By Ibtisam

Attending this workshop to share my story is now perhaps an opening to a bigger vision of what I call: Magic of Intimacy. 

I had viewed over a dozen Voices to End FGM/C stories and attended Sahiyo’s webinars over the last couple of years. As much as I wanted to contribute and help in a significant way, there was something holding me back (including writing this blog). This holding back is what I believe to be a fear of being judged with my shadows of shame, coming across as accusatory, anxiety of re-trauma, and being triggered by old voices in my head saying ‘you have gotten over it, it’s been such a long time, why self-inflict pain by cutting into scars and exposing nerves that seemingly don’t cause a problem!’

FGM/C, like many unfortunate events in our lives, is not a singular hook to hang our troubles; but perhaps it does need attention to heal multi-layered physical and psychological fall out that results in a trauma most often left unattended or undiagnosed.

Owning our story, honouring our bodies by acknowledging our emotions (alive or trapped in it), is the first Intimacy – “Into me I see.” 

Thereafter, a choice to be intimate with others requires courage, especially when it may cause ripples to rock the boat.

Even though we came together on an online platform, the support offered by the Sahiyo and StoryCenter team allowed me to embrace my vulnerability and potential.

It provided me with a felt sense of belonging that we were in this together!

I learnt that being a part of a group in which we felt safe, to be engaged in a well designed process that encouraged us to share our ideas, to co-create, and at the end, to produce an audiovisual representation of our story is such a privilege.

I hope these videos and blogs allow others to self reflect, inspire them to speak their truth, and show them that each of our voices matters; each unique expression holds a different lens and angle, like holding a rays of light, and we together can obliterate the darkness of FGM/C.

About Ibtisam

With her desire to make life more harmoniously beautiful comes passion for understanding relationships and dreams.

Both vivacious and shy she seeks simplicity in an increasing techno world.

She loves to travel, learn about other cultures via food, stories & spending time in nature and interacting with people in person.

She has graduated from the University of Mumbai with Honours, trained with Relate in UK, to become an experienced relationship counsellor and psychosexual therapist of over 18+ years.

She continues to educate herself as a lifelong student as she co creates workshops, retreats and forums with ‘Magic of Intimacy’.

She is skilled at applying Integrative modalities she trained in to match clients needs and orientation.

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