Presenters: Durriya Shamsi and Huma Raja
CAIR-Philadelphia invites you to join Durriya Shamsi, behavior therapist, MA, MSc, BCBA, LBS, and a CAIR-Philadelphia Advisory Board member and Huma Raja, psychotherapist, MA, for community information and conversation sessions that will shed light on commonly experienced mental health and behavioral issues. Mosque leaders and community groups can request these sessions that will be customized for audiences.
Video from Session Held September 30, 2020:
What will be covered?
Developed specifically for our communities (mosques, Islamic schools, neighborhood groups), and keeping in mind the additional difficulties posed by COVID-19 pandemic, some of the topics covered in the information and conversation sessions include:
- The benefits of daily structure
- Reinforcement techniques
- Self-monitoring skills
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Creative play
- Coping techniques
- How to deal with acute traumatic stress?
- How can you help relieve anxiety?
- Self-care techniques
Who is the target audience?
We are hoping to reach:
- Families struggling during the pandemic and otherwise who have differently able children, siblings, or family members.
- Youth and adults struggling with the changes in our world. Tips and strategies that they can use to alleviate some of their angst.
Are these in person or online sessions?
The sessions will be delivered online, through Zoom. We envision groups of around 10-12 to join where the facilitators may also conduct smaller breakout room discussion. In-person classes will be considered later in the year, pending improvements in the public health landscape.
Can we customize the sessions?
Yes. Please email us at atekelioglu@cair.com to get in touch with the facilitators and to discuss how it can be customized for your masjid / Islamic School.
Who will deliver the sessions?
Durriya Shamsi works as a BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) with children, adolescents and adults with autism and other disabilities. She has an MA from University of Cincinnati and MSc from Penn State University. She believes society should be based on an equitable and socially just system that works for all its citizens, predicated on the premise of our forefathers that all men (and women) are created equal. She feels with kindness, listening skills, standing up for our principles and empathy, we can change this world — one person at a time. She is a proud mother, wife and daughter.
Huma Raja is a psychotherapist with experience in individual and group therapy, as well as hospital administration. She has a MA in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She believes in the power of the therapeutic process and strives to remove the stigma surrounding mental health. She is dedicated to working with underserved, and often overlooked, populations. In her free time she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, hanging out with family/friends, and spending time outdoors.