Farihin Ufiya
Co-Founder and Director
Farihin is the founding director of the non-profit Nyawa and the startup Minda. She holds a Master’s in Neuroscience from UCL, is a published mental health researcher, summa cuma laude psychology graduate and Khazanah Scholar. Her previous roles include Special Officer to the Health Minister, Strategist at LAKSANA (Ministry of Finance), and Product Director at Angsana Health.
Farihin is a creative dabbler. As an actress, she has played leading roles in feature films that premiered in national cinemas and Netflix. She has also produced and directed short films.
Nayli Bisnu
Co-Founder and Manager
Nayli is currently pursuing her Master’s in Health Psychology at the University of Bath. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and previously served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at HELP University, where she taught various psychology subjects and earned a Teaching Excellence Award. As an Advocacy Associate at Nyawa, Nayli led impactful mental health initiatives, with a focus on empowering Orang Asli and Orang Asal youths.
Passionate about holistic wellness, Nayli’s vision is to foster a vibrant, inclusive community where individuals from diverse backgrounds feel supported in their journey toward emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.
Therapists
Su Mei
Tan Su Mei is an Art Therapist, Family Art Therapist, Yoga Therapist and Arts Based Supervisor who is the Founder of Art Tearapy, a private therapeutic practice focused on bringing Creative Arts Therapy to marginalized people of various cultural backgrounds and disabilities in Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur.
With a background of Architecture, she co-founded an NGO which led her to work more interpersonally with people, later on, having gone through her own episodes of mental illness, she discovered Art Therapy, and upon the journey of recovery, she pursued a Master in Art Therapy at La Trobe University which led her to her vocation of helping hundreds of people who have been through their own journeys of mental illness, trauma, grief and disabilities.
Sarah Siddiq
Sarah Ayu Siddiq is a certified and registered art psychotherapist. She leads Gentle Healing Art Therapy with a dedication to fostering emotional well-being through creative expression.
Sarah has substantial experience working with diverse populations, from young children to the elderly, in various settings. She integrates person-centered, trauma-informed practices guided by mindfulness and psychodynamic theories, helping clients navigate challenges like anxiety, trauma, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and depression. Sarah’s sessions are designed to empower clients to heal and grow, encouraging growth, resilience, and inner peace through the transformative process of art therapy, both in-person and online.
Sangha
Sanghamitra Gupta is a lecturer and clinical psychologist registered with the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) with 5 years of experience in this field. She completed her Masters in Psychology followed by M.Phil in Clinical Psychology from Calcutta University.
Since 2022, Sangha has been with HELP University, Malaysia – as a lecturer in their Bachelors in Psychology program, teaching all things psychology. She specializes in trauma-informed Supportive Psychotherapy, Behaviour Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, having worked with a wide range of clients till date. When not working, she crochets.
Esther
Esther Song is a registered counselor with experience in supporting individuals navigating challenges in family dynamics, relationships, stress and anxiety management, and career uncertainties. With experience in facilitating workshops, she integrates expressive therapy into her practice, guiding clients through deep inner work to help them uncover and express feelings that may have been suppressed.
Esther believes that self-awareness and mindfulness play a vital role in fostering meaningful and lasting change, something she has been grateful to witness in her work with clients. Her passion lies in working collaboratively with clients to co-create sustainable actions that promote personal growth and resilience.
Dr Eugene
Dr. Eugene Tee is presently Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology, HELP University, where he teaches and conducts research in the field of emotions and positive psychology. His research work has been featured in academic books, journals, seminars, and popular print media, including Emotion Review, The Leadership Quarterly, Asian Journal of Social Psychology, Journal of Affective Disorders, and The International Journal of Wellbeing.
He is a TEDx speaker and also features regularly on BFM’s The Big Picture. Eugene has also conducted corporate training sessions for organizations such as JP Morgan, The New Zealand High Commission, B.Braun, Lazada, Great Eastern Life, Petronas, MSIG, PPB Group, MalaysiaKini, World Vision, Royal Canin, Comfori, Cosmotots and Taylor’s University.