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Community Highlights: Meet Lul Haji-Mohamed

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lul Haji-Mohamed.

Lul Haji-Mohamed

Hi Lul, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I became obsessed with answering the question, “What’s next?” at a young age. My family moved from Kenya to Atlanta, Georgia, as Somali refugees. Several years later, my older brothers were separated from our family when I was just 12, forcing me to step up as the eldest daughter. I landed my first job when I turned 14 years old.  It felt so good to begin building the work ethic my parents so deeply valued. I even got to help my parents fund my siblings’ and my back-to-school shopping, which was exciting for me rather than the burden you might imagine it being for a young girl. I always had a sense that our family was a team.

My family moved to Minneapolis, MN when I was sixteen. I added volunteering, a new part-time job, and dual-enrollment college classes to my high school schedule. Upon graduating, I earned my first degree in human services quickly and got a job as a mental health case manager at the age of 20 years old. While my work was rewarding and I felt I was making a real difference in my community, I needed to pursue higher education to do more of the work I felt called to.

At 22 years old, I moved to North Dakota to pursue my graduate degree. I knew that my family would be okay, as my younger siblings were mature enough to care for themselves without me.

In my senior year of graduate school, I got an internship opportunity at a mental health agency in Crookston, MN. I was excited to serve and invest in the people there. I had the honor of working with new Somali Americans who, like my parents, had moved to the U.S. to give their children better lives and educational opportunities. I worked as a cultural liaison during my internship for the schools in East Grand Forks, MN to help the school staff, parents, and students understand each other and work together effectively.

After I graduated, I was hired by the agency as a life coach and therapist for children and young adults in foster care as well as their families. Once again, I found myself in a position to help others transition and adapt to a world they weren’t yet equipped for. I was their life coach, guiding them through learning basic life skills, developing personal confidence, and finding housing, education, and employment opportunities. They needed to ‘learn the ropes’ of adulthood, just as I had when I moved to a new country.

I also worked as part of the Mobil crisis team on the weekends traveling to hospitals, homes, community centers, and jails to complete mental health assessments. The transformations I saw in my work were tangible. People were getting the resources they needed to fulfill their potential. And in the process, I could feel my purpose flourishing, too.

After a few years of working with the agency, I moved back to Minneapolis and accepted a new role as a school therapist to be near my family. Later I became a counselor at a residential treatment for individuals who struggle with persistent mental illness and addiction and was promoted to the clinical supervisor for the program.

Today, I support a diverse client base, yet they all have something in common — each of my clients is venturing into the world — the new version of themselves they’re becoming. Whether they need support in their life, relationships, or careers, I can help them find the inner and outer resources they need to decide and create ‘what’s next’ in their lives.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a new life in a new country was never easy, but I always felt that my family was starting over together, working hard to create brighter days for ourselves. My parents worked multiple jobs in Atlanta, late into the night, to support us. From serving dinner to monitoring homework — the daily care and keeping of my siblings was on me, the eldest daughter.

I also became the household translator since my parents could not speak English well and I was eager to learn and teach my parents. While it was a lot to carry, my ambitious young mind was always hungry to figure out a way forward. I learned the language, made connections, and found others who helped me through my grade school years. I knew my parents took a huge risk moving to the United States to give me a better future, and I have always been determined to make the most of it and make them proud.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
After COVID I started my practice called Bridging The Gap Behavioral Health, focusing on supporting individuals with trauma and anxiety. I have six certifications and am trained in several therapy modalities including Integrated Attachment Theory, EMDR, Somatic Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Professional Life Coaching.

In February of 2023, I launched my coaching business called LifeWorks Integrated Coaching to serve individuals who do not need clinical support, but are challenged in their careers, relationships, and with stress/anxiety management.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Over the next 5 to 10 years, I believe therapy is going to become exponentially popular and widely accepted for doing more than ‘fixing’ people with mental health “issues.” Of course, therapy has always and will always help people heal from trauma, handle chemical imbalances, and address severe mental health concerns. However, I now think therapy is being appreciated for how it can bring more joy into people’s lives while making their relationships more secure through healthy attachment. I think therapy is going to continue to see its reputation grow, expand, and be elevated so that going to therapy becomes like going grocery shopping — culturally accepted and normal for anyone to do.

Over that same time, I see the coaching industry going through a refining fire. I think that we’re going to see a clearer definition of what coaching is and can do for people emerge while those who aren’t providing top-notch coaching fade away. In the past, anyone could call themselves a coach, make dramatic promises for change, and charge high prices for their services. A lot of people have been burned by coaches who couldn’t deliver.

That’s not a reflection on coaching, but something that happens in young industries. Now, coaching is maturing and so are clients. Professional training is more available, promises made are more grounded, and prices are settling to suit the market, too. I’m excited about these shifts because I believe they’re going to inspire a new respect for and reputation of coaching in regards to creating intentional, strategic, and positive change in people’s lives that is on par with the popular benefits that is known for in regards to mental health and emotional well-being.

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