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Hello, I'm Manal
Pronouns: she/her
Identities: Second-generation Pakistani-American, Muslim, Woman
Associate Therapist pursuing a Licensed Professional Counselor
Supervised by MN Board Approved Supervisor Chiung Wang, LMFT
Offers telehealth and in-person (Minneapolis, MN)
Can conduct therapy in English and is conversational in Urdu and Hindi
As a second-generation Pakistani-American Muslim woman, I am intimately aware of what it feels like to grow up between cultures. You're often balancing different values, expectations, and responsibilities, while trying to figure out who you are beneath all the messages about who you should be.
I know what it's like to feel different, wonder where you belong, and to search for support when the people around you don’t have the language or tools to talk about what you're going through.
In my communities, conversations about mental health are often avoided, which can leave people feeling isolated, ashamed, and stigmatized. This is why I am passionate about making our therapy space safe enough for you to bring your full self to our room- not just the polished and ‘perfect’ parts, but also the parts that feel nervous, messy, uncertain, or afraid. This is a space for you. All of you.
Empathy, warmth, non-judgement, compassion, care, and collaboration is embedded in my work and personality. Therapy can be a scary and uncomfortable experience for some, which is why it’s important that our relationship feels genuine, authentic, and rooted in our shared humanity. I will be patient and work to earn your trust because I know the best therapy happens when you feel safe, heard, valued, and respected.
I am a person that will laugh with you, cry with you, and sit with you as we try to make sense of all of life’s challenges.
Many of my clients struggle with anxiety, self-doubt, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and/or feeling pressure to balance multiple roles and identities. Oftentimes, people come to me when they feel overwhelmed by school or work, they are in conflict with their important people in their lives, or if they are looking to unpack familial trauma.
Our identities and lived experiences do not exist in a vacuum. Systemic barriers and injustices have a profound impact on well-being and can manifest as trauma, grief, anxiety, and distress. You do not have to leave those experiences at the door when you come to therapy. Instead, we can explore how these experiences have shaped you and identify sources of strength, connection, and healing.
Many of my clients struggle with anxiety, self-doubt, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and/or feeling pressure to balance multiple roles and identities. Oftentimes, people come to me when they feel overwhelmed by school or work, they are in conflict with their important people in their lives, or if they are looking to unpack familial trauma.
I draw from Person-Centered Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Narrative Therapy. In practice, this means creating space to make sense of your experiences rather than rushing to "fix" them.
Together, we'll explore where your beliefs about yourself came from, why certain patterns keep showing up, and how your relationships, culture, family, and life experiences have shaped the person you are today. We will learn to sit in difficult feelings, foster resilience, and make strides towards your goals.
Therapy is not about becoming someone else or “fixing” you. It is about understanding yourself more fully, and creating a life that feels authentic, meaningful, and connected to your values.
I believe healing rarely happens in isolation. We are shaped by our relationships, communities, cultures, faiths, stories, foods, and lived experiences, so I want to honor whatever feels authentic and meaningful to you.
I don't believe there is one "right" way to heal. Together, we will define what healing looks like for you and create a space for curiosity, growth, and learning along the way.
Very simply, I hope you know you are not alone. I hope you know that I am here to support you, no matter what stage of life you are in. You don’t need to have it all figured out (because that isn’t possible!). If you choose to work with me, there is 0 commitment, pressure, or expectations.
I am here for whatever you need, whenever you’re ready.
It’s okay to be unsure or cautious - I get it!!
Therapy with me is collaborative. We will move at your pace, work toward your goals, and make decisions together every step of the way. You are the expert on your own life, and my role is not to tell you who to be or what choices to make. My role is to walk alongside you as we make sense of your experiences and identify what healing, growth, or change looks like for you.
I love to try new foods, play and watch sports (go lynx!), pretend to read books, lay outside and act like I don’t have seasonal allergies, listen to the same playlists 300 times, and cook and share spicy foods :)
Education
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University of Minnesota - MA in Counselor Education in Clinical Mental Health
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University of Wisconsin Madison - BA in Psychology and Global Health
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