Skip to main content

About the practice

No single approach fits every person.

We are here to provide the highest quality, compassionate care to our clients affected by mental health and substance use concerns through comprehensive services. We believe all people have value, potential, and something to contribute, and are to be treated with dignity.

"The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination."— Carl Rogers

Hands held gently in warm light

Our story

Mental wellness as a living practice.

What is mental wellness? What is the impact of it on our relationships with family, friends, and community? What is the potential impact on our workday, focus, and by extension our efficiency?

Mental wellness is an internal resource that helps us think, feel, connect, and function; it is an active process that helps us build resilience, grow, and flourish. Our team is committed to the wellness of individuals, their families, and the community through prevention, intervention, treatment, and education.

Meet the team

Clinicians who meet you where you are.

01

Zumrad Masar (Ahmedjanova)

LCSW-S, LCAS, CCS · Founder & Clinical Therapist

zumrad@artofwellnessnc.com

My work is more than just therapy — it's about creating meaningful connections and empowering individuals and couples to break free from the patterns of unhappiness, worry, and stagnation. Whether you're navigating life's transitions, seeking deeper self-awareness, or exploring the edges of your consciousness, I'm here to walk alongside you with compassion, curiosity, and expertise.

My approach is holistic and integrative, blending the biopsychosocial model with a focus on the mind-body connection. I help clients reconnect with their emotions and embodied experiences, creating a pathway for deeper self-awareness and healing. My work often centers on relationships, which can manifest through anxiety, depression, trauma, and addiction. I also support clients navigating multicultural concerns, identity exploration, racism, oppression, loss, grief, and life transitions.

I have a particular interest in non-ordinary states of consciousness and their potential for healing and growth. I offer dream work, psychedelic integration, and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy support — including sitting with clients during ketamine infusions and providing pre- and post-infusion integration sessions to help them process and embody their experiences.

My educational background includes a graduate degree in Cultural Anthropology and a Master's in Social Work from UNC-Chapel Hill. I have also completed postgraduate training in Transactional Analysis and the Developmental Model of Couples Therapy under Ellyn Bader, Ph.D. at The Couples Institute. These diverse influences, combined with my lived experiences, inform my therapeutic approach.

In addition to individual and couples therapy, I offer workshops and specialized sessions designed to support healing and personal growth. If you're ready to explore a deeper connection with yourself and your relationships, I invite you to reach out.

02

Zemzem Amme

LCMHC · Clinical Therapist

zemzem@artofwellnessnc.com

My love and drive for counseling started twelve years ago after I received my bachelor's in psychology at Metropolitan State University. From here I have worked at different mental health settings exposing me to different populations which has guided me in my work as a counselor. It is through these experiences that propelled me to get my master's degree from Northwestern University.

I work with children, adolescents, and adults struggling with anxiety, depression, anger issues, developmental transitions, trauma, OCD, and substance misuse. I believe that individuals already possess the qualities needed to flourish. That is why I employ a humanistic / client-centered approach through the lenses of multiculturalism. This approach encourages curiosity, intuition, and creativity.

I have found that by providing safe space as well as challenging my clients from time to time, I have the opportunity to watch my clients grow. If you would like to get started, reach out to me by email.

03

Sarah Harrocks

LCSW · Clinical Therapist

sarah@artofwellnessnc.com

I work with individuals and couples who find themselves stuck in the same patterns — whether that shows up as anxiety, disconnection in relationships, or just feeling off and not quite like themselves. A lot of the people I work with are thoughtful, intuitive, and aware that something deeper is going on, but aren't sure how to shift it.

In couples work, I help partners move out of repeating cycles of conflict and disconnection and toward clearer communication, understanding, and a stronger sense of connection. I tend to work well with clients who want a more grounded and direct approach to therapy.

My approach is relational and body-aware, drawing from somatic work, CBT, and experiential practices. I help clients not only gain insight, but also feel and apply change in their everyday lives.

I have a special interest in working with clients who identify as intuitive, creative, or open to deeper self-exploration. I also provide an affirming space for LGBTQIA+, polyamorous, and kink communities. I offer both individual and couples therapy and have been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 2009.

Our approach

Five principles quietly underlie every conversation.

01

The relationship is the work.

For us, the most important part of our work is developing an effective therapeutic relationship — one where you feel emotionally safe, respected, encouraged, and supported. We remain committed to our role as a trustworthy, non-judgmental collaborator as we work with you to find effective resolutions to the challenges you face.

02

Your wisest guide lives within you.

At some level, we all know what is true for us, but our ability to listen to the inner voice is often undermined by fear. Our work often involves helping you address the fears that block your path to this inner voice, so you can be freer to make thoughtful and effective decisions for yourself.

03

Awareness is the first move.

Becoming aware of the extent to which the issues we struggle with control us is vital if we are to find the path of emotional freedom. Awareness is the most important step in the process of change; we work with clients to help them notice areas of self-blindness so they can move beyond painful, repetitive patterns.

04

Personal responsibility opens the door.

As adults, taking personal responsibility for our actions and choices returns power to us. Believing our lives are controlled by exterior influences robs us of that power. We help clients who often feel powerless recognize that living by this principle allows for a far more fulfilling life.

05

Solutions are found together.

Each of us needs to discover our own creative solutions to the challenges we face, but our vision can be narrowed by the very issues we are struggling with. When you're unsure of what to do, we work together to identify possibilities — while trusting that you know best what is right for your life.

Modalities

A quiet toolbox, used with care.

  • Psychodynamic Counseling
  • Transactional Analysis
  • Gestalt Therapy
  • Redecision Therapy
  • Somatic Experiencing
  • Energy Therapy
  • Mindfulness-based counseling
  • Attachment-based Therapy
  • Developmental Model of Couples Therapy
  • Humanistic / Person-Centered
  • DBT
  • Internal Family Systems
  • Motivational Interviewing

Our lead clinician is a graduate of the Developmental Model of Couples Therapy training under Ellyn Bader, Ph.D., at The Couples Institute — one of many trainings that inform how we sit with you.

Ready when you are

Let's have a brief conversation.

Get in touch