Our Team
We could not have established or continued to sustain Stones to Bridges without the dedication, commitment and unconditional support from Our Counselors, Volunteers, Advisors and Donors.
Many are referenced here and others are anonymous; in either case, every single individual has been a blessing in forming a bridge that is improving the lives of our youth by supporting them in the struggles they face and empowering them to turn their Stones to Bridges. May Allah bless and reward all of you for your efforts. Meet our hardworking team!!
Our Counselors
Meet “The Fatimas!” We have been blessed with a number of exceptionally trained and highly experienced mental health professionals to support you here at Stones to Bridges. They respond to your Dear Fatima struggles and write articles to help you turn your stones into bridges.
Fatima Mirza, PhD, MSW obtained her PhD and MSW in Social Work at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She is a researcher working to better understand Muslim American families and the lives of Muslim American youth. She interested in learning what encourages their healthy development, and what things put them at risk. She plans to use this research to develop programs to help build strong families and communities that can better support Muslim American youth. Her clinical experience includes working with adult survivors of trauma, and doing individual therapy for people facing a variety of life’s challenges.
Suphia Dadabhoy is currently a PhD candidate at American University. She is currently providing part-time research assistance and part-time individual therapy in an on campus program. Her approach is heavily based on cognitive-behavioral, family systems, multicultural and developmental frameworks. Her clinical interest include: substance abuse, religious and spiritual issues, anxiety, and depression. Her goal is to use her research to develop and support ongoing programs in American Muslim communities that will help families start off with a strong foundation.
Afshana Haque, is a licensed marriage and family therapist & supervisor at her private practice, Dr. Afshana Haque & Associates, PLLC. She has worked with Muslim families across Texas and Florida for almost 20 years. In her practice she focuses on improving relationships, personal wellness and mental health. Dr. Haque earned her doctorate at St Mary’s University after completing her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Houston, Clear Lake. She has published in books and prestigious journals related to mental health and relational challenges of Muslims and minorities. She has also contributed to literature on spiritually integrated family therapy with Muslim clients. She also enjoys non-profit work as well and helped establish the Center for Refugee Services in San Antonio, TX in 2010. She has also worked as a professor of marriage and family therapy at the University of Houston, Clear Lake for 7 years before going into full time private practice in 2021. She is a regular speaker in the Houston Muslim community and also provides education and awareness workshops.
Mizaj Valappil, is a graduate-level Counseling Psychology professional providing support to youth, couples, and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including individuals with Down syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and acquired brain injuries. She works with individuals experiencing mood and personality-related challenges, offering compassionate, person-centered care tailored to their unique needs. Mizaj is passionate about creating safe, supportive, and non-judgmental spaces where individuals feel heard, understood, and empowered to grow.
Selina Ali, is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) at Sacred Minds Counseling. She is a graduate of the University of Houston with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She uses a compassionate approach and strives to empower her clients to lead more fulfilling lives. Outside therapy sessions, Selina’s passion is facilitating mental health workshops and groups for mothers and youth in the Muslim community.
Farah Aziz, is a child and adolescent psychiatry fellow physician completing her fellowship training at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, NY. She is passionate about Muslim youth and their families. She appreciates a holistic biopsychosocial model approach with particular interest towards dialectical and cognitive behavioral approaches. In the future, she would like to study and further specialize in Islamic psychology. Post training, she hopes to continue to serve the youth through awareness, support and local programming in local masjid communities.
Abdallah Ezekiel Rothman is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) licensed in the District of Columbia and Virginia and a Board Certified- Registered Art Therapist (ATR-BC) . He received his Masters in Psychology from Antioch University in Seattle, Washington. In addition to his academic and clinical training in western psychology, Abdallah studies Islamic Psychology with leaders in the field both in the U.S. and abroad and is currently doing doctorate level research on the development of an Islamicaly-oriented treatment model. He served as an adjunct faculty member at George Washington University for four years and he established Shifaa Integrative Counseling, LLC in the Northern VA and DC area. He is currently living overseas in the United Arab Emirates, but he continues to do some counseling with DC area locals via phone and/or videoconference.
Sarah Ansari, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University in 2006, and her Masters in Community Counseling from Argosy University in 2010. She is an American-Muslim, of South-Asian decent and culturally aware, understanding the challenges families and individuals experience when major life transitions (e.g., marriage, divorce, death, relocating, etc.) happen. She’s also able to relate to people of different faiths, ethnicities, race and background. She has worked in an agency named Family Intervention Specialists, Inc. providing in-home counseling in the community, and also has experience of working in a private practice setting. She enjoys working with adult and adolescent females (ages 13+) who struggle with suicidal ideations/thoughts, self-harm or bodily harm, depression, anxiety, anger, relationship issues and other life or mental health concerns. The interventions she uses are based in DBT but is eclectic in her approach. “I absolutely love and enjoy what I do. My ultimate goal is to help the community in ending mental health stigma. Taking care of your mind is as important as taking care of your body. I understand that talking to a random stranger can be scary; however there are times when we need to talk to someone who is going to be nonjudgmental, empathetic and provide the support we need. I work together with my clients in helping them solve their problems, listen to them and live a life they desire.”
Executive Board of Directors
We are a group of individuals from a variety of educational and professional backgrounds such as psychology, public health, engineering, business management/consulting, etc…just wanting to make a difference. Through our own personal lives, volunteer work, and professional work, we’ve come to appreciate the very real issues and challenges youth face, which are not always discussed as freely as should be and have typically been treated as taboo. None of us previously knew one another, but through the grace of a higher plan, Allah brought the four of us, Huda Akhavannik, Sanjana Quasem, Madiha Tahseen, and Aneela Charania, together in 2010. We decided that we wanted to provide an open space for youth to be able to pose the issues/struggles they face which they might not have a place to address otherwise, and to share their stories and support one another, as anonymously as they wanted. This was the beginning of our journey. It is our prayer and our hope that we can continue to expand our efforts and be a place where youth can continue their own “bridge building” journey in the years to come.
A special thanks to Saud Inam for bringing us together for this very special cause that was near to each of our hearts in our own ways. May Allah continue to bless him in his continuous efforts to improve the lives of the Muslim community.
Volunteers, Advisors and Contributors
Stones to Bridges was originally established and sustained for the first several years on a completely volunteer basis. It’s through generous contributions from our volunteers, advisors and contributors including financial contributions, IT services, marketing, social networking, graphic design, experiences working with youth, sharing of ideas, etc and most of all sincere care and concern, that collectively we all formed a bridge that is improving the lives of our youth by supporting them in the struggles they face and empowering them to turn their Stones to Bridges.
Without Allah’s blessings, and the sincere intentions of these dedicated individuals to make an impact in the lives of the youth, Stones to Bridges would not have been able to better the lives of those it has and of those we hope to in the future.
Sheikh Abdul Nasir Jangda, Abdullah Jangda (Salam Studios), Wajid Mirza (Arthur Lawrence Consulting), Sophia Ahmed, John Bhaktul, Aliza Farooq, Hussain Jinnah, Sanah Jivani, Aasia Ansari Khan, Fariha Mahmood, Imaan Meghani, Amber Meghani, Alisha Dhanani, Nafiz Tafader, Sharmin Ullah, Fatima Hussain, Zehra Quadri, Haniyyah Taufique, and so many others.
