Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) graduate student Eden Nasher has been on a long journey throughout his life and career, and that path eventually led him to Chaminade University.
It was a road worth traveling, he said.
In recognition of his scholarship in Chaminade’s MFT graduate program, Nasher was awarded an esteemed prize that will take him to a major conference in India this week.
The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) recently awarded Nasher the Diversity Award for Emerging Leaders, which earned him a coveted role and participation at the Global Systemic Therapy Summit in Bengaluru, India, from November 10-13.
Nasher said he’s looking forward to learning more about advancements in therapeutic work at the India conference, only this time from multiple cultural perspectives.
“A lot of the issues we face in the present day are very complex. They’re very multifaceted, and we cannot forge them from one place or from one angle, one perspective,” Nasher said in looking ahead to his India adventure. “There have to be multiple approaches, and that means being able to join forces with other communities, other spaces across the globe, to be able to tackle these.”
AAMFT’s Diversity Award for Emerging Leaders recognizes Nasher’s compelling international and diverse life story, as well as his success in Chaminade’s MFT program.
Born and raised in Sanaa in northern Yemen to parents of West and North African descent, Nasher traces his true roots to southern Yemen and the port city of Aden–the origin of his first name, Eden, where his parents first lived.
Nasher said Aden is known as a more multicultural and multiethnic city given its proximity to Africa, whereas Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, is home to a more homogeneous population and culture.
Raised by diverse parents but living in an undiverse city, Nasher said he’s always felt a desire to better understand himself and where he comes from, and this yearning has, ironically, sent him on a journey far from home.
“I have to occupy a lot of identities where there are so many pieces that don’t quite fit in,” he explained. “So I basically ended up going on that journey for it. I wanted to leave where I grew up because I wanted to understand myself better and really be able to connect.”
Nasher’s first stop overseas was Egypt and the American University in Cairo, to study anthropology.
While living in Cairo, Nasher said he worked with refugees, mainly people fleeing parts of Africa, his first exposure to therapeutic work.
Trained in anthropology and gaining experience supporting vulnerable populations, Nasher again looked west for a new adventure; a Fulbright scholarship led him to the University of San Diego to pursue graduate studies.
His time in San Diego frequently took him to Hawaii for further study and research. Steeped in academic therapy work, Nasher said he eventually came across Chaminade University’s dual-track Master’s and Doctoral program in Marriage and Family Therapy.
He was sold.
“I was born and raised in a country and corner of the world that has really dealt with a lot of challenges,” he said. “Chaminade stood out. And in understanding that there is a program that does exist and that I might be able to find, that I fit in, I reached out.”
He said Chaminade’s staff immediately responded to his request for information.
“That, to me, is probably the reason why I ended up in the program,” Nasher added.
Nasher said the dual-track MFT program–working on his master’s and Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy at the same time–is a perfect fit for his interests, research tempo, and study style.
One day he’s taking foundational courses, learning theories and practices that underpin the relatively young MFT discipline. Next, he’s diving into work that encourages him to propose new ideas and new insights, contributing to the field’s ongoing growth.
Now he’s looking forward to his travels in India, where he will be recognized for his academic achievements.
Nasher credits Chaminade and his Marriage and Family Therapy instructors for helping him get this far. He says he would recommend Chaminade’s dual-track MFT program to anyone looking to walk a similar path.
“You’re not only going to be part of a really unique experience, but you’re also going to be part of a community where there is a hub, and there are all sorts of offshoots, people who are doing really cool work,” he said.
“I would encourage folks to reach out and ask if they can connect with others who have gone through this experience, who are familiar with Chaminade, and speak to them about what that’s like.”