When the team at Zaaviyah met, they each had their own story. They were on different paths, had different careers, different plans—their lives only intersected because they were on the Fulbright. But there were two things they had in common—they were all struggling because of problems in their lives, and they were all finding it difficult to talk about them. Though they believed in the importance of mental health, and Sana and Amna were training to be therapists, it was still difficult to overcome the stigma that comes with seeking professional help. When, eventually, Amna and Sana did begin therapy, they realized how different it felt from the other side of the therapist’s chair.

Eventually, they saw how much it helped them become healthier, happier, and more content. But they also remembered the feelings of frustration and fear that discourage so many people in the early days of therapy. Zaaviyah is the result of that new perspective—a platform they created to make the journey to better mental health easier for other people than it had been for them. Taking its name from the Urdu word for angle, Zaaviyah is all about perspectives—especially the client’s perspective.

That’s why they believe in working with the client as a team, strictly maintaining confidentiality and transparency. It’s also why mental health awareness, as well as advocacy, is an important part of their work towards demystifying what it means to struggle with mental health. At the most difficult of times, it is not easy to accept you are struggling and it is even harder to reach out to a professional. If you are still unsure about therapy, that is okay. Because guess what, the team at Zaaviyah has been exactly where you are right now. Zaaviyah strives to make therapy more approachable and address the needs of the local community. The team is committed to keeping up with your feedback to ensure that your journey is as comfortable as possible.