Meet Manal

Registered Psychotherapist & Founder of A Conscious Marriage Psychotherapy

Manal is a warm and compassionate psychotherapist, with extensive counselling experience. A registered member of Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation Australia (PACFA), Manal’s experience extends to working with youth, adults, and families with a wide range of mental health concerns and diverse cultural backgrounds. She has also worked closely with individuals and families impacted by substance use within the Muslim community. Manal’s key specialist area is relationship and couple’s therapy. With an extensive background and special interest in childhood trauma, she recognises the important link between the quality of early life attachments and patterns of interpersonal relationships in later life. She is committed to addressing gaps within the mainstream service sector and providing holistic support that is grounded in both evidence-based psychological theory and faith-based perspectives.

What is a Conscious Marriage?

A Conscious Marriage is an intimate and sacred relationship grounded upon principles of self-awareness, growth and spirituality. The focus is shifted away from the 'other' and onto the 'self' where each spouse connects with themselves in order to connect with each other. They are curious about who they are and how past experiences shape the present moment.

Divine Triangulation

Research shows that couples experience greater marital satisfaction and intimacy when they enter a three-way relationship with Allah, often termed as ‘divine triangulation’. The triangle is representative of the intimate relationship between each spouse and Allah. It provides a pathway to redirect relationship tension onto Allah for conflict resolution and provides an intimate and spiritual connection in marriage. The belief is that when spouses draw nearer to Allah, they draw nearer to one another. The closer they draw to Him, the closer they draw to each other.

God-Centered

This illustration symbolises our connection to our Creator and the crucial role it plays in fostering a conscious marriage. It reveals the space ‘between’ spouses that only God can fill. We are reminded of this in the verse “and He places between you affection and mercy” {Quran 30:21}

Wholeness

Here, the coloured circles illustrate the sense of wholeness that each spouse experiences as a result of their own inner healing journey. They do not look to their partner to "complete" them but instead focus on nurturing their relationship with themselves so they are able to show up with more openness, understanding and presence.

Circularity

The circles represent circularity and a sense of connectedness that occurs between spouses. They influence and react to each other in perpetual cycles. E.g.). when one feels hurt they may withdraw which may trigger the other to become critical and further exacerbate their partner's hurt. The ability to recognize this circular pattern provides couples with insight to understand why they react the way they do, and helps to minimize blame in the relationship.