Friday, August 14, 2009

ISLAMIC ONLINE COUNSELING
(Revised Version)
St. Louis, Missouri, USA
(First Quarter - January- March 2010)


PSYCHO-THERAPIST: Mohamed Ziauddin MSW LCSW ACSW

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful


"Is Online Counseling allowed in Islam especially when I have to explain many of my personal life problems and details to someone I do not know, nor have ever seen" one sister asked. While I observed others were confused as to what exactly is Islamic Online Counseling and how does it work? This occurred when a discussion was initiated on above topic.


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Life is partly a set of challenges and in the process of facing these challenges, difficulties are encountered and you have to make decisions in your everyday life in terms of your family, work, relationships et.c.

Not all of these challenges are easy to face. Some of them require coping and management skills. other events such as death of a loved one, requires processing and grieving. While few others may require assistance with building their self-esteem or problems with anger control and/or to develop appropriate communication skills. There are varied sources of getting help with the challenges you face in life.


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Needless to say, first and foremost source of help is directly by DUAA and asking Allah to guide you in each and every step of your life and to make your current stresses easy on you. Almighty Allah has repeatedly emphasized in the Holy Quran about the importance of seeking KNOWLEDGE.


Such knowledge includes learning new coping skills to deal with challenges of life and utilizing the various tools to access such new coping skills. One of such tools in the contemporary times is ISLAMIC ONLINE COUNSELING. The Muslim therapist involved in Islamic Online Counseling in most cases tends to involve partnership with an Imam and/or Islamic Scholars for consultation as needed.

Besides DUAA as indicated above which is the most important source of seeking help, you could also receive help from those you trust to be there for you in your critical times. This may include your loved ones, family, relatives and friends. You could also independently contact your local Imam and counselors in your area.


WHAT IS PSYCHOTHERAPY


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According to Wikipedia:


Psychotherapy is a set of techniques intended to improve mental health, emotional or behavioral issues in individuals, who are often called "clients". These issues often make it hard for people to manage their lives and achieve their goals.

Psychotherapy is aimed at these problems, and solves them via a number of different approaches and techniques; commonly psychotherapy involves a therapist and client(s), who discuss their issues in an effort to discover what they are and how they can manage them. Because sensitive topics are often discussed during psychotherapy, therapists are expected, and usually legally bound, to respect patient privacy and client confidentiality.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Given that psychotherapy is a kind of treatment restricted mostly to verbal exchanges, practitioners do not have to be medically qualified. In most countries, however, psychotherapists must be trained, certified and licensed with a range of different licensing schemes and qualification requirements in place around the world. Psychotherapists may be psychologists, social workers, trained nurses, psychiatrists, psychoanalysts, or professionals of other mental health disciplines. In the United States, Social Workers as one of the disciplinary groups comprise the largest number of psycho-therapists.

Psychiatrists' training focuses on the prescription of medicines, with some training in psychotherapy. Psychologists have special training in mental health assessment and research in addition to psychotherapy. Social workers have special training in mental health assessment and treatment as well as linking patients to community and institutional resources.
Recent trends in drug development to treat chemical imbalances have led to a more wide spread use of pharmaceuticals in conjunction with psychotherapy by medically qualified mental health nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, and in some states prescribing psychologists .

While having benefits for patients with ailments such as bipolar disorder, impulse problems, schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder, drugs of late have begun to be used as a 'quick fix' and are gaining less favor in the therapeutic community.


There are at least five main systems of psychotherapy:

(1) Psycho dynamic

(2) Cognitive
(3) Humanistic/supportive
(4) Behaviorism

(5) Brief counseling


(www.mentalhealth.net)

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM PSYCHO-THERAPY ?

ANYONE WHO:

1) Has conflicts with parents or children
2) Difficulty making and maintaining relationships
3) Has chronic fatigue
4) Has problems with anger
5) Is in abusive relationship
6) Seem to pick the wrong partner for relationships
7) Is seriously contemplating separation or divorce
8) Has body pain that cannot be explained medically
9) Feels compelled to addictions - drinking, drugs, sex and gambling.
10) Having thoughts on and off of harming self or others


COMMON MYTH:
Psycho-therapy is only for those who have severe mental illness.

FACT:
Almost everyone can benefit from psycho-therapy. Many of us have feelings of emptiness in our lives, that we are not able to fill, despite repeated attempts. Psycho-therapists can help you lead a more fulfilling life. Last but not the least, they can help you break down the barriers that prevent you from achieving your goals and realizing your full potential.




WHY ONLINE COUNSELING ?



For the most part, there was an assumption that seeking help with one's challenges in life involves face-to-face meetings usually done formally by setting up scheduled appointments. However as number of providers offering help increased, it was organized into agencies that offered help specially with crisis or potential crisis through the phone which could be assessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. A crisis usually does not give you an advance notice before falling into your life like a virtual bombshell. It can happen anytime 24 hours/7 days/365 days a year.


Now offering help through the Internet is just a natural extension of the very different ways of helping including face to face counseling, telephonic counseling and referrals. While the help through Internet may not have the advantages and benefits that come through face to face counseling, it still can be a good source of support.

Islamic On-line counseling could be a good source of support for those who are generally functioning well in their daily life but are finding it increasingly difficult to face new situational stressors or worsening chronic problems. On-line counseling is particularly helpful in assisting with stressors resulting from problems with anger, relationship issues at work and home, parenting, marital and family conflict et.c.


It should be very clear at the outset, that Islamic On-line counseling will NOT be helpful on situations that may involve imminent danger to self or others, those with severe personality disorders, or those who have severe eating disorders, severe substance abuse. Further please keep in mind, that no prescription for medication is given when one uses on-line counseling.

Through Islamic On-line counseling, we offer psycho-educational support to people experiencing severe challenges in their lives. The relationship that builds between the member of our Ummah (Muslim client) and the Muslim therapist is geared towards focusing on the current stressors of the Muslim client, is solution oriented utilizing the latest psycho-therapeutic tools and combining it with the gems of Holy Quran and Sunnah as needed.


Once you initiate a request to seek Islamic Online Counseling, you will have to fill out a short questionnaire, register on our website, select a mode of service (e-mail, chat, or telephone), and you will have a choice to buy a single unit or package deal. The final step will will be to schedule a cyber appointment for chat or a phone appointment.


ADVANTAGES OF ISLAMIC ONLINE COUNSELING

REDUCED COST:


Islamic Online Counseling is more affordable than traditional face to face counseling. For example the cost of an hour of on-line counseling will be $30 per hour, which on an average, is less than half the cost for traditional (office based) counseling in the United States.

CONVENIENCE:


You can continue to seek on-line counseling from your home almost any time of the day or night depending on your location on the globe. While we are located in St. Louis (Central Time) Missouri, our prospective clients could be from any part of the world. For those who have no Islamic counselors close to their home, on-line counseling could be of significant help.

YOUR APPEARANCE, DRESS AND THE WAY YOU PRESENT YOURSELF WILL BE IRRELEVANT WHILE FOCUS WILL BE ON YOUR EXPRESSION OF YOURSELF THROUGH THE CYBER TEXT


Through Islamic On line Counseling, the focus is on your thoughts and feelings about the events that happened that led to your current stressor or crisis and not your gestures or appearances.

Muslim women who wear hijab or niqab specially in western countries and who may already have been to a secular counselor in their local counseling clinic can easily relate to the issues of "comfort level" when others may stare at them while they wait in the lobby. Many of them may have further difficulties in connecting to a secular therapist. Not surprisingly there is a significant non-compliance in following up with subsequent counseling sessions.


As far as Islamic Online Counseling is concerned, sessions starts off with a greeting "Assalamualikum" but beyond that Muslim women can be worry free in terms of their dress and appearance, needless to say with a high degree of comfort level. Since the focus is on the cyber text of your thoughts and feelings pertaining to your current stressors, such Islamic Online Counseling with appropriate professional guidance can assist you to zero in on the core of the cognitive distortions that are currently feeding into your continued stressor(s).

All knowledge is ultimately from Allah. As Islamic psychotherapists, we as servants of Allah are basically assisting the members of the Ummah by providing them greater insight and necessary cognitive tools to help resolve the day to day challenges of life.

WHO IS BROTHER MOHAMED ZIAUDDIN ?

Br. Mohamed Ziauddin, is a humble brother from the Ummah who obtained his BA in Psychology from Presidency College, Chennai, India and later completed Masters in Social Work from George Warren School of Social Work, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He has extensive experience in individual, family and group psychotherapy. Group therapy focused on "Stress Management" "Reality Therapy Groups" and "Male Batterers Treatment Program".

Winner of multiple awards including “Performance of Excellence” Award “Perfect Attendance” Award “Team Player of the Month” Award and “Gosh, I am Good” Award et.c.

September 2001: After the tragedy of 9/11 in New York, the nation observed a few minutes of silence to honor the victims of 9/11. Later the Staff and Faculty of Harbor UCLA (University of California in Los Angeles) Medical Center, Torrence, California had a meeting in which leaders from Interfaith Communities (Jewish Rabbi and Christian Priest) gave speeches. Mohamed Ziauddin had represented Islam and gave a speech condemning the terrorist acts of 9/11.

Enriched work experience through the extreme diversity of clients seen in the context of providing counseling and psycho-social evaluations. Besides having clients from an individual, couple, family, group and from various ethnic, national and religious groups, also saw a client who was a celebrity in terms of playing a leading role in an Oscar winning movie, a client who sought counseling to cope with grief due to death of fiancee by the terrorist attack of Al-Qaida in the Middle East, another client who was permanently locked up for life due to the heinous crime of cutting a woman to pieces and roasting her in an oven.

PAST:

Adjunct Faculty, G.W.B. School of Social Work, Washington University. St. Louis, Missouri.

Clinical Supervisor for the largest mental health insurance company in the nation.

Co-instructor for workshop on “Pathological Gambling: Issues, Identification & Resources”: Institute of Family Therapy, St. Louis, Missouri

Provided training to new employees and interns at “Youth Emergency Services” on issues pertaining to Crisis Intervention, Suicide, Homicide, Child Abuse and Neglect.

Developed and started the first–“Male Batterers Treatment Program” in Southeast Missouri.

MAC – Master of Addictions Counselor

CCJS – Certified Criminal Justice Specialist

ACSW – National Academy of Certified Social Workers

Represented a non-governmental organization (R.I.C.E) at an Annual Conference titled “Peace, Justice and Development – Ingredients for an Emerging New World Order” at UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, New York, NY.

Acceptance of his presentation paper titled “Psychiatric Management of the Forensic Patient: A Model in Missouri” by the Organizing Committee of the “WORLD CONGRESS OF MENTAL HEALTH”.

On behalf of HIVOS (Humanistic Institute for Co-operation with Developing Countries), appraised a project for funding purposes in Asia and submitted a report with recommendations.

Attended WHITE HOUSE FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES Conference in Indianapolis, IN.

FREE SERVICE TO THE ST.LOUIS COMMUNITY:

IN THE PAST, VOLUNTEERED at:

(1) Salvation Army Homeless Shelter
(2) Provident Counseling Center
(3) Life Crisis Services (A suicide hot line)
(4) St. Patrick Shelter for the Mentally ill Homeless Women
(5) Good Samaritan Center for the Homeless
(6) CONTACT St. Louis (A service for the hearing impaired)
(7) Hospice - Lutheran Med Center (Helping the terminally ill & elderly patients)
(8) St. Louis Crisis Nursery (assisting children in crisis from birth to 8 years old)
(9) 90.7 KWMU – National Public Radio
(10) Chairman – St. Louis Muslim Social Service Agency


GUEST LECTURES TO STUDENTS AT JEFFERSON COLLEGE, HILLSBORO, MISSOURI:

On topics:

(1) “Impact of War: An International Perspective”
(2) “Abuse of Women: A Multicultural Perspective"
(3) "Understanding the Dynamics of Cultural Differences"
(4) "Recognizing Cultural Differences by Health Care Professionals”

LPS- Pursuant to Section 5150, California Welfare and Institutions Code, above Social Worker has been designated by the Board of Supervisors of Los Angeles county as a professional person who may upon probable cause take, or cause to be taken, into custody, any person who is dangerous to himself or others or gravely disabled, as a result of mental disorder, and place him in a treatment facility, designated by the County and approved by the facility for 72 hour evaluation and treatment.

COUNSELOR FOR:
St. Louis County Family Court
St. Louis Mental Health Network

PRESENT:

Currently a psycho-therapist in private practice and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker working for the Government and most important of all, a servant of the Ummah wanting to assist the distressed Muslims across the globe using the tools of technology – INTERNET through Islamic Online Counseling.

If you need more details, you are welcome to contact at the following e-mail address: amyusuf786@ymail.com