Social Work Lives: Clinical Practice Story Telling & Deep Listening

We are delighted to invite you to Social Work Lives, a series of webinars spotlighting CSSW alumni. Get ready to be inspired as they share what brought them to social work and CSSW, their experiences at CSSW, and lives as professional social workers. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions.

 

Benaifer Bhadha, LCSW (they, them) (CSSW08) will join us on

Tuesday, October 3rd at 5:00 PM EST.

Benaifer Bhadha, LCSW, (they, them)

Benaifer Bhadha LCSW (they, them) is a therapist, storyteller, facilitator and performer. As a therapist, they work with individuals, partners, groups, communities and families. Benaifer’s approach is trauma-informed and client-centered, with an anti-oppression lens. They are committed to the lifelong unlearning of colonial structures and to holding space for others to unpack how societal and institutional structures have impacted their mental health and wellness. The therapeutic space Benaifer creates is influenced by social work, advocacy, internal family systems therapy and narrative therapy models. At the core of each of these is a dedication to centering people as the expert in their own life and honoring individual self-determination. Their identity as a queer, non-binary South Asian person informs their approach to psychotherapy and is foundational to their desire to create inclusive and safe spaces for others.

Benaifer facilitates workshops with folks seeking to explore their personal stories and delve into deep listening practices and have done so with sex workers, undocumented peoples, survivors of violence, deinstitutionalized people, marginalized youth and anyone who wants to use their personal story to enhance their personal freedoms and rights. Benaifer produces and performs personal stories that explore gender, identity and power and are the co-director/performer of “Two Women Talking” and “Yoni ki Raat”. Benaifer is also a contributing author to Narrative In Social Work Practice: The Power and Possibility of Story. They earned dual Master’s degrees in Social Work (Policy Specialization) and International Affairs at Columbia University.

They adore tea (with milk, sugar and cardamom), hot pakoras and their pupper, Baci. Benaifer grew up between the sea-face of Bombay and the cliff sides of England and wants you to know that they are one of ~190,000 Zoroastrians in the world, and are pretty proud of it!