Meet Your Therapist
Shalonda Ibrahim-Abubakar, LCSW
Founder of Tafiyya Counseling
Serving California residents via secure Telehealth
LCSW (CA 134546)
I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Irvine, CA, providing therapy for Black women across California. I understand the weight of expectations many Black women carry, the pressure to hold everything together while rarely being supported in the same way.
I know what it's like to be the one others lean on, the one who "has it all together," while silently struggling to hold onto yourself. The work we do isn't about quick fixes; it's about creating meaningful, sustainable change.
My work centers on high-achieving Black women navigating burnout, anxiety, and the pressure to always be strong. I bring extensive experience across mental health systems, education, and community-based work, which allows me to support women navigating complex emotional challenges while honoring their cultural identity and lived experience.
In addition to private practice, my career has focused on strengthening mental health systems across education, healthcare, and public institutions.
In therapy with me, you won't be asked to shrink yourself. We create a space for clarity, restoration, and honest reflection, so you can move forward with stronger boundaries, deeper self-trust, and emotional steadiness.
What Working Together Feels Like
I'm warm, but I'm also direct. I won't let you stay stuck in patterns that are draining you. I honor your lived experience as a Black woman, understand the cultural pressure, perfectionism, and generational weight that often come with that identity. Therapy with me is collaborative grounded in clinical wisdom, cultural humility, and respect for your truth.
Culturally Attuned
I understand the unique experiences, pressures, and strengths of Black women navigating multiple worlds.
Collaborative Journey
Your healing is not something I do to you; it's something we create together, at your pace.
Safe Space
No code-switching. No shrinking. Just authentic, grounded support for your whole self.
What You Can Expect
Therapy with me is structured yet flexible, professional yet warm. Here's what our work together will be like:
- Session format: 50-minute weekly or biweekly sessions via telehealth for your convenience and comfort
- Your space: A nonjudgmental, culturally affirming environment where you can bring your full self
- Your goals: We'll set goals that align with your values and authentic desires
- Your pace: Homework and exercises only if they feel helpful to you
- Real healing: No performative healing. Just real, grounded, sustainable work.
50
Minutes Per Session
Dedicated time just for you
$190
Investment Per Session
For focused, high-quality care in a small intentionally limited practice
Private pay, superbills available upon request
100%
Telehealth
Convenient, private support
Location: I provide telehealth services for Black women who are residents of California. All sessions are conducted via secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform.
Insights on Burnout, Boundaries, and Healing
Occasionally, I write short reflections drawn from my work with high-achieving women navigating burnout, responsibility, and the pressure to hold everything together. These reflections explore patterns I often see in practice and the quiet shifts that support lasting change.
The first reflection is called "The Hardest Part of Healing Isn’t Insight. It’s Boundaries."
More insights to come.
Warmly,
Shalonda Ibrahim-Abubakar, LCSW
Founder of Tafiyya Counseling
Reflection 01 From Practice
The Hardest Part of Healing Isn’t Insight. It’s Boundaries
April 3, 2026
Therapy for High-Achieving Black Women in California
Many of the women I work with are not lacking insight. They already know they are overwhelmed. They can name the pressure they’re under. They’re aware they’ve been carrying too much for too long. Some have read the books. Listened to the podcasts. Even been in therapy before. The awareness is already there, but awareness it’s rarely the hardest part.
Why Insight Isn’t Enough
The real challenge usually begins when it’s time to start setting boundaries. That’s when things shift from intellectual understanding to lived change. It’s one thing to recognize a pattern. It’s another to change how you participate in the relationships and systems that have depended on you for so long. That’s where the discomfort begins.
Why Boundaries Feel So Difficult
For many high-achieving women, especially those who are used to being:
- the reliable one
- the capable one
- the strong one
Setting limits can feel deeply unsettling. Because for a long time, those roles have been rewarded. At work. In families. In communities. Being the one who holds everything together often works. But over time, it can also lead to burnout and emotional exhaustion. So when you begin to step back or say no, something else shows up:
- guilt
- fear of letting people down
- concern that things will fall apart without you
The Added Layer for Black Women
For many Black women and women of color, this experience is often intensified. There can be an additional layer of expectation: to be strong, dependable, and capable, especially in environments where you may already feel pressure to prove yourself. This makes boundary-setting not just uncomfortable, but emotionally complex.
Why Boundaries Are the Turning Point
This is why boundary work is often the turning point in healing. Awareness helps you see the pattern. But boundaries are what begin to change the pattern. Not all at once. But gradually.
(If you’ve ever known what you needed to do but struggled to follow through, this is often where the work begins → [Why Saying No Feels So Hard])
What This Work Looks Like in Therapy
At Tafiyya Counseling, this work often begins by slowing things down enough to notice what’s happening beneath the surface. From there, we begin building the capacity to:
- tolerate the discomfort of change
- set limits without collapsing into guilt
- redefine your role in relationships
- move toward a way of living that feels more sustainable and aligned
For many women, this process is not about becoming someone new. It’s about finally making space for themselves.
Therapy for High-Achieving Black Women Ready to Set Boundaries
If you’re navigating burnout, chronic stress, or the pressure to always hold everything together, therapy can help you begin to shift these patterns. You don’t have to do this work alone.
Schedule a 15-minute consultation to learn more about working together.
Shalonda Ibrahim-Abubakar, LCSW
Founder of Tafiyya Counseling
CA LCSW #134546
Therapy for High-Achieving Black Women Across California
Reflection 02 From Practice
My Value Is Not Dependent on Constant Performance
April 19, 2026
Therapy for High-Functioning Anxiety and Pressure in High-Achieving Women
Many high-achieving women don’t just value productivity. They rely on it. Getting things done creates a sense of stability. A sense of control. A sense of self. Over time, productivity can become more than a habit. It becomes identity.
When Productivity Becomes Identity
This is where things start to shift. Rest begins to feel uncomfortable. Slowing down feels unfamiliar. Doing less can feel like something is wrong. Not because rest is the problem. But because the nervous system has learned to associate movement with safety.
(You may notice a similar pattern when it comes to overextending and difficulty setting limits → [The Hardest Part of Healing Isn’t Insight. It’s Boundaries])
The Pressure to Keep Going
Many women describe a constant internal pressure:
- to stay on top of things
- to anticipate needs
- to not fall behind
Even brief pauses can bring discomfort:
- guilt
- restlessness
- a sense that something is being neglected
So the cycle continues.
When Slowing Down Feels Unsafe
Over time, this pattern can create something deeper: A disconnection from yourself. Because when your sense of worth is tied to what you produce, it becomes difficult to experience yourself outside of that role.
Creating Space for Something Different
But over time, something else can begin to emerge: Space. Space to separate identity from productivity. Space to experience yourself without constantly measuring your output. This doesn’t mean losing your drive. It means redefining it. So that your motivation is no longer fueled by pressure or fear, but by clarity, intention, and choice.
Therapy for High-Achieving Women Experiencing Burnout and Pressure
At Tafiyya Counseling, this work often begins by helping you slow down enough to notice the patterns that have been driving you. From there, we begin to:
- untangle identity from performance
- reduce chronic pressure and anxiety
- rebuild a more sustainable relationship with work, rest, and self
If you’re feeling exhausted from constantly having to hold everything together, therapy can help you find a different way forward. Schedule a 15-minute consultation to learn more about working together.
Shalonda Ibrahim-Abubakar, LCSW
Founder of Tafiyya Counseling
CA LCSW #134546
Therapy for High-Achieving Black Women Across California
Reflection 03 From Practice
Why Saying No Feels So Hard (Even When You Know You Need To)
April 24, 2026
Therapy for High-Achieving Black Women Navigating Boundaries and Burnout
Many high-achieving women don’t struggle with knowing they need boundaries. They struggle with following through. They can see the pattern clearly:
- taking on too much
- saying yes when they want to say no
- overextending themselves in relationships and responsibilities
The awareness is there. But when the moment comes to respond differently, something in the body resists.
The Gap Between Knowing and Doing
It’s easy to assume: “If I know better, I should be able to do better.” But boundary-setting isn’t just a mindset shift. It’s a pattern that has been reinforced over time.
(If this resonates, it’s often connected to the deeper challenge of boundary work → [The Hardest Part of Healing Isn’t Insight. It’s Boundaries])
What Makes Saying No Feel So Difficult
In those moments, several things can surface:
- fear of disappointing others
- concern about how you’ll be perceived
- anxiety about disrupting relationships
- pressure to maintain stability
For many women, this is tied to a long history of being the one others rely on.
When Roles Become Identity
Over time, these patterns become identity. Being:
- the strong one
- the reliable one
- the one who handles everything
Roles stop feeling like something you do and start to feel like who you are.
(This often overlaps with the pressure to stay productive and “on” at all times → [When Your Worth Is Tied to Productivity])
Why This Leads to Burnout
Consistently overriding your own limits has a cost. It can lead to:
- chronic stress
- emotional exhaustion
- resentment
- disconnection from yourself
This is often how burnout develops over time.
What Actually Begins to Shift the Pattern
The shift doesn’t start with saying no perfectly. It starts with noticing:
- when the pressure to say yes shows up
- how quickly you override yourself
- what emotions come up when you pause
From there, the work becomes more intentional. Learning to:
- pause before responding
- tolerate discomfort
- make small, sustainable changes
Therapy for High-Achieving Black Women Ready to Set Boundaries
If you find yourself knowing what you need but struggling to follow through; this is where therapy can help. Not by forcing change. But by helping you:
- understand the pattern
- build capacity for discomfort
- develop boundaries that feel grounded and sustainable
You don’t have to keep overriding yourself to keep everything working.
Schedule a 15-minute consultation to learn more about working together.
Shalonda Ibrahim-Abubakar, LCSW
Founder of Tafiyya Counseling
CA LCSW #134546
Therapy for High-Achieving Black Women Across California
Tafiyya Counseling Notice of Privacy Practices
Effective April 2026
This notice describes how your health information may be used and disclosed and how you can access this information. Please review it carefully.
Your Privacy Matters: At Tafiyya Counseling, your privacy is taken seriously. As a licensed therapist, I am required by law to protect your Protected Health Information (PHI), which includes information that identifies you and relates to your mental health care
How Your Information May Be Used and Disclosed
Your information may be used or shared for the following purposes:
Treatment
To provide, coordinate, or manage your care. This may include consultation with other professionals when clinically appropriate.
Payment
If applicable, your information may be used to provide documentation such as superbills for out-of-network reimbursement.
Healthcare Operations
To support practice operations such as scheduling, quality assurance, and recordkeeping.
Situations Where Disclosure May Be Required
Your information may be disclosed without your written authorization in the following situations:
- If there is a risk of serious harm to yourself or others
- Suspected abuse or neglect of a child, dependent adult, or elder
- Court orders or legal requirements
- As otherwise required by law
Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
You have the right to:
Access Your Records
You may request to inspect or obtain a copy of your health records by submitting a written request. Records will be provided in accordance with applicable state and federal law.
You may request to inspect or obtain a copy of your health records by submitting a written request. Records will be provided in accordance with applicable state and federal law.
Request Amendments
If you believe information in your record is incorrect or incomplete, you may request a correction in writing.
If you believe information in your record is incorrect or incomplete, you may request a correction in writing.
Request Restrictions
You may request limits on how your information is used or disclosed. While requests will be considered, Tafiyya Counseling is not required to agree to all restrictions.
You may request limits on how your information is used or disclosed. While requests will be considered, Tafiyya Counseling is not required to agree to all restrictions.
Request Confidential Communication
You may request that communication be conducted in a specific way (for example, email instead of phone).
You may request that communication be conducted in a specific way (for example, email instead of phone).
Receive an Accounting of Disclosures
You may request a list of certain disclosures of your health information made by Tafiyya Counseling.
You may request a list of certain disclosures of your health information made by Tafiyya Counseling.
File a Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint without fear of retaliation. You may contact:
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint without fear of retaliation. You may contact:
- Tafiyya Counseling directly
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (www.hhs.gov/ocr)
How Your Information Is Protected
Tafiyya Counseling uses secure systems and reasonable safeguards to protect your information. However, no method of electronic communication is completely secure, and you are encouraged to use discretion when communicating outside of secure platforms.
Contact Information
Tafiyya Counseling is committed to protecting your privacy while providing thoughtful, ethical, and high-quality care.