Our Story
You’re not alone.
Mala: a story of hope and connection.
What is a Mala?
A mala is a string of beads used to help focus the mind and body during meditation or prayer, and to shift us to a state of calm and presentness. Each individual bead connects with the others to form a whole strand, just like each of us as humans are connected to each other, to our families, to our communities, and to the world.
Mala is a reminder that, as humans, we need each other and our safe, nurturing communities to be at our best and to live the most fulfilling lives we are meant to live.
Inspired to Break Cycles
The inspiration for Mala arose from several personal experiences in the life of Dr. Hasti Ashtiani Raveau. Dr. Raveau immigrated to America at the age of thirteen, with a dream to build a better future for herself and her family through hard work and education. She was the first in her family to attend college and earn a PhD. In graduate school, Dr. Raveau noticed that although her training program was not formed to meet the needs of underserved or minority students, specific mentors who truly invested in her growth and well-being were able to fill those gaps and help her thrive.
As she dreamt about life after school, Dr. Raveau knew she wanted to provide that kind of support to others who wanted to be cycle breakers for themselves and their own communities. She wanted to offer the kind of mentorship and guidance she knew everyone deserved.
Inspired to
Give Hope
During graduate school, Dr. Raveau lost her only sibling and younger brother, Danny, to suicide. Because of what her brother went through, as someone with ADHD who did not receive proper support, Dr. Raveau became determined to do things differently for other children. She has made it her life's mission to ensure that neurodivergent and racial minority children do not become traumatized through the academic and medical systems, are best supported by their families, and have access to high quality mental health care that is preventive, effective, and holistic.
Inspired to
Provide Connection
When Dr. Raveau's son was diagnosed with Autism, she developed a new understanding of neurodivergent care. She learned that disability is the product of the environment, not the person. She learned that the key to best support her differently wired son was to create a compassionate, collaborative village–a group of invested people in every area of his life. Dr. Raveau has made it her mission for other children and families to receive the kind of collaborative support they need and deserve.
And that’s where our story begins.
Years after graduation, Dr. Raveau and her best friend, Mariam Saparamadu, a licensed clinical social worker and founder of Sakoon Psychotherapy, decided to form a trauma-informed and culturally sensitive mentorship and training program for postgraduate mental health therapists. They wanted to offer an individualized and nurturing training experience to every clinician that honored all of their needs as individuals. That training program became the fertile ground for a team to grow. With hard work and collaboration, this caring and invested group collectively birthed the Mala Child & Family Institute in May of 2021.