Check out "My religion is not for self-harm: Faith as a source of healing in instances of spiritual abuse" a Lecture by Salima Versi on October 29 in Toronto

Written by Chelby Daigle

Published in News

Salima Versi will be presenting "'My religion is not for self-harm': Faith as a source of healing in instances of spiritual abuse" on Tuesday, October 29 at Emmanuel College, Toronto.

This public lecture explores the issue of spiritual abuse in Muslim communities.

Salima Versi holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology & Religion and a Master's degree in Religion & Modernity from Queen's University. Her thesis explored the impact of religion on the acculturation of Khoja Nizari Isma'ilis from East Africa in Canada; it can be read online here.

She is currently a PhD candidate in the University of Alberta’s Religious Studies Program. Her general focus is Islamic studies, but her research more specifically examines Nizari Isma'ilism, particularly in Canada.

In addition, Salima is a Canadian Certified Counsellor with a Master's degree in Counselling Psychology from Adler University, where she specialized in spiritual care, cross-cultural counselling, and women’s issues. Added to these professional qualification is a commitment social justice and community service.

She is actively involved the community at the University of Alberta, her own Ismaili community, the Muslim ummah, and the broader Edmonton community. Within her own Ismaili Muslim community, she is an Alwaeza, which is a scholar, preacher, and spiritual caregiver.

Salima is a regular guest speaker on Islam and Ismailism at both community and academic institutions. She is also a board member for various interfaith, Muslim, and feminist organizations and speaks on and participates in a variety of projects and discussions related to Islam, religion, feminism, social justice, and mental health.

You can view a lecture delivered by Salima Versi on Islam and Mental Health at the Edmonton Interfaith Centre. (It may take a few moments for the video to load from YouTube).

To learn more about Salima Versi's work visit her consulting and counselling services website here.

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Chelby Daigle

Chelby Marie Daigle is Muslim Link’s Editor in Chief and Coordinator. Under her direction, Muslim Link adopted its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy so that the website strives to reflect the complexity of Muslim communities in Canada. She knows that she fails to do justice to this complexity every day but she will continue to try to improve as she recognizes the frustration of being both marginalized in the mainstream and also marginalized in Muslim communities. As Coordinator, she works to build relationships with Muslim and mainstream organizations and manages the website's social media, event listings, and directories. She organizes regular Muslim Link gatherings. She also works closely with the Publisher to find ways to keep Muslim Link sustainable. Find her on Twitter @ChelbyDaigle