why they would call for mental health reasons,” said Chaudhry of the women who call into Sakeenah Homes. “It could range from immigration issues, women feeling like they don’t belong or they have imposter syndrome, are bipolar or have schizophrenia.”

“You don’t tell someone who’s got a broken leg that just praying is going to heal it.” But there is also a strong cultural stigma around divorce or mental health, which can prevent women from reaching out for help in the first place. When it comes to addressing the mental health of women leaving abusive circumstances, Yasmine Youssef, the national manager of Nisa Homes, also said unsupportive family members can lead women to think twice before reaching out for help. “You don’t tell someone who’s got a broken leg that just praying is going to heal it,” said Youssef. “It’s a matter of safety and it’s a matter of health. Mental health shouldn’t be so stigmatized.” Youssef shares that although the stigma around mental health is something that is experienced worldwide, it is difficult to combat in Islamic communities because of colonialism and Islamophobia. That makes it harder for mainstream shelters to understand the generational, cultural and religious backgrounds women may have and how that impacts them.

••• According to a national survey by Women’s Shelters Canada, the pandemic has brought on a number of challenges when it comes to providing adequate shelter for women in distress. Some of these challenges include “funding, staffing, capacity, and service delivery challenges affecting shelters from

coast to coast.” These challenges have only worsened with COVID-19, as shelters limit their capacity to adhere to public health measures and women fear contracting the virus if they choose to leave home. The privately funded homes found themselves facing a considerable increase of calls during the pandemic, and have come up with new ways to help those in unsafe environments. “People who are in abusive relationships are now stuck at home together,” said Youssef. “A lot of the services are either on the phone or online.” During the pandemic, she adds that the demand for housing among women fleeing abuse has also risen. It’s become harder in some ways to meet that demand, because Nisa Homes has had to lower their capacity and rearrange rooms due to the pandemic. It’s been another challenge for women to reach out for help because their abuser is often at home with them all the time. At Nisa Homes, women and children can stay at the residence for three months while staff provide legal support, financial advice, counselling and other resources to help them get back on their feet. In addition, Nisa Homes offers one-on-one counselling and group activities such as art therapy, cooking therapy and gardening to aid residents through the aftermath of traumatic experiences. Youssef said that although COVID-19 has highlighted gaps that were already evident in the system, Nisa Homes is continuing to do everything it can to help women who need it. Their caseworkers work oneon-one with women to help find housing and take the steps needed even if they aren’t actively staying at Nisa Homes. This multifaceted support is especially important given that not all clients at Nisa Homes are fleeing abusive relationships—many are refugees or immigrants who are facing poverty or need other types of support. The most important thing to be doing to better support the community is getting educated and educating others, said Youssef. “If someone reaches out to you asking for help, what I recommend is to listen non-judgmentally. At the end of the day, this is their story and their life. You can’t tell them what to do,” she said. “You’re just there to support them and provide them with resources.” It’s ressources like Nisa Homes and Sakeenah Homes that help women with culturally and religiously sensitive services. But Chaudhry said for women to benefit from these services, we need to combat any stigma within our communities that would stop women from reaching out or asking for help in the first place. “Being proactive is so important because it’s going to allow us to see a future where these homes are no longer needed,” said Chaudhry. “In 20 years, I want to be able to proudly say that we shut down three of our homes because the community in that region has so many support systems in place.”

PRAYER, PATIENCE AND PROTECTING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH Muslim therapists reflect on mental health and awareness in Islam

BY AISHAH ASHRAF

t’s clear how COVID-19 not only affects our physical but mental health as well. A survey by the Angus Reid Institute found that since the pandemic first hit, 50 per cent of Canadians reported a decline in their mental health. Muslim psychotherapists Kamela Salimi, Zainib Abdullah and Asma Maryam Ali share their thoughts on the importance of mental health in the Muslim community and offer coping strategies.

Why is it important to take care of our mental health?

Asma: Islam has a very rich tradition of mental health and healing the mind in a holistic way that predates western institutions. That came from an understanding by Islamic scholars that we consist of different parts, and that when we are healing, we need to address those different parts. Scholars would say, for example, that exercising or walking is good for Therapy, psychotherapy, counselling—what’s you. Listening to soothing sounds or smelling the difference? pleasing things is good for you. A large part of the way that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Kamela: A psychotherapist is someone who provides taught his companions was through correcting talk therapy, but it’s not just where people come their thoughts and helping them to challenge in and vent. It’s evidence based intervention that and replace negative thoughts with hopeful focuses on listening and using models to help clients. ones. Our minds are actually the largest The term ‘psychotherapy’ is newer and a lot of people determinant of our health. They help give us are less familiar with the concept of it, but it is the discipline to do the physical exercise that essentially what therapists do. It’s very collaborative we need to or encourage us to repair or see and systemic, so I look beyond the client and look at relationships in a healthy light. Our minds and their family and trauma history to better understand our mental health are critical to all of the other and help them. aspects of our health. Zainib: I’m a clinical social worker and psychotherapist so essentially, I work with folks to help them explore difficulties they’re facing in their life. The process of therapy is one where we take a look at the relationship between our thoughts, emotions, actions and the experiences that have happened to us, or events that have taken place around us, that affect us.

Has the Muslim community become more open to discussing mental health in recent years? Kamela: We’re talking more about mental health within mosques but there’s still a lot of work to do. I don’t think we fully understand it: there’s this association that if you have depression or anxiety, it’s somehow connected to a lack of faith. Even as more Muslims become aware of mental health services, the clients I tend to see are often younger and already have an awareness of mental health. Zainib: Having mental health issues is still seen as a sign of weakness. Many second-generation Muslims born and raised here have maybe not felt this stigma themselves, but we’ve inherited these beliefs from older immigrant generations who really had to survive. There was no time for them to consider mental health as part of their well-being. What are some everyday activities we can do to improve our mental health and well-being? Kamela: I took a meditation class once and it made me realize how blessed we are to have our daily prayers. Oftentimes, we think that we need to go reinvent the wheel but we’re so blessed that within our faith, Allah has already given us a system. We don’t even fully understand the value of it, but He created the system for us based on how we were designed. The meditation class helped me to appreciate performing prayers and wudu even more. Meditation is all about being mindful and present in the moment, in the same way that prayer demands that of you as well. Asma: One of the most important things that people can do is to check their thoughts. Something will happen to someone and they’ll say “this always happens” or they’ll get denied an opportunity and they’ll say “it’ll never happen.” A way to challenge these distorted thoughts is to ask yourself what the evidence is for and against the thought. It’s also critical to repair your relationships. When people come

“There’s still that association that if you have depression or anxiety, it’s somehow connected to a lack of faith.” to therapy, they talk about feeling depressed, anxious or not knowing how to move forward. At times, that can be traced back to a broken relationship or someone who’s hurt you and you weren’t able to resolve it. We need to look at where you’ve experienced distress and try to repair that relationship for the better or seek out new ones that bring you happiness. It’s also important to notice how emotions control your life: when you feel sad, what impact does it have on your day? Opposite action is helpful in emotion regulation. If you’re feeling really down, you can do something that would cause you to feel the opposite of that emotion. This challenges a negative emotion and removes much of its power. How have cultural understandings of mental health influenced religious interpretations of it? Zainib: Most, if not all, Muslim cultures have been impacted by colonialism, threatening to erase our way of being. This has lead to literal interpretations of the religion as a survival response to preserve and retain a Muslim identity. Some of these interpretations attribute mental health concerns to a lack of faith, or a belief that if we can just get closer to Allah, we can be cured. This overlooks the science and rahmah granted to us in the forms of psychotherapy, meditation, and traditional healing practices and ignores how Islam has always advocated for knowledge and healing. After all, the first mental health hospital in the world was built in Baghdad (918 AD).

It’s Okay if You’re Hurting How the Sabr app offers an Islamic approach to mindfulness and meditation

BY MARIYAM KHAJA

ubhaan Ashrafi has always had sporadic business ideas: the test to see if they turn into anything, he’s learned, is if he’s still thinking about the idea in a week.

Last February, he was thinking about the Calm app and how its guided meditations and mindfulness practices have helped its users. He realized that there wasn’t anything like that geared towards Muslims, that took an Islamic approach to mindfulness and meditation. Excited, he woke his wife up in the middle of the night to tell her about the idea. She eventually went back to bed—if the idea was worthwhile, she knew she’d hear about it again in a week. “I thought about it the next day and the day after that,” he said. “It’s been a little bit over a year since that night, and there hasn’t been a day where I haven’t thought about it.” It was that idea that led Ashrafi to found Sabr, a guided Muslim mindfulness and meditation app. The app features meditation sessions, calming nasheeds, Quranic recitations and uplifting Islamic courses, covering everything from restoring one’s hope in Allah to managing stress to developing gratitude. Content on the app was designed with the help of Muslim therapists at the Khalil Center and graduating students at the DarusSalam Islamic Seminary in Chicago, to ensure that the content was beneficial from a religious and mental health perspective. The pandemic and its accompanying mental health crisis are, in part, to thank for the app. “I wasn’t planning on launching until this year or maybe in the near future,” said Ashrafi. When the pandemic hit, it was one of his mentors that suggested he launch the app to help people struggling with their mental health. Sabr officially launched in November 2020. The response from the community of students, working professionals and mothers who are frequent users of the app has been humbling, said Ashrafi. He’s had people with depression and anxiety reach out to tell him that the guided meditations have helped give them motivation to keep going. New reverts to Islam have also reached out, asking for guided meditations specific to the revert experience, which Ashrafi was eventually able to offer. While some might think that mindfulness or meditation practises are new or ineffective, research has proven that these practices can help those with chronic pain, anxiety and depression. Mindfulness techniques are used in the field by Muslim and non-Muslim psychotherapists alike (though Ashrafi notes that Sabr isn’t a replacement for professional mental health care). And the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) himself would often reflect deeply and contemplate on his own experiences and the events taking place around him, such as in his trips to the Cave of Hira prior to revelation.“If the greatest person who set foot on Earth is doing this, then there has to be some benefit in it,” said Ashrafi. And despite the app’s success so far, Ashrafi said there’s always room to grow. He’s hoping to develop more meditation exercises and daily content for the app, like duas or short reminders. He’s also hoping to work with more prominent Muslim scholars and leaders in the community. But whatever’s next for Sabr, Ashrafi’s goal is the same: to remind users that it’s okay if they’re struggling. “The Prophet Muhammad pbuh faced so many trials and hardships throughout his life. It’s okay if you’re hurting or facing bumps on the road,” he said. “Inshallah, it’s going to be okay.”

Starting the Conversation When therapy is financially inaccessible, youth turn to hotlines to find support

BY MARIAM NOUSER 16

he COVID-19 pandemic has proven tough for marginalized youth to access mental health care. With increased unemployment rates in BIPOC communities, paying for mental health services has become increasingly difficult. As a result, BIPOC communities are accessing helplines like Naseeha more than ever before.

Muhsin Kermalli, the interim executive director of Naseeha Youth Helpline that aims to provide oncall mental health support to Muslim youth, says they have seen an increase of up to 30 percentage points in calls and a sharp increase of youth reaching out in distress. A similar situation is occurring in B.C., where crisis lines are becoming increasingly backlogged and funding is drying up, according to a CBC report in Sept. 2020. “Call volume has increased by an average of 25 per cent over the past seven months,” said Stacy Ashton, executive director of Crisis Centre B.C., in the report. As a result of the increased demand for support through their helpline and the increased need for affordable therapy, Naseeha Youth Helpline beta-launched their therapy subsidization program in late February of this year. “We will be covering 15 sessions for those who request it from our pool of therapists that have agreed to work with us,” said Kermalli. “The [youth] clients don’t have to worry about paying as all the sessions will be covered.” Kermalli notes that issues of suicide ideation and self-harm are often taboo in Muslim communities and those experiencing these challenges need more than just a helpline — they need therapy. With their new therapy program, Muslim youth are able to access care through licensed counsellors that identify as Muslim and understand the complexity of talking about mental health in their communities.

••• While Naseeha’s initiative to subsidize therapy is a solution, it isn’t a permanent one. Funding resources are limited and the demand for financially accessible mental health care far outweighs what is currently available. It doesn’t help that conventional therapy is largely unaffordable without insurance: according to Therapy Toronto, the average cost of therapy in Ontario runs anywhere between $125 to $175 plus tax, per session. Leslie Hackett, an individual, marriage and couples therapist from Winnipeg, says financial barriers to therapy are largely systematic. “BIPOC community members are often at the lower end of the payscale and have higher unemployment rates, causing them not to have the benefits they need for therapy,” she said. In the Jan. 2021 labour force survey by Statistics Canada, 16.4 per cent of Black Canadians and 20.1 per cent of South-East Asian Canadians reported being unemployed. Hackett says in order to alleviate financial barriers to therapy, the government should be including all mental health care under their provincial health care plans. She says those in BIPOC communities who are facing financial instability or unemployment often need access to therapy the most. For mental health services that are covered by Ontario Health Insurance Plans, wait times are months

long. Those who sought out therapy end up having their immediate issue resolved. Many OHIP-covered therapy sessions also need referrals from a family doctor or psychiatrist in order to be eligible. Hackett says some family doctor’s offices have registered social workers that their clients can access via referral but are a rare find. While covered therapy remains largely inaccessible, many therapists like those under Therapy Toronto, offer sliding scale therapy. This is a fee structure that accounts for a person’s income when they request counselling, resulting in a lower fee paid per session. However, this service is not offered by every psychotherapist, social worker or counsellor. An alternative that the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) suggests is for therapists to offer their services on Open Path, a website that lets counsellors offer discounted therapy sessions to those in need. The sessions on the site run from $30 to $60.

••• When permanent solutions for financially accessible counselling are not available, helplines like Naseeha are essential, especially during a pandemic that brings its own mental health issues. In a recent study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the COVID-19 pandemic will result in upwards of 2,000 suicides this year, caused in part by mass unemployment. “COVID-19 is both magnifying and contributing to Canada’s mental health crisis. The health, economic and social consequences of the pandemic are taking their toll on the mental health of the population, with some groups at greater risk of developing more severe difficulties,” the study says. “The negative mental health impacts of COVID-19 can be expected to last for some time and will place added burden on Canada’s already overwhelmed mental health system.” Naseeha Youth Helpline is available to Muslim youth in Canada and the U.S., seven days a week from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST. Their lines are run by trained individuals who are a source of support for youth under mild distress. Muslim youth seeking help through times of loneliness and dismay can text or call their toll-free number seven days a week. Kermalli notes that the helpline is not a substitute for professional therapy and many times those who reach out to the helpline are in need of a more regular therapy plan with a licensed professional.

THERAPY 18

WORDS OF WISDOM In a year filled with grief, we asked registered psychotherapist Reena Vanza on how to grieve the loss of a loved one through an Islamic lens

n Islam, death isn’t a taboo topic, and many Muslims are raised on beliefs that normalize the inevitability of death. Muslims believe in the predestined timing of death and are reminded of this certainty through verses in the Quran and prophetic traditions. When faced with the loss of a loved one, Muslims also suffer from grief, which is the normal response to the loss of a loved one. Islam gives one the space to grieve: it invites time for reflection, a call to turn back to Allah for solace and a sign by which Muslims recognize His greatness. Many people may misconstrue the symptoms of grief—which include a host of emotions such as sadness, anger and hopelessness— as weakness of faith in Allah. But that isn’t true— Muslims are encouraged to use emotions as cues to turn to Allah’s mercy and guidance. In fact, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) experienced grief throughout his life due to the loss of loved ones. Through his examples, Muslims learn that grief is a natural emotion. Therapists trained in grief support often speak about the five stages of grief outlined in the book On Death and Dying by psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. Contrary to popular belief, these stages are not linear or based on a set timeline. Healing from the loss of a loved one is a personal journey and one that begins with the acceptance of that loss. This belief is mirrored in Islam, as Muslims are taught that accepting Allah’s decree is central to a believer’s journey in life. There are many coping tools to use on your path to healing. The first one is prayer. Islam encourages staying connected to your loved ones even after they have died by supplicating for their forgiveness. In this way, the believer keeps a continuous tie to their loved one that allows for the emergence of hope, which is essential to processing and healing from grief. Another coping mechanism is to stay connected. It is important not to isolate yourself for long periods following a loss. During grief, keeping in touch with loved ones who may be sharing that loss and thus similar feelings can help us cope with the difficult emotions. Humans thrive off creating meaningful connections. Grief also makes us vulnerable and following a loss, we may feel raw, devastated and hopeless. The core emotion is pain, which can be difficult for you to navigate on your own. Reaching out to a trained professional, such as a grief counsellor, can help you cope with these emotions and remember your loved one in a way that helps you heal and pieces your life together again. It’s important to remember that these are just some of the coping mechanisms you can use. Always remember your grieving journey is unique to you. Sometimes, you may find peace in being alone and other times, you may need company. If you find yourself in distress for prolonged periods and the grief is interfering with your day-to-day life, you may benefit from professional help to help you navigate through your grief. Islam is a religion of connectedness and support; you don’t have to go through grief alone. - Reena Vanza, Director of Cedarway Therapy

LISTEN & LEARN

Four podcasts that talk all things mental health

BY Farkhounda Azizullah With podcasts like Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations, the podcasting genre has expanded to include discussions on mental health and wellness. Here are our favourite recommendations on lesser wellknown but notable podcasts in the mental health space.

If you’re looking for company and comfort: The Concept of Us The Concept of Us is a podcast that focuses on topics ranging from mental health to marriage to Muslim identity. Hosted by Marwa Diaf and Ahmed El-Walid, a Muslim couple who share stories from their own lives, each episode radiates comfort. The Concept of Us provides an escape for those looking for fun conversations and real life perspectives. Episode recommendation: We’re All Ears

If you’re looking to debunk taboos around mental health: Sacking Mental Illness Sacking Mental Illness is hosted by Ryan Smith, who has in-depth discussions with his guests on mental health and illness. He takes a look at racialized communities and discusses the topics that have been deemed taboo, such as what it’s like to live with ADHD or misconceptions around borderline personality disorder. Episode recommendation: Misconception of Mental Health & Awareness with Minorities and Race Part 1

If you’re looking for a story to listen to: The Word Affairs

If you’re looking to hear how cultural stigmas impact our understanding of mental health: Culture Meets Wellness

The Word Affairs, hosted by Kaiynath Rabnawaz, is a podcast that discusses Islam, culture, society, mental health and academia. Rabnawaz shares personal stories about her own mental health challenges and teaches her audience lessons she’s learnt along the way. She shares tangible tips for readers, like the outcome of a situation or event is influenced by how you react to it.

Culture Meets Wellness is a podcast that brings on racially diverse guests who discuss their experiences on mental health and wellness from a cultural perspective. The podcast addresses how cultural stigmas have impacted our lack of knowledge on, or refusal to even discuss mental health. The diversity of guests and their stories offers a welcoming environment for culturally and racially diverse audiences.

Episode recommendation: Let’s talk about mental breakdowns

Episode recommendation: Meenakshi Sharma - Breaking the Cultural Cycle of Shame Around Mental Health

and tricks that Q:helpWhatyouaredealsomewithtipsstress and anxiety? Reader Responses “When I have a lot of work I like to make a to-do list! It makes me so happy to check stuff off.” - Ayleen.K “5 by 5 rule! If it’s not gonna matter in 5 years, I don’t spend more than 5 minutes worring about it.” - Kadija.O

“WRITING! I feel after I write down my feelings, I have processed them in some way!”

- Rida.M

“Go on a quiet walk or go sit in the sun at a park by yourself for a bit. It helps me so much!” - Roshnik.S

“Colouring with a fun adult colouring book! Currently working on a travel themed one.” - Skye.B