" My aim is to help my clients figure out what is keeping them from realizing their goals and working with them to identify strategies for overcoming those obstacles."
Abdul is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) who specializes in working with adults who are seeking help with depression, anxiety, bereavement, and substance use disorders. He helps them transform their lives by learning to think about their lives in new and less hurtful ways.
Abdul holds a master’s degree in social work from Howard University’s School of Social Work. Prior to getting his MSW, he was working at an outpatient community mental health center and working on getting certified as an addiction counselor. He employs a variety of techniques including psychoeducation, motivational interviewing, Socratic questioning, and unconditional positive regard. His treatment orientation is heavily influenced by rational emotive and cognitive approaches. Abdul always aims to help clients understand what they want from their lives and to motivate them to achieve those goals.
Abdul's practice is rooted in humanism, the belief that people are self-motivated to pursue their own happiness. He sees his role as a guide who can support you on your journey toward happiness. Abdul accepts that all people are unique, with unique biology, chemistry, life stories, and life goals all their own. He understands that not everyone gets the same start in life and that each of us is uniquely shaped by the challenges and opportunities we encounter in our families of origin, our communities, and our society at large.
Abdul's goal as a professional is to support you as you strive for happiness and help you identify challenges and develop skills to overcome them. Ultimately, he believes that each person he meets is on a quest, searching for a rewarding, meaningful, and fulfilling life. His role is simply to help you get to your destination. "Noted psychiatrist and addiction expert Gabor Maté said that only when compassion is present can healing truly take place. My goal is to be that compassionate presence in your life as you work to understand yourself, identify the source of your unhappiness, and work with you to discover the happiness and life satisfaction that you deserve," says Abdul.