Assalamu alaykum, I’m Usman Ahmed, founder of SMART MINDS.

My journey into counselling has been somewhat unconventional. Professionally, I have spent much of my career working as a tax adviser, while alongside this I have been deeply involved in community work, youth coaching and mentoring. It was through these experiences that my interest in counselling developed.

Following the pandemic, I helped establish a grassroots football club (www.smartsport.org.uk) which grew to support close to 200 young people and their families. As a coach and community organiser, I increasingly found parents approaching me to speak with their children about difficulties at home, school or in their personal lives. I recognised the trust being placed in me, but also the responsibility that came with it. Rather than simply relying on life experience or good intentions, I wanted to equip myself properly to support people.

This led me to formal training in Islamic counselling under Imam Abdullah Hasan of the British Board of Scholars and Imams, through the Professional Skills Programme with the Association of Islamic Mental Health Specialists (AIMS).

My approach is based on Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), underpinned by Islamic values. I believe our difficulties should be acknowledged, but they do not always need to become the centre of our conversations. Counselling can also explore strengths, resources, possibilities and what a better future might look like.

I have a particular interest in supporting Muslim men, fathers, boys and families. Through my community work, I have seen how important belonging, positive relationships and having a place where people can speak openly, be listened to and not feel judged can be. I am especially passionate about supporting fathers, recognising the wider impact that stronger, more confident men can have upon their children, families and communities.

SMART MINDS brings these experiences together: professional training, Islamic values, community experience and a practical understanding of the pressures of everyday life.