Alaa Shareef is a researcher, curriculum developer, and community educator with The Family & Youth Institute, where she creates and implements programs to advance Muslim mental health literacy, advocacy, and family wellness. She holds dual Master’s degrees in Clinical Psychology and Mental Health Counseling from Columbia University and a Diploma in Islamic Psychology from Cambridge Muslim College. In addition to her work with The FYI, Alaa is a mental health counselor in New York, supporting clients navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, and family challenges.

Alaa has co-authored chapters in Islamophobia and Psychiatry (Springer), on the historical contributions of Muslim mental health, and in Counseling Muslims: Mental Health and Interventions (Routledge), on suicide prevention and awareness. She regularly presents nationwide on topics of faith, resilience, and healing, aiming to strengthen individuals and communities through integrative and spiritually grounded care.