Zeba Ahmed Charts Her Own Course In Mental Health

“I have a curious mind. I want to investigate so many things,” says Zaibunnisa (Zeba) Ahmed, Master of Professional Studies in Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) alumna. Zeba, who grew up in Saudi Arabia, already had a master’s degree when she came to the University of Minnesota in 2022. But she knew there was much more to learn.

An Integrated Approach to Mental Health

Zeba Ahmed sits in front of a white cabinet with a small plant on it.

Zeba earned her undergraduate degree in engineering, electronics, and communication in India. The field of mental health was not really presented to her as an educational option then. But after she graduated, she decided to pursue her passion and entered a master’s in clinical psychology program.

During an internship in India, she noticed that some of the patients had both an addiction and a mental health disorder, but the focus of treatment was more often on the mental health issue. “The holistic part was missing,” she says. “So I found (the IBH) program, which teaches the comorbidity of substance use disorders and mental health disorders, and how that functions and how to approach them.”

Comorbidity is the simultaneous presence of two or more medical conditions or diseases in one patient. The Integrated Behavioral Health program teaches students how to treat clients with mental health, substance use, or co-occurring disorders.

“I had a wonderful time in the program,” says Zeba. “I learned about the influence of culture. I grew up in the Middle East and have lived in four different countries. I have met with diverse people and learned about different cultures and languages, and how they influence interactions between people. Knowing how all of that can be used for treatment recommendations was new to me, and that can be really helpful when we interact with clients.”

Leaning into Opportunities

Cover of Ethical Practice textbook

Zeba’s curiosity and desire to learn inspired her to seek out as many different experiences as she could. She became a research assistant in the Autism Mentorship Program in the U of M's Center for Urban and Regional Affairs. She even presented the team’s findings with Dr. Rebekah Hudock, one of the primary investigators, at the Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health conference. 

After that, she completed an internship at Park Avenue Center and earned her LADC (licensed alcohol and drug counselor) license. She then started her independent research project on the experience of African Americans in counseling.

She studied what members of the African American community think are their cultural strengths and opinions about mental health and substance use in general. She learned that the stigma around mental health disorders and the lack of public education are sometimes reasons why people may not seek treatment. She and IBH instructor Dr. Tom Hegblom wrote a manuscript and are in the process of submitting their research to journals.

In addition, Zeba, along with fellow IBH students London Fischer, Lauren Roelike, and Ericka Webb, was selected to contribute to Dr. Hegblom’s 2024 textbook Ethical Practice in Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Counseling.

Following Her Curiosity

Zeba wants to examine the field of epigenetics next. Epigenetics refers to how our behaviors and environment can cause changes in the way our genes work. Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes can be reversed and do not alter the sequence of DNA bases.

Zeba is interested in learning how much we are responsible for how our DNA forms and when our behavior and environment start to make an impact. Some studies say that it can start as early as when a baby is in the womb.

“The fetus itself is capturing data from external sources and modifying itself to produce the best genes,” she explains. ”Once it's born it starts taking on more information. You see children copying their parents. It's more than just their behavior; it's also their genes trying to take in what it takes to survive in the world.”

At what point in our lives do the genes for disorders get triggered? Where in our human developmental timeline can we intervene to reduce the impact of a mental health disorder? The answers could help in treating mental health disorders that currently do not have specific interventions outside of medication.

Writing Her Own Story

Zeba Ahmed, a Muslim woman wearing a white hijab, in an open space with brick walls and wooden beams on the ceiling.

Back when Zeba was preparing for college in India, medicine and engineering seemed like the only two career choices. But she chose a path that no one in her family had taken before, and it wasn’t always easy.

“To tell you the truth,” she says, “the last semester I took on a lot. I had to do the final portfolio. I had to finish writing the textbook and the manuscript to submit. I was doing an internship 40 hours per week. There were a number of times when I cried and I crashed, but I was able to do it. It just showed that I am resilient.”

“In Islam, daughters are considered to be blessings that bring in more blessings,” Zeba says. “My dad got a job on the day I was born, and when my sister was born, he got a promotion. So he always credits his success to his daughters. That's a story he keeps telling everyone.”

Now, Zeba has her own success story to tell, one that is clearly just beginning.

Memorable Instructors

Dr. Tom Hegblom. I had these preconceived notions because of the way this country is portrayed, but then when I came here, I got to know that there are good people here. Tom is somebody who knows how to interact with students, who understands culture, who understands the intersectionality of identities. He is somebody who comes from an empathy standpoint.”

Dr. Fiyyaz Karim. His class really makes us forget whatever we are dealing with, because he brings in humor and pop culture. He makes the class so fun because of that, and I really learned a lot and really appreciated all the work he put in. I remember him doing a Stranger Things-themed trailer for our course just so we could laugh and have a light-hearted class.” 

Pro Tips for Students

  • Make the most of your time in this program. Networking is very important. It's not only about being able to do the job but being able to interact with other people. You will be involved in peer consultation when it comes to mental health counseling, so they really look at how well you work in a team.
  • Reach out whenever you need to. Faculty members are quick to reply. They are here to support you. We are all adult learners, and life happens, so when it does happen, open communication with faculty members really goes a long way. They are also always up to date with opportunities available that you can pursue.
  • Take breaks when you can. If you do not plan a vacation for your body, your body will take it for you. So do not wait for that day, because then you will crash on a day when you need your body the most. 

 

Mia Boos is a writer and content strategist with the College of Continuing and Professional Studies, covering the College’s graduate programs and undergraduate individualized degree programs. She joined the CCAPS Marketing team in 2014 and has worked for Thomson Reuters and New York University. Connect with her via LinkedIn