On this Women's Day, we are excited to share stories of women and their inspiring journeys with you.Sha’aa Shameem
General Manager of Therapy Center
An in-depth interview with Sha'aa, the General Manager of the recently established Therapy Center.
Could you share your personal and professional journey, highlighting experiences that led you to counseling and positive psychology?
I believe my interest in psychology began during childhood. I distinctly recall being fascinated by the realization that my personal experiences differed from those of others around me. I immersed myself in books, striving to comprehend this disparity.
One day, a friend informed me of her acceptance into a Psychology program and invited me to accompany her. It was a spontaneous decision, but one I'm grateful for making.
Upon commencing my studies, I realized my inclination wasn't towards clinical practice; instead, I found myself drawn to conducting small experiments to validate and comprehend the theories I was learning.
After completing my Bachelor's degree, since I didn't desire clinical practice, I decided to explore local opportunities within the field. This led me to a role as a Coordinator at a mental health clinic.
Fast forward to the present, I'd say my career choice stems from a curiosity about the human experience. I've always felt a strong desire to contribute to collective reform, change, and growth. Therefore, delving into the core aspects of human nature seemed essential to me for effecting any meaningful change.
I've always found novelty intriguing, which prompted me to pursue positive psychology. My pursuit of a Counseling Master's degree isn't for the purpose of practice, but rather to acquire new concepts, understand them, and engage in research along the way.
What inspired you to take on the role of general manager at the newly opened Therapy Center, and contribute to the psychological services landscape in the Maldives?
With my previous experience at Thibaa Psychology as their Practice Manager, I felt confident in my ability to collaborate effectively with Amira, the owner and MD of Therapy Center, to establish a facility where all services could be accessed from one place.
When I first met Amira, I immediately noticed her remarkable balance of care, passion, compassion, practicality, rationale, and drive. It was clear to me from the outset that this venture would be meaningful, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.
Having been in the field for some time, I understood the pressing need for a one-stop clinic. Amira's vision resonated strongly with my own personal views and values, solidifying my decision to join the team.
Can you describe your role as a general manager?
My role at Therapy Center is to oversee the overall functioning of the clinic, which includes managing personnel, implementing policies and standards, enhancing client experiences, overseeing social media and marketing, managing operations, handling financial aspects, and contributing to clinic expansion and development.
While the majority of daily tasks involve administrative work, we hold weekly strategy meetings to address all aspects of clinic management.
Can you share some unique approaches the Therapy Center adopts?
There are several aspects of Therapy Center that I admire and deeply respect. Despite the hierarchical system in place, we all share an understanding that each of us is different, with our own strengths and limitations. We respect each other's quirks and actively seek to utilize these within clinic operations and development.
The humble nature of everyone, combined with our drive to maintain and develop a clinic that provides high-quality care, may seem idealistic. Especially to those who have been working for a while, this concept might appear unrealistic. However, I can confidently say that this is exactly how our team functions, and I believe it's what makes us amazing.
Balancing leadership in a sensitive field, how do you approach issues of confidentiality and personal matters?
Working as a manager in a mental health clinic exposes you to a lot of sensitive information about various clients, practitioners, and even acquaintances who may come in as clients. Personally, I've never been one to gossip about others, whether in my personal life or professional capacity. I prefer not to know things about people that aren't relevant to my role. Therefore, maintaining professionalism and confidentiality isn't challenging for me. In a small community like ours, I strongly believe that anyone working in healthcare, especially mental health care, must possess personal integrity to uphold confidentiality.
This field demands a high level of integrity from those who choose to work in it. Confidentiality isn't solely the responsibility of practitioners; everyone in the clinic is accountable. This expectation is reflected in employment contracts. While personal integrity is crucial, it's also the clinic's responsibility to enforce confidentiality measures and take appropriate action in case of any breaches.
Managing a psychological clinic and studying simultaneously can be demanding. How do you maintain a balance between your professional and personal life?
Honestly, it's very hard. However, both my colleagues and those close to me are well aware of my schedule, as I make a point to openly share these aspects of my life with them. This helps them understand my daily routines, energy levels, and when I'll be available. I feel fortunate that everyone understands and supports me through it all, which makes it easier to navigate my day and carve out some time for myself.
As someone with expertise in positive psychology, how do you integrate its principles into your daily life and work?
I wouldn’t necessarily say that it is an expertise of mine. But when I was studying, they made us do a lot of reflective work on concepts like strengths, meaning, values, optimism, and flow. I think those reflective activities really helped me shift my personal narrative which now helps me to make decisions. In my view, life is generally going to be challenging, especially if you are growth driven and if you want to do something with your life. So it’s wiser to choose the battles you choose to fight and how I make my decisions now is by assessing whether this is something I am willing to suffer for. And if it is, I dive head in because I know that it would be meaningful for me regardless of how it turns out. The concept of meaning particularly stood out for me while I was studying the program; so that is what I apply the most as I go through my personal and work life.
Looking ahead, what are your goals for the Therapy Center, and how do you envision its future impact on the community?
I would like Therapy Center to achieve its vision of becoming a one-stop facility for all aspects of overall well-being. Additionally, I envision a future where Therapy Center engages in various projects, conducts research, and contributes to policy-level discussions on health and well-being using data.
I also envision a future with multiple branches of the clinic nationwide, ensuring accessibility for everyone. My goal is to work towards realizing these visions in the long term, in a sustainable manner.
In what ways do you aspire to contribute to the broader field of psychology and counseling through your work and leadership?
In a broader sense, my long-term goal is to attain a position where I can effect change on a larger scale. I envision myself as someone who contributes to data and research, develops best practices and frameworks, and assists in policy creation and re-evaluation. I don't necessarily need to be at the forefront; rather, I aspire to work in the background and contribute to meaningful change. That is my aspiration.
How can the industry enhance the professional development and ongoing training of psychologists and counselors in the Maldives, ensuring they stay updated on the latest research and therapeutic approaches?
I believe peer support is a highly undervalued aspect of professional development. For example, among practitioners, each therapist employs different styles of therapy, drawing from their unique pool of knowledge in sessions. Engaging in discussions about these various therapy styles and techniques with peers provides invaluable support, offering fresh perspectives on situations.
You may discover an effective technique used by another therapist for a specific issue, which you can then apply when working with a similar client. Mental health is a holistic concept, necessitating an understanding of psychology, counseling, psychiatry, social work, and even areas such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, and aspects of physical health. It also involves understanding cultural, social, and religious factors, along with everything else that influences human psyche.
Networking and having a strong professional support system, coupled with personal development activities like reading up on the latest research and attending seminars and training, are essential for those in the field. Fundamentally, one must be curious, growth-driven, analytical, and humble to be a competent professional in this field.
What advice would you offer aspiring counselors, especially women, considering a career in the psychological field or aspiring to take on leadership roles?
This is such a big question.
To share a personal experience, I grew up in a household where everyone was driven and hardworking. There was a lot of passion, maybe even idealism to a certain level. I felt a lot of pressure because everyone in my family was accomplished. Growing up, I personally struggled with this for a while because I felt like I had a standard to uphold. Based on how I saw myself, I felt like this wasn’t a standard I could ever reach. Even when I first started working, slowly climbing the ladder, and putting myself out there more and more, I felt like an imposter. Even now, sometimes, I find it challenging to process and accept the place I am in life. But the more I engage with people and learn about their experiences and thought patterns, I realize that we are all exploring and trying to figure out our place in this world and how we can contribute. So, if you are interested in the field, that’s great! Explore it.
Psychology isn’t a field where job opportunities only come in the form of clinical practice. We obviously need competent counselors and psychologists, but there are other ways to contribute to the field too. Take on leadership roles, manage clinics, create better work environments, be involved in the creation of mental health policies, work with NGOs, create your own NGO, advocate for better systems, conduct research. There are many ways for you to contribute. So keep exploring and figuring out which contributions mean the most to you.
