Maryam Jariani

Mindfulness has been a quiet presence in my life long before I had a word for it. From a young age, I found myself naturally attuned to others’ emotions especially children’s. 

I didn’t know what a social worker, therapist, or psychologist was at the time; I only knew that I noticed feelings deeply, paused to understand them, and felt drawn to protecting and supporting younger children. That early way of being present became the foundation of my life’s work.

Today, I am a Child, Youth, and Family Therapist, a Registered Social Worker, and the Founder and Clinical Director of Mindful Pink World Child & Family Therapy Center. My work is grounded in mindfulness, compassion, and evidence-based practice, supporting children, adolescents, and families to feel safe, understood, and emotionally regulated.

My professional journey spans over seven years across school systems, community services, and clinical settings, including my work as a School Social Worker and Attendance Counsellor. In these roles, I have seen firsthand how children’s emotional well-being is shaped not only by their inner world, but by their relationships, environments, and the adults around them. Mindfulness has guided me to look beyond behaviour and symptoms, and instead pause to understand what a child is experiencing and what they need.

At the core of my work is a mindful belief:
To support a child, we must also support the parents and caregivers.
Children spend most of their lives within environments created by adults. When parents are supported to slow down, reflect, and respond with awareness rather than reaction, the child’s nervous system settles. Healing begins not through control, but through presence.

My therapeutic approach focuses on three interconnected, mindfulness-informed layers:

Within the child building awareness of emotions, body signals, and inner experiences

Between the child and caregivers — fostering attuned connection, mindful communication, and secure attachment

Around the child supporting families to create calmer, safer, and more responsive environments

As a mother of two, mindfulness is not only part of my professional work it is part of my lived experience. Parenting invites constant reflection, patience, and self-awareness. I deeply understand that parents carry their own stress, histories, and emotional patterns, and that they deserve compassion and support on their own healing journeys. When parents are given space to reflect and regulate, children feel safer and more grounded.

Academically, I hold a Bachelor and Master of Social Work (Honours) from York University and am currently pursuing a PhD in Developmental Psychology. My doctoral research focuses on meditation and emotion regulation, exploring how mindfulness-based practices support emotional awareness, nervous system regulation, and resilience across development. This research informs how I thoughtfully integrate meditation and mindfulness into therapy in ways that are practical, developmentally appropriate, and accessible for children, adolescents, and families.

For me, mindfulness is not about being calm all the time. It is about noticing what is happening in the present moment with curiosity rather than judgment and choosing how to respond. In therapy, this means helping children and parents recognize emotions, pause before reacting, and build skills for regulation, connection, and repair.

Mindfulness also shapes how I care for myself. I hold a diploma in Swing dance, which reflects my belief that movement, rhythm, and embodied awareness are powerful tools for regulation and expression. I also enjoy baking and cooking, mindful practices that invite presence, patience, and nourishment values that mirror my approach to therapy and family life.

I believe deeply that every child deserves to grow in a safe, supportive, and emotionally attuned environment, and that every parent deserves guidance and compassion while creating that space. My vision is to be an agent of change for children and families offering gentle presence in moments of struggle, and depth in addressing the root causes of emotional and relational challenges.

This work is more than a profession to me.
It is my mindfulness in action.
It is my calling.
It is the path my childhood self was always quietly walking.