You’re not alone.
a story of hope and connection
What is a Mala?
A mala is a string of beads used to focus the mind and body during meditation or prayer, and to shift us to a state of 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, who immigrated to America at the age of thirteen to build a better future for herself and her family. 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. Dr. Raveau dreamt to one day 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 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 academic and medical systems, are properly supported by their families, and have access to high quality mental health care that is preventive, effective, and holistic.
When Dr. Raveau's son was identified as autistic, 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.
Inspired to
Provide Connection
And that’s where our story begins.
Years after graduation, Dr. Raveau and her best friend, Mariam Saparamadu, a clinical social worker and founder of Sakoon Psychotherapy, decided to form a trauma-informed and culturally sensitive training program for postgraduate mental health therapists. They wanted to offer an nurturing training experience to every clinician that honored 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.