Assalaamu ‘alaikum – peace be with you.

Reflecting is one the greatest gifts we have as human beings. It allows us to look back over events that have happened so as to learn from them, to grow, develop and act more effectively in the future. Taking a moment to reflect can be a humbling process, which rekindles the spirit of gratitude for the uncountable blessings bestowed upon us; whilst simultaneously prompting us to ask more existential questions like, what is the ultimate purpose behind why we are doing what we are doing.

We at Inspirited Minds know we are still at the start of this journey. We know we won't always get things right and we know we still have a lot to learn, but we wanted to start sharing more of what we do by virtue of a monthly reflection series. We want to try to follow effective action with quiet reflection, in the hopes that from this quiet reflection will come even more effective action, and as always, we are open to your comments, ideas and suggestions; so please do get in touch by replying to this email.

Du’as always,
Talat

Revert 2 Reality hosted us for an educational workshop on the basics of understanding mental health covering common mental health difficulties; the Islamic basis of mental health; addressing the stigma around mental health in the Muslim community and supporting oneself and others.

Muslim Women Connect invited us for a topical panel discussion covering managing mental health and identity, personally and professionally as a Muslim woman in today's world and how to thrive in the workplace.

The Mastery of Emotion, a talk close to Sultan's heart, was delivered to a diverse audience from the University of Warwick Islamic Society. It covered the nuances of Islamic mental health; a narration of his own experience and ended with an interactive workshop allowing people to utilise what they learned in real case studies.

Peace of Mind - Time to Self-care in times of stress was an interactive workshop collaborated with Manchester Metropolitan University Islamic society and the Mental Health Awareness society, where attendees learnt about signs and symptoms of stress anxiety and depression; developed ways to manage stress and learnt how to support oneself and others.

As part of the UCL RUMS Islamic Society annual conference - At Last Breath, Sultan was asked to share his experience with suicide and how he dealt with it all. The suicide panel discussed things from a biopsychosocialspiritual model of health and achieved an accurate understanding of a holistic approach to mental health.

This Concept of Mental Health workshop was given by Zahra at Quwwatul Islam girls school focussing on an introduction to understanding the concept of 'mental health' as a dimension, with 'mental ill-health' being one facet. Discussions revolved around ways of promoting mental wellbeing and mental health amongst themselves and their peers.

Domestic abuse is an incredibly taboo topic within the Muslim community and many would avidly deny its existence but the reality is starkly different. UCL Islamic Society held an event to tackle this very issue and invited Sultan to narrate his own account of domestic violence from his own perspective and that which he has seen in a university setting.

For our blog, this month we delved into the topic of trauma and abuse, with the recent spotlight on sexual abuse, domestic violence, and traumatic experiences overall, we are beginning to understand the lasting impact these can have on our mental and physical wellbeing.

Hanfia Iliyas from Eden Houses UK and Sofia Buncy from Muslim Women in Prisons gave very unique perspectives of domestic violence within the Muslim community and the impact it has on someone's mental health in this month's The Mindful Muslim Podcast.

The diverse approaches to mental health seminar celebrated the partnership between the Muslim Networks in Public Health England, NHS Improvement and the Department of Health with Inspirited Minds pledging to support the Prevention Concordat for Better Mental Health.

Time to Talk Day brought the nation together to get talking and break the silence around mental health problems. This year we used social media to start those conversations.

Professor Abdur Rasjid Skinner is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Jungian Psychotherapist with over 40 years experience of dealing with a variety of psychological problems, particularly within Muslim communities. He joins our Advisory Board to provide strategic advice, senior guidance and support.

We are looking for passionate, kind and motivated individuals to join our team. If you feel you have the skills, enthusiasm and dedication required to make a difference and help someone in need, please do get in touch. We have a number of exciting vacancies open at all levels.

Advisory Board Member
Psychotherapeutic Advisor
Counsellor
Support Worker
Campaigns Manager
Campaigns Officer
Public Relations Officer
Marketing Officer
Graphic Designer
Video Editor
HR and Wellbeing Officer
Finance Officer