Maryam Munis, MS, LPC Intern, NCC of Mighty Oaks Counseling and Wellness Under the Supervision of Dr. Sarah E. Carlson, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S, E-RYT 200, YACEP
Today we’d like to introduce you to Maryam Munis.
Maryam, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Growing up as a Pakistani American Muslim, juggling my identities was no easy feat. I searched for belonging, to the point where I masked pieces of myself, hoping the other parts of me would fit in somewhere in this spectrum of identities. It was when I was 14 years old looking for my first therapist that I noticed the lack of South Asian counselors. I found it difficult to talk to someone about my anxieties as an adolescent, a woman of color, and a practicing Muslim when they did not necessarily understand the cultural context. I found myself constantly needing to explain myself to others and it was exhausting.
This is when I started noticing my knack for interacting with people. That sounds a little weird, right? Most people’s hobbies consist of painting, or baking, or playing an instrument! But I always had an interest in connecting with others. I would befriend individuals older than me and always held a curiosity for others and the way people thought. Acting as an unofficial “therapist” to my peers was always fun! I had the opportunity to step into their worldview and offer a space to be heard and accepted. The best part is that I was able to better understand my peers’ concerns because of my own experience and understanding of their cultural and identity concerns. My own isolation and identity confusion led me to become aware and passionate about others’ identity building process.
After receiving my Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Texas at Austin, with a major in Psychology, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the helping profession. It’s a little funny because I thought there was only one route to pursue my dreams – becoming a psychologist! While this was an option, I also learned about other roles within the counseling field. Counseling would allow me to create close therapeutic relationships with my clients and be a part of their healing process. I decided to attend the University of North Texas, where I graduated with a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a focus on multicultural and dual-identity issues, domestic violence concerns, and trauma-informed therapy.
During my time in the program at the University of North Texas, I worked as an intern counselor at Santé Center for Healing and Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation (TMWF), where I provided counseling services for adolescents and adults dealing with substance abuse and domestic violence issues. This internship gave me an immense perspective into the clientele I wanted to work with once licensed. Some of the most powerful advice I was given as a counselor in training was that no experience is a waste, only an opportunity to grow. Both Santé and TMWF not only helped me grow as a clinician but also introduced me to my passion for working with individuals who have experienced trauma.
I approach counseling from an Adlerian theoretical orientation, where the focus is on the client addressing their major life tasks of self, work, love, social, and spiritual concerns. I have experience working with clients who experience general, social, and cultural-based anxiety, depression, addiction, grief, and life transitions. I also specialize in trauma-informed counseling and working with clients ages 10+ to face their concerns in a collaborative and therapeutic manner. Whether clients have experienced deep-rooted trauma, are facing identity issues, or are coping with life changes, I am here for them, and I am dedicated towards creating a safe and empathetic space for clients to navigate through their struggles.
After graduation, I connected with Sarah Carlson, my supervisor and owner of Mighty Oaks Counseling and instantly felt connected. I felt a true sense of belonging and acceptance at Mighty Oaks. As I am learning to navigate being in private practice, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the love and support have been tremendous. Along with working in private practice, I spend some free time building my own platform to connect with others. The Munis Mindset is a place for me to create content towards mental health wellness, especially in minority groups, and advocate for comprehensive care for all. My career is just beginning and each day is an opportunity to grow.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey towards becoming a counselor has been truly rewarding because of the difficulty along the way. After graduating with my bachelor’s, I took a year off to really figure out my life “game plan.” After deciding on the University of North Texas to get my masters of science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, I learned that counseling was nothing like I imagined! During my two and a half year program, I learned to work with clients of all ages who were presenting concerns, and take on more of an investigative role where I learned to understand, track, and connect insights in a client’s life story. During my time working at Santé Center for Healing and Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation, I really started to understand the need for boundaries. Working for a non-profit agency can be rewarding, but it can also be taxing if you are not taking care of yourself. I learned to create my own self-care routine to take care of myself while taking care of others. After a long day, I always make time to go for a walk and watch an episode of The Office to make me laugh.
Along with implementing boundaries, I learned the importance of grace. Despite me being in the beginning stages of my career, it is easy to be incredibly hard on myself. I often track my own progress with how close I am to the finish line, versus looking at how far I’ve come from the beginning of my journey. We can be our own worst critic and one of my own personal and professional goals has been to manage that critic inside my head.
Mighty Oaks Counseling and Wellness – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
As a Licensed Professional Counselor Intern at Mighty Oaks, I am able to be a part of a family that supports me and pushes me to continue growing. Mighty Oaks adopts a holistic approach, where I am able to focus on the individual, rather than the concern. I work with clients across the lifespan as young as ten years old, and I also offer family and couples counseling. I have a passion to connect with other South Asian individuals in the DFW area, to address the inherent struggles of being a person of color in the U.S. and teach techniques and skills to cope with the concerns of juggling multiple identities. I believe that representation is important and advocating for a client’s mental health when intertwined with their cultural identity is the core of my counseling philosophy. I am proud to be a part of a team that is always willing to learn and embraces our differences as strengths! Mighty Oaks is unique because we offer an array of services and also incorporate mindfulness and yoga-based practices to align with all presenting concerns. We strive to nurture and empower others to create lasting changes because mighty oaks from little acorns grow!
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
One of the most essential qualities to have when seeking success is patience. Being okay with failure will truly bring more opportunities and growth. While this will always be a process for me, I have learned to replace the word failure with growth. Failure only comes from never trying and growth continues to come with each passing moment. While this may not be a singular proud moment, my journey in it of itself has been my proudest accomplishment. Trusting the process and showing up for myself everyday – nothing can beat that personal success.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4100 West 15th St
Suite 220
Plano, TX 75093 - Website: https://www.mightyoakscounseling.com/
- Phone: 4696097137
- Email: maryam.mightyoakscounseling@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Dickie Hill
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
