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The Shifaa Method Level 1: Theoretical Foundations

Theoretical Foundations

April 5 – June 21, 2026 | 100% Online | Foundational Training Format

The journey into the Shifaa Method begins not with technique—but with paradigm shift, deep reflection, and a sincere opening of the heart.

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What is the Shifaa Method?

The Shifaa Method is a therapeutic modality that integrates Islamic spiritual principles with somatic awareness and heart-centered therapeutic techniques. Currently in the process of being written as a book (anticipated release in early 2026), this groundbreaking approach builds upon the theoretical model of Islamic psychology and psychotherapy developed by Dr. Abdallah Rothman (Rothman, 2022). The method offers a structured framework for practice that addresses the unity of body (jism), mind (‘aql), soul (nafs), heart (qalb), and spirit (ruh).

The Shifaa Method

The Shifaa Method Training Program

The Shifaa Method Training is a highly experiential educational journey, offering tangible skills that can be immediately integrated into professional practice. The complete training pathway consists of three levels:

Level 1

Introduces the theoretical and foundational aspects of the Shifaa Method, including specific principles of Islamic psychology based on prior theory development, with the addition of initial somatic awareness and heart-centered interventions.

Level 2

Advances practitioners’ skills through detailed instruction on each stage of the method’s therapeutic arc. It includes practice sessions, peer learning pods, structured feedback, case studies, and clinical application.

Level 3

Focuses on refinement and advanced demonstration of competencies. Practitioners deepen their proficiency of the method through supervised recorded practice, direct feedback, and integration of the method across diverse clinical and coaching contexts.

Your Instructors

This training is jointly taught by Dr. Abdallah Rothman and Saman Hussain, who together bring a unique integration of Islamic psychology, heart-centered coaching, somatic awareness, and experiential learning. Their complementary approaches embody the spirit of the Shifaa Method—blending depth of knowledge with presence, reflection, and compassionate facilitation.

Dr. Abdallah Rothman

Founder and Clinical Director of Dar al-Shifaa, Dr. Rothman brings over 20 years of experience in Islamic psychology, integrative healing, and clinical training. He serves as Head of Islamic Psychology at Cambridge Muslim College and is President of the International Association of Islamic Psychology (IAIP). His approach holistically integrates heart, mind, and spirit in the healing process.

Saman Hussain

A coach, counselor, mediator, curriculum designer, and group facilitator, Saman brings over 17 years of experience supporting individuals and groups through transformative work. She holds an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Johns Hopkins, is a PCC-accredited ICF coach, is certified with IAIP and instructor of Principles of Islamic Psychology in Practice at Cambridge Muslim College.. Her facilitation style is experiential, creative,, and deeply heart-centered.

Who Is This Training For?

This level is open to:

01

Qualified Professionals

This level is appropriate for qualified professionals in helping fields—such as psychotherapists, counselors, psychologists, coaches, naturopaths, lifestyle medicine practitioners, or pastoral care workers—who are licensed or regulated to practice in their local region.

02

Committed to Ethical Integrity

Participants are expected to uphold clear ethical standards and take personal responsibility for the trust placed in them, with sincerity and humility..

03

Spiritually-Inclined service providers

This training is for those drawn to a heart-centered and spiritually rooted approach to healing—not as a technique, but as a way of being.

Purpose & Goals

Level 1 is the gateway into the Shifaa Method—a heart-centered, somatic approach to healing rooted in the Islamic tradition. This foundational training introduces the core theoretical framework of the method while gently inviting participants into their own inner process of transformation.

Designed for practitioners who feel called to align their healing work with a more spiritually integrated approach, Level 1 reorients therapeutic practice around the heart. It emphasizes presence over protocol, being over doing, and integration over information.

More than simply learning a new method, participants are invited to begin a personal journey of psycho-spiritual reflection. While this stage does not require deep personal reflection, it does ask for honesty, humility, and an openness to inner work. The path of the Shifaa Method begins with the practitioner’s own heart.

What You Will Gain?

Level 1 is not yet about full implementation—it is about orientation, alignment, and internalization. It introduces a new paradigm of healing that integrates Islamic principles, somatic presence, and heart-centered reflection.

Through this training, you will begin to develop

Foundational Theoretical Knowledge

Understand the Islamic model of the soul, Islamic epistemology and ontology, and how these differ from secular paradigms in therapy.

Conceptual Tools

Begin to assess cases and formulate treatment plans using the Islamic model of the soul as a scaffolding for understanding client experience.

Reflective Capacity

Cultivate critical thinking and self-reflection as a core component of therapeutic presence and ethical alignment.

Contemplative Practice

Experience Islamic contemplative practices as tools for regulation, grounding, and inner clarity—first for yourself, then eventually with clients.

Level 1

 LEARNING OUTCOMES:

01

Understand

core Islamic epistemology and ontology of the self (nafs, qalb, ‘aql, rūḥ, fitrah) and compare these with dominant Western paradigms, noting implications for practice.

02

Apply

an Islamic model of the soul to basic case conceptualization, assessment, diagnosis and treatment.

03

Employ

foundational heart-centered and somatic awareness practices appropriate for entry-level integration into existing therapeutic work.

04

Differentiate

issues that warrant consultation or referral (e.g., to religious scholars or community resources) and maintain scope of practice, safeguarding, and informed consent within an Islamic ethical frame.

05

Develop

understanding of the Shifaa Method’s foundational principles and therapeutic arc.

Key Themes & Topics

Islamic Theoretical Foundations

Core principles of Islamic psychology, ontology, and spiritual understanding of the human being.

Comparative Look at Secular Models

Exploring the differences between Western psychological paradigms and Islamic conceptions of the self

Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Introducing how to understand and approach healing through the Islamic model of the soul.

Introduction to the Shifaa Method (Principles, Arc)

A first look at the structure, flow, and foundational principles of the Shifaa therapeutic process.

Contemplative Practice

Engaging the heart through Islamic contemplative and somatic exercises for inner awareness and presence.

Certification & Evaluation

Program Details

This level does not offer certification in the method. Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a:
Certificate of Completion (Level 1: Foundations of the Shifaa Method)

Participants are expected to attend live sessions and complete all assignments. There are no recorded client sessions submitted for feedback and supervision or competency assessments at this stage.

This certificate does not authorize you to teach, supervise, or practice the method as a certified Shifaa practitioner. Full certification requires completion of Levels 2 & 3.

Program Duration:
April 5 – June 21, 2026 (12 weeks)

Format:
A blended learning experience combining live sessions, self-paced study, and peer-based learning.

Live Online Sessions:
Sundays, 2:00-4:00 PM (UK time)/ 9:00–11:00 AM (US Eastern time)
Led by instructors in an interactive, reflective format.

Class Dates:
April 5, 12, 19, 26
May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
June 7, 14, 21

Additional Components:
Weekly assignments and guided reflections to deepen understanding and integration.



Structure & Curriculum

This training offers a gentle but deep immersion into the conceptual and spiritual foundations of the method. Participants will engage with:

Core Components

Live Lectures and Group Sessions

The heart of the program—these interactive sessions are where key concepts are taught, discussed, and explored in real time with instructors and peers.

Breakout Group Discussions

Held during live sessions, these small group reflections offer space to process and integrate the material through shared dialogue.

Guided Practices

Complementary content designed to support your understanding of core concepts, allowing you to revisit foundational teachings at your own pace.

Pre-recorded Lectures

Complementary content designed to support your understanding of core concepts, allowing you to revisit foundational teachings at your own pace.

Readings and Assignments

Carefully curated readings, reflective journal prompts, and introductory case conceptualization exercises to ground the learning.

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Tuition & Payment Options

We’ve structured the tuition to reflect the depth of live instruction, practice, and guided learning offered in this first stage of the training.

Standard Price: $2500 
Early Bird (15% Off): $2125 *Valid until February 15, 2026

Options available to bundle multiple training levels for further discount

Registration opens: December, 2025, 
Registration closes: March 31, 2026

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About Dar al-Shifaa

Founded in 2008 by Dr. Abdallah Rothman, Dar al-Shifaa began as a private psychotherapeutic counseling practice in Northern Virginia and Washington DC, USA. Our mission is to offer a sanctuary where the healing of the metaphysical heart is paramount, and physical well-being is integral.

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