Work Experience

DIRECTOR, Lifeline Conversations

Current Position

-Provide Trainings and Psychosocial Support to the Non-Profit Sector

-Manage the company

SENIOR REGIONAL STAFF WELFARE OFFICER (Asia), Bangkok Regional Office, United Nations (UNHCR)

2012-2017

-Provide trainings and sessions to humanitarian staff and managers in 23 Asian countries on a range of personal and organizational topics

-Provide psycho-social counseling and support to all UNHCR staff in Asia

STAFF COUNSELOR (Asia), World Food Program, (UN WFP)

1999-2003, 2005-2012

-Facilitate managers through individual feedback and mentoring

-Train and manage a Peer Support Network for Psychological First Aid in every major office of every Asian country

-Provide training, counseling, crisis intervention, and conflict resolution for WFP staff in 21 countries

-Facilitate supervisors and managers in maintaining healthy work environments

HEAD OF STAFF COUNSELING UNIT (Rome), UN World Food Program Headquarters (UN WFP HQ)

2003-2005

-Managed Mental Health of all UNWFP staff globally (12000+) in 81 countries

ADJUNCT FACULTY National Institute of Psychology (Islamabad) Qauid-i-Azam University

1999-2003

-Teach graduate courses in “Contemporary Issues”, “Mass Media”, and “Clinical Psychology”

CO-ORDINATIOR Crisis Intervention Program for women, Bedari, Pakistan

1993-2003

-Hire, train, supervise and provide backstopping for the psychologists

-Train and manage volunteers for outreach activities and facilitation

-Conduct weekly Case Seminars to discuss the cases and provide ongoing training to the psychologists

PSYCHOTHERAPIST Private practice, Pakistan

1993-2001

-Provide psychotherapy to individual clients and couples

PROGRAM OFFICER In-charge, Center for Democratic Development, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

1994-1996

-Develop democratic norms in the existing political structure

-Organize public programs to initiate debate and discussion on tabooed topics

-Empower and activate various communities in the society to take up their issues themselves

ADJUNCT FACULTY John F. Kennedy University Orinda, California

1995 1991-1993

-Teach “Sufism”, a graduate-level course

-Lecture on Islam and Sufism in the graduate class on World Religions

COUNSELOR Battered Women Alternative Pacheco, California

1992-1993

-Provide psychotherapy to battered women and men with violence issues through individual counseling, group therapy and crisis telephone counseling

COUNSELOR Community Counseling Ctr. Concord, California

1991-1992

-Provide psychotherapy to clients for a broad range of psychological issues

GENDER CONSULTANT

1992-Present

Designed and conducted Gender Trainings, Gender Policy process, Masculinity workshops and SGBV initiatives for organizations like UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, GTZ, ActionAid, NRSP and several others

GROUP FACILITATOR and TRAINER

1987-Present

Designed and facilitated groups and trainings on a range of issues related to human rights peacebuilding, self-growth, social activism, etc. for organizations like the British Council, GTZ, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, War Against Rape etc.

TEACHER AND FACILITATOR FOR SESSIONS ON SPIRITUALITY

Selected, representative activities:

-Conducted monthly sessions/lectures on spiritual topics and practices for the Asian Study Group, Pakistan 1995-2002

-Led a weekly Meditation Group at Bedari, Pakistan 1996-1999

-Presented ‘Islam and Sufism’ in the World Congress of the Benedictine Order, for over 400 of their world leaders, Vatican 2005

-Keynote speaker for Vaisakhi Buddhist Celebrations, organized by eight embassies in Islamabad, Pakistan 2005 & 2006

-Conducted residential retreats on Spiritual Practices for the Asian Study Group and others, 2006 onward

-Offered classes in meditations, Tai Chi and other spiritual practices at the American Satellite Center, Bedari and other organizations, Pakistan 1995-1997

-Led seminars on Mysticism, Buddhism, Taoism, Sufism, Religious Tolerance and Pluralism etc. 1994-present

Youth Mobilization Project

Designed, coordinated and conducted a Youth Activism and Community Mobilization project with UNICEF, MINISTRY OF YOUTH and Social Welfare and Bedari for 77 villages around the Islamabad Capital area, 2000

INTERVENTION FOR UNDP, BANGLADESH

Worked with the UN Resident Representative, Bangladesh, to facilitate with the process of reorganization and staff cuts, 2000

ANALYSIS OF DYNAMICS AT UNICEF

Analyzed and reported on the patterns of interaction and power dynamics within UNICEF, Pakistan, 1999

EVALUATION OF BAHRIA COLLEGES

Conducted a two-month, in-depth evaluation and recommendation exercise for Bahria Colleges in Islamabad and Karachi after interacting with and assessing all levels of the Institutions, 1998