salaam!
my name is verdah kazi, i am a licensed mental health counselor for the state of new york, & i am a queer desi muslim therapist.
i founded rūhwisdom to create accountable spaces of healing for community members who have endured the harmful impacts of various power structures, including but not limited to: capitalism/colonialism/imperialism, racism/colorism/white supremacy, sexism/misogyny/patriarchy, trans & queer phobias, & religious oppression.
all oppressive power structures work to disrupt the connection we hold between our emotional/mental, spiritual, & physical selves, creating a cycle of persistent or recurring survival mode. we create shame-based narratives to cope with this cycle, rarely ever experiencing our bodies’ capacity to thrive, create, & connect.
through rūhwisdom, i hope to help my community free their minds, bodies, & spirits so that we can work together to cultivate a more empathetic & supportive society that prioritizes the needs of all our community members.
rūh (روح): the immortal, spiritual essence of one's self; the literal breath of Allah
My Approach
trauma-informed
“trauma” is an event or experience that we are not readily equipped with the tools or skills to cope & navigate the trauma. in these circumstances, our body will activate our survival mode to help us make quick decisions to protect our physical, emotional, & spiritual selves. too often, these decisions are pathologized & shamed. when working with me, we’ll cultivate a space & practices to honor & celebrate your body’s attempts in carrying for you.
narrative
for generations, our ancestors carried on traditions & beliefs through storytelling & oral tradition. storytelling has always been an integral method of understanding the world around us, creating meaning out of our experiences, & emotionally connect with others. narrative therapy recognizes the ways in which the stories, or narratives, we tell ourselves influence the decisions we make & the meaning we derive from our emotions.
emotion-focused
for too long, we have been manipulated into believing our emotions are irrational, illogical, immature, & harmful. well, i’m here to tell you that our emotions are actually messages from our bodies trying to tell us what is happening for us, around us, &/or to us. when we build the skills/tools to better understand these messages, we can then make better-informed decisions for ourselves.
holistic
our health relies on the wellness of our mental/emotional, physical, & spiritual selves. talk therapy alone won’t be enough to break down & process the generations of colonial, cultural, & relational traumas carried in our bodies. i aim to incorporate somatic, nutritional, emotional, & spiritual methods of processing & healing from our traumas.
my accomplishments
Ketamine Assisted Therapy (KAP) (training completed)
Yoga Teacher Training Certification - 200 (YTT-200) (training completed)
Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) issued by NYSED Office of Professions
Mental Health (M.A) and Psychological Counseling (Ed.M) at Columbia University, Teacher’s College
2017 Western Psychological Foundation Student Scholarship Award for Psychology Research Presentation
Cum Laude, Honors Psychology (B.A) & Islamic History Minor at the University of San Francisco
Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology; Member
American Counseling Association; Member