Dr. Hanan Hashem

Areas of Expertise

psychology, trauma, spirituality

Biography

Dr. Hanan Hashem is a licensed psychologist (in the state of Massachusetts) and educator whose work sits at the intersection of psychology, culture, and spirituality. She earned her PhD in Counseling Psychology and has spent over a decade teaching, conducting psychological research, and providing clinical services to marginalized and Muslim populations in the United States. Her teaching and clinical work are justice-oriented and trauma-informed.

Dr. Hashem’s scholarship and pedagogy are shaped by her own spiritual practice. She draws on Islamic traditions alongside psychological theory to offer a more holistic understanding of mental health, suffering, and healing. Her work invites an examination of the social and systemic conditions that impact well-being while also turning inward toward self-awareness, spiritual attunement, and direct action.

In the classroom, Dr. Hashem emphasizes the importance of embodied knowledge, ethical curiosity, and intellectual humility. She encourages students to critically engage both Western and Islamic frameworks of psychology, and to explore how inner and outer transformation are linked. Dr. Hashem also regularly offers community workshops, speaks at national conferences, and supports trauma healing initiatives through her independent practice.

Selected Publications and Work

Hashem, H., & Awad, G. H. (2024). Hijab, Solo Status, Discrimination, and Distress among Muslim Women in the U.S. The Counseling Psychologist, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00110000241242808 Oyewuwo, O.B., Chaudhry, T., Mokhtar, H., Hashem, H., Friend, K., Mercado, E.,Tabahi, S., Berte, D., McGee, B., Barqadle, K. (2024). American Muslim intimate partner violence study (AMIPV) data brief. Peaceful Families Project.

Awad, G., Nguyen, H., Castellanos, F., Payne, T., Hashem, H. (2020). Mental health considerations for immigrants of Arab/Middle Eastern descent. In G. C. Nagayama Hall & E. R. Huang (Eds.), Immigration and Mental Health. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-816117-3.00010-5 Ahmed, S., Hashem, H., Khalid, M. (2019). Uplifting Black Muslim Youth: A positive youth development approach. Canton, MI: The Family & Youth Institute. Ahmed, S., & Hashem, H. (2016). A Decade of Muslim Youth: Global trends in research. Journal of Muslim Mental Health. 10 (1). https://doi.org/10.3998/jmmh.10381607.0010.104

Selected BIS Teaching

• IRL-731 Psychology & the Social Environment in the Light of Revelation

These are courses taught at BIS. For current academic information, explore the graduate program.

Professional and Community Service

Licensed psychologist and founder of Hey Hashem, providing culturally responsive, faith-integrated psychotherapy.
Founder and Director of the Barakah Lab, leading research on Muslim mental health, identity, and belonging; publishing scholarship, mentoring researchers, and reviewing for academic journals.
Consults and conducts training on community, clinical, and research initiatives serving Muslim populations.
Serves on the Board of Directors of the Muslim Mental Health Conference (MMHC), supporting programming and community engagement.
Delivers mental health lectures, workshops, and psychoeducation in mosques and Muslim community settings.