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This opening session of our three-part trauma series centers on the individual: the unseen wounds we carry and how they shape our sense of self, relationships, and everyday choices. Together, we’ll explore how early experiences can impact self-worth, inner dialogue, and the ways we show up in adulthood. Building on the trust and community we’ve cultivated in past gatherings, this space invites honest conversation, reflection, and deeper understanding. Through guided discussion and shared insight, participants will begin making sense of their experiences while reconnecting with their capacity for healing and growth. This is a space to gently name what’s been carried and begin to loosen its hold.
Speakers’ Bio:
Alaa M. Shareef
Alaa Shareef is a researcher, curriculum developer, and community educator at The Family & Youth Institute focused on Muslim mental health literacy and family wellness. She holds dual Master’s degrees in Clinical Psychology and Mental Health Counseling and a diploma in Islamic Psychology. A practicing counselor in New York, she is a published author and national speaker on faith-integrated mental health and healing.
Dr. Omar Shareef
Dr. Omar Shareef is an MD, MBA dual-degree graduate of St. George’s University School of Medicine. He completed psychiatry residency at Nassau University Medical Center, and fellowship training in Community Psychiatry as well as certification training in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Transference-Focused Psychotherapy at Columbia University. He currently practices at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens, NY. Omar is a certified Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor and a community educator with The Family & Youth Institute.
This opening session of our three-part trauma series centers on the individual: the unseen wounds we carry and how they shape our sense of self, relationships, and everyday choices. Together, we’ll explore how early experiences can impact self-worth, inner dialogue, and the ways we show up in adulthood. Building on the trust and community we’ve cultivated in past gatherings, this space invites honest conversation, reflection, and deeper understanding. Through guided discussion and shared insight, participants will begin making sense of their experiences while reconnecting with their capacity for healing and growth. This is a space to gently name what’s been carried and begin to loosen its hold.
Speakers’ Bio:
Alaa M. Shareef
Alaa Shareef is a researcher, curriculum developer, and community educator at The Family & Youth Institute focused on Muslim mental health literacy and family wellness. She holds dual Master’s degrees in Clinical Psychology and Mental Health Counseling and a diploma in Islamic Psychology. A practicing counselor in New York, she is a published author and national speaker on faith-integrated mental health and healing.
Dr. Omar Shareef
Dr. Omar Shareef is an MD, MBA dual-degree graduate of St. George’s University School of Medicine. He completed psychiatry residency at Nassau University Medical Center, and fellowship training in Community Psychiatry as well as certification training in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Transference-Focused Psychotherapy at Columbia University. He currently practices at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens, NY. Omar is a certified Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor and a community educator with The Family & Youth Institute.
