“Worried about your child’s mental health but unsure where to turn? You’re not alone. At The Reflection Project, we offer a guiding light for Muslim-heritage children and families, providing a safe haven where faith is embraced and cultural nuances are understood.”
Dr. Rachel Abedi, Founder of The Reflection Project
Dr. Rachel Abedi
Therapy is supposed to offer a safe, neutral, non-judgemental space for children to heal, express themselves, and feel seen and understood. However, research indicates that when some Muslim-heritage children and their families seek mental health support through traditional avenues, this is not what they encounter. In fact, instead of experiencing a sense of safety and understanding, many are met with disregard for their faith and cultural heritage, or worse, suspicion of these.
With over a decade of academic and professional experience in Child Psychotherapy, I’ve witnessed these biases firsthand and uncovered the urgent need for faith-sensitive services like The Reflection Project.
When I founded The Reflection Project, my goal was simple: to ensure that every Muslim child receives the tailored support they deserve, in an environment where their faith and cultural norms are not just respected but embraced.
Dr Abedi’s Credentials:
Dr Rachel Abedi is an ACP registered Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist with experience in NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), schools, the voluntary/third sector and in private practice. As an Associate Lecturer at the Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust, she teaches postgraduate courses such as Psychological Therapies with Children, Young People and Families (M34), and is also a doctoral research supervisor.
Rachel has a particular interest in issues of identity, and the impact of intersectional aspects (e.g. faith, culture, experiences of poverty, prejudice and racism) on access to mental healthcare for children. She is a keen advocate of further research into issues affecting the mental and emotional welfare of Muslim children and young people. Her passion and expertise in this area led to the founding of The Reflection Project.
Our Trustees
Ahmed Tudor Payne
Tudor Payne is an award-winning Creative Director whose work includes directing films and leading creative projects for prominent global brands such as Linkedin, Microsoft, Nike, Fiat, Ferrari, and the UNHCR. He started his career as a designer helping to create household brands on Channel 4 like the ‘Big Breakfast’ and ‘The Word,’. He soon became a creative executive at Viacom playing a pivotal role in developing multiple Showtime brands like Paramount Comedy, Nickelodeon, and MTV. During this time, he served as the creative director for MTV’s ground-breaking worldwide HIV campaign supported by Nelson Mandela. His short film ‘Undefeated’ about the life of a young girl living with HIV premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and went on to garner a host of awards worldwide.
‘Recognising the significant gap in mental health support for children from diverse communities, who are not accessing the assistance they desperately require, ‘The Reflection Project’ stands as an indispensable initiative within our society. We must all throw our support behind this essential project to avoid the devastating consequences of more children falling through the cracks.’
Mouna Kalla-Sacranie
Mouna Kalla-Sacranie is a a Communications Specialist with eight years of creative and strategic experience across WPP agencies. As an Associate Director at Blue State, she produced award-winning fundraising campaigns and compelling communications — raising awareness, inspiring action and driving revenue growth for commercial and third-sector clients. Mouna has an extensive track record developing successful communication strategies for some of the world’s largest INGO’s like Save the Children, Amnesty, Oxfam and UNICEF and UNHCR, and is now working in for similar clients in a freelance capacity. Most recently, Mouna has supported on the rebrand of The Reflection Project, helping Rachel redefine the brand positioning, tone of voice and comms approach going forward.
“The Reflection Project is a vital lifeline for Muslim-heritage children and their families. Rachel and the other therapists on staff provide a safe, judgement-free zone where young people they can express their faith and cultural identity without fear or hesitation. So many children from diverse backgrounds aren’t currently getting the help they need. The Reflection Project is here to ensure that this changes.”
Khuzuma Akhtar
Khuzuma Akhtar is a Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist by profession. She holds both a clinical qualification and a professional doctorate in her field. Khuzuma has worked in child and adolescent mental health settings for the past 25 years in various specialist adolescent and school services as well as children and young people’s mental health services in London, the Midlands and Hertfordshire. Khuzuma currently works at the Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust in two roles, her clinical role as a senior clinician in the Child and Family Department and as a Course Lead, heading the Masters training course “Psychological Therapies Working with Children, Young People and Families”. Khuzuma is passionate about using her expertise outside of her jobs within the community. For instance, she has run self-confidence workshops for teenaged Muslim girls, co-run a coffee morning group for Muslim mothers of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Condition and is Safeguarding Officer at her local archery club.
“In sha Allah, I’m very much looking forward to using my skills and experience ma sha Allah tabarak Allah to support this beautiful and commendable project which is already making such an impactful and positive difference to the lives and mental health of young people and their families.”
Our Therapists
Maryam Moha
Co-Lead Therapist
Maryam has several years experience as a therapist with children and young people in various community settings, such as Place2Be, Tavistock Outreach in Primary Schools (TOPS) and Open Door. She has a postgraduate diploma with Place2Be, and a masters degree in Perinatal, Child, Adolescent, and Family Work, at the Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust.
Maryam is of Iranian heritage and speaks Farsi fluently. She currently works predominantly online.
Faizah Nawaz
Assistant Therapist
Faizah is a dedicated Muslim woman of South Asian heritage with a deep passion for child development and psychotherapy. With a masters degree in Early Child Development from UCL and the Anna Freud Centre, she has extensive experience working with children in both educational and clinical settings. This, coupled with her work at the Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust, has resulted in rich connections between her theoretical understanding and clinical work.
Faizah’s blend of cultural insight and professional expertise allows her to create a safe and nurturing therapeutic environment for young minds.
Jennylee Joseph
Assistant Therapist
Jennylee’s background reflects a rich tapestry of cultural influences, stemming from her Parisian upbringing with a Sri Lankan father and half-Algerian mother. This diverse heritage has shaped her perspective, fostering a deep appreciation for multiculturalism and a commitment to fostering inclusivity.
With more than fifteen years of experience working with children of all ages, Jennylee first began her teaching career in France, followed by several years of teaching in the United States and London. Jennylee will soon start her doctoral training in child and adolescent psychotherapy at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, and has been volunteering in charities such as Hope for the Young, which supports young refugees and asylum seekers in their new life in the UK.
Fatima Youssfi
Assistant Therapist
Fatima is of North African heritage and speaks fluent Arabic. As part of her rich experience in the education, health and social care sectors, she has .worked closely with families of children with learning difficulties and physical disabilities, helping to advocate for the best support.
Fatima is currently studying for her masters degree in Psychological therapies with children, young people and families, at the Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust.
Negar Bastani
Assistant Therapist
Negar’s journey reflects a deep commitment to child development and psychotherapy. With a background in psychology and several years experience working with children in various settings, Negar brings a wealth of knowledge and empathy to her roles. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Perinatal, Child, Adolescent, and Family Work at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, enhancing her expertise in supporting children and families.
Negar has significant experience working with children with special educational needs (SEN), including those with ASD and ADHD. She has worked with migrant child labourers in Iran with Setak NGO, providing emotional support and teaching basic literacy skills. These children, some as young as 5 or 6 years old, were mainly from Afghanistan, often living in very poor conditions and far from their families. The work helped Negar to gain a deeper understanding of engaging with children from other cultures.
Sadhia
Assistant Therapist
Sadhia is a qualified counsellor registered with the BACP, and brings a wealth of experience to her role. Having worked in the field of research, education, health, bereavement, homelessness and community outreach, she has first-hand experience of how socio-economic inequalities can have an adverse affect on mental health and wellbeing. Having worked with a diverse group of clients, she recognises the importance of culturally appropriate and faith sensitive mental health health provision, hence her commitment to The Reflection Project.
At present Sadhia is undertaking a postgraduate pre-clinical course, in preparation for a doctorate in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy.
Fatima Zeeshan
Honorary Assistant Psychologist
Fatima is of South Asian heritage and speaks Urdu. She has a rich professional background in social care, mental health advocacy, educational support and social care, including work with organisations such as OCD Action, Hurdles 2 Hoops, Westminster Connects, Ashok’s Vision International and The Samaritans.
Fatima has extensive experience supporting children with special educational needs (SEN), working closely with individuals living with ADHD, autism, epilepsy, dyslexia, hearing and vision impairments, physical disabilities and learning disabilities. Her compassionate approach and hands-on experience have made her a trusted figure within the sector.
Her dedication to mental health reflects a broader mission to create meaningful, lasting change in the lives of individuals and communities.
Lala Arslan
Assistant Therapist
Lala has worked in the mental health sector for over 10 years, supporting children, adolescents and families in both school and NHS settings at various levels. She has experience working with complex mental health needs, and as a qualified psychodynamic psychotherapist she has worked with young people suffering with suicidality, self-harm, depression, issues surrounding identity and culture, relational difficulties and experience of neurodivergence, among other needs.
Lala is an advocate for parent and family work. Where appropriate, she works alongside parents to offer a safe space where they are supported to think about their child and their child’s needs.
New Assistant Therapist
New Assistant Therapist
Coming soon
Our Strategists
Maazin Buhari
Growth and Fundraising Strategist
Maazin works as a Business and Program Development Associate for the Middle East and Africa at the Milken Institute; a global nonpartisan financial think tank producing research on healthcare, climate change, and financial inclusivity. MI broadly works to help people live more meaningful lives and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.
Before this, Maazin worked in boutique management consulting and at a food technology startup. Maazin is a published writer (print and digital) and outside of his 9-5 enjoys all sorts of outdoor activity, independent cinema, and cooking (stage culinaire at two Michelin 1* restaurants in West London).
Maazin’s experience with the nonprofit sector includes his time working with the Seethakathi Trust – his Grandfather’s long-established single-family institution in South India, his fundraising for the Scottish Refugee Council, and his working with Frontline. Maazin has a degree in (MA) Politics, and Economic and Social History from the University of Edinburgh.
With The Reflection Project – Maazin’s role will cover The Reflection Project’s growth strategy and fundraising, working on donor strategy (including but not limited to working with High Net Worth Individuals and family offices), advising on grant applications, and providing a high-level steer on TRP’s establishment and growth as a new charity.
Hannah Syed
Communications and Management Strategist
Hannah currently works as the Manager of Partner and Affiliate Engagement, with the International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation, a global charity supporting people living with this rare cancer. Her role includes leading the annual International Patient Forum as well as helping smaller patient support groups across the globe to increase their members, educate their communities and create sustainable support groups.
Hannah has a degree in Biochemistry and has worked as a Project Manager with over 10 years of experience in Medical Communications and Patient Education.
She is adept at organising international events across continents and working with global colleagues and clients. Her also experience includes managing virtual events, educational platforms for patients and healthcare professionals, and developing marketing plans. She has worked across therapeutic areas such as oncology, diabetes, and rare diseases.
Hannah aims to utilise her experience within the non-profit and communications sector in order to support The Reflection Project. She also has 2 young children, so she understands the vital need to support Muslim children with their mental health and recognises the brilliant work that The Reflection Project are undertaking.
The Reflection Project 