Meet Maryam Abdallah of I Am Well Consulting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maryam Abdallah.

Maryam, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started in the field of social work over 19 years ago as a Child Protective Services Investigator. Since then, I have gained experience from being boots on the ground as a case manager to assisting with policy in a leadership role. Along the way, I also utilized my educational backgrounds in criminal justice and social work to provide me with a justice, legal and human perspective, which combined were ideal in working to empower individuals. Through my experience and education, my passion for social work and advocacy grew immensely.

I began to take a holistic approach not only in working with individuals and families but also in my thinking of how to improve the overall system for oppressed populations. I also started to realize that many of the individuals were “repeat clients” and eventually I had to stop and think about the reasons as to why individuals were receiving all of these services but still returning as clients with issues. Bottom line was that the individuals were only being treated at the surface level due to staff workload, burnout of staff and many other systemic reasons. The initial plan was always great… to assist in gaining employment, establish housing and make referrals for services within the community. But I was never able to walk them through fully and address the most important piece…the individual’s emotional well-being and mental health.

Many individuals, especially within the Black and Brown communities, have unresolved trauma that no matter how many services you give them, if they can’t figure out a way to heal from the past hurt, they will never be whole for themselves or their families. So, after 19 years of working within the system and having to stay within the lines of all the red tape, I took a leap of faith and decided to start my own mental health services business, I Am Well Consulting, LLC. Now, I’m able to put my energy into the areas that I see the most need, create a healing space and empower individuals and communities. I’m also able to offer self-care and wellbeing space for the professionals that do the workday in and day out.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I would say that the biggest struggle was actually taking the first step and stepping out on faith. Initially, which was during the Pandemic, I started out with a plan to continue working as a full-time employee and do private practice mental health in the afternoons and weekends. This initial plan was because I wanted the security of a consistent paycheck and benefits. But the more I thought the plan through and discussed it with my family, I realized that this would bring more stress from having to juggle two jobs and my personal life which includes my wife and a toddler. So, my wife and I talked about it, looked at worst case scenario versus best-case scenario. Fortunately, after much prayer and meditation, the best-case scenario won.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am the Founder and CEO of I Am Well Consulting, LLC which provides emotional well-being and mental health services. I Am Well offers both consulting and therapy services to individuals, couples, families and professionals.

The therapy side was built on the mantra of Oprah Winfrey, “When we know better, we do better.” As a Therapist, my goal is to share the tools and resources needed to change your life for the better. I utilize a variety of approaches and assess each individual in a holistic manner to determine the best-individualized plan. My core practice includes utilizing Dialectical Behavior, Solution Focused, and Trauma Informed Therapies. I specialize in Women’s Therapy and LGBTQ Affirming Therapy. Both of these areas are important and near to my heart, both professionally and personally. As part of both of these communities, I can relate to the struggles and hurt that many of us have with trying to balance our families, faith and careers. So, much of my energy comes from making space for individuals to find the freedom in being their authentic selves.

I’m grateful to be able to partner with two local women entrepreneurs to offer a wide range of services to communities that normally would not have the knowledge or access to services. I was drawn to Nashville Emotional Wellness Counseling and CEO Jamila Walker based on her passion for inspiring growth, nurturing healing and encouraging change that allows women to stand in their truth and be their best self. Dr. Eboni Webb, CEO of The Village of Kairos, specializes in a DBT Team Approach treating individuals and families who have experienced trauma; successfully guiding them through a journey of self-validation, mindful awareness, and behavioral change.

The consulting side of I Am Well was founded on the premise that “Even Therapist Need Therapist.” Because I have been in this world for over 19 years and understand the importance of employee self-care, I wanted to create a support space for professionals. Therapist, Educators, Healthcare Workers, Social Workers, Law Enforcement, Entrepreneurs…we’re all out here trying to save the world, but oftentimes we fall short of taking care of ourselves. Not taking care of ourselves mentally leads to less productivity, stress and burnout. So, in order to be preventative, I Am Well Consulting offers emotional and well-being support services through Clinical Training, Strategic Planning and Crisis Debriefing.

Clinical training facilitates discussions around topics of self-care, burnout, vicarious trauma, moral injury, generational workspaces, motivation, and team building to list a few. I also offer strategic planning for structuring a workspace that provides emotional and well-being support. My goal is to explore the holistic needs of the Team and create a strategic planning session that meets specific needs of the professionals. Lastly on the consulting side, I offer crisis debriefing, stress management and conflict resolution to professionals that have been negatively affected by a recent crisis or stressor. The goal of conducting a crisis debriefing is to provide a safe space for healing and emotional support. Crisis Debriefings also increase overall safety, well-being, and productivity.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me is defined as reaching ultimate happiness. Success is determining what brings you happiness and finding ways to live in your happiness. Determining your happiness is not an easy task, especially when you are constantly feeling pressure from family, friends and society. Once I actually identified things that were most important to me and found ways to live in those moments daily, I felt absolutely liberated and accomplished. Starting my own business, built on my passion and my vision; this makes me smile daily…this is success to me!

Pricing:

• I offer a free 15-minute consultation to discuss individualized needs..

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://iamwellconsulting.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamwellconsulting/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamwellconsulting
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/IAmWellConsult1
• Other: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/maryam-abdallah-nashville-tn/829166

Image Credits
Autumn Moultry