Questions
Frequently asked questions.
Straight answers about how SoundHeart works. If your question is not here, ask us.
Getting started
Do I need to know which service I want?
No. Tell us a little about what is going on and where you live. The consultation exists to help you choose.
What happens after I reach out?
We reply using the contact method you choose. A short consultation helps us understand what you are hoping for, confirm eligibility, and recommend a path. Then you book through our secure booking and payment link.
Is the Belonging Quiz a diagnosis?
No. It is a reflection tool based on NeuroRelational Belonging Theory™. It has not been validated as a clinical measure, and your answers never leave your device. Take the quiz
Services and eligibility
Do you offer counseling in person or online?
Both. Counseling is available in person in the Mat-Su Valley and by secure telehealth for people located in Alaska or Ohio at the time of each session. Coaching and training are available in person and remotely to clients everywhere.
Can you help if I live outside Alaska or Ohio?
Yes. SoundHeart is licensed for clinical services in Alaska and Ohio, and plans to expand to 25 states by the end of 2027. Wherever you live, you can work with us now through quality non-clinical coaching, training, and retreats, in person or remote. Couples can also travel to Alaska for a clinical intensive. See your options
What is the difference between counseling and coaching?
Counseling is licensed mental health care. It can address relationship distress along with anxiety, depression, and trauma, and it follows clinical, legal, and ethical standards. Coaching is non-clinical. It focuses on skills, goals, and practice. It is not therapy and does not treat mental health conditions. Retreats are training and coaching.
What if my partner will not come?
You can still start. Individual counseling or coaching can help you steady your side of the pattern, lower conflict, and get clear on what you want. Some partners choose to join later.
Who will I work with?
SoundHeart services are led by founder Nawal Ibrahim, MS, MA, LPC, LMFT, and SoundHeart clinicians. Your consultation confirms who you will work with and their qualifications.
Do you work in Arabic?
Yes. SoundHeart works in English and Arabic. Visit the Arabic site
Payment and policies
How do fees work?
SoundHeart is a private-pay practice. Fees are shown in your secure booking and payment link before you confirm.
What is your cancellation policy?
Please give at least 48 hours notice to cancel or reschedule. Late cancellations and missed appointments are charged or deducted from a session package. The only exception is sudden, acute, incapacitating illness.
Retreats and intensives
Are retreats therapy?
No. Retreats are training and coaching. They teach the framework and coach its practices, and they do not create a therapist and client relationship or replace clinical treatment. Couples who need clinical care can choose a private couples intensive. Couples intensives
Are retreats right for every couple?
No. Every couple completes a suitability conversation first. Intensives are not a fit when there is ongoing violence or coercion, an active crisis that needs immediate care, or one partner attending under pressure. When an intensive is not the right fit, we will suggest what is.
When are the next retreat dates?
Dates and location details are shared directly with couples who inquire. Fees are shown in the registration and payment link. Ask about upcoming retreats
Privacy and safety
Is what I share private?
Clinical information is protected under federal and Alaska law and kept in a secure client system. Website forms and email are not fully secure, so please keep health details out of them until you are a client.
Is SoundHeart a crisis service?
No. Messages are not monitored around the clock. In a crisis, call or text 988 in the U.S. or dial 911. Outside the U.S., call your local emergency number.