MEET YOUR THERAPIST
Meet Atiq.
Atiq M. Shomar (they/them), LCSW
CLINICAL SUPERVISOR · PRACTICE FOUNDER
A licensed clinical social worker who has spent the last decade building welcoming, trauma-informed care for LGBTQIA+ and other marginalized communities, and the founder of Liberation Counseling and Consulting.
LICENSEDArizona & Michigan
LCSW-13586
PRONOUNSthey/them
MODALITIESEMDR · DBT · IFS
Safe and Sound Protocol provider
WHERE WE MEETCivano, Tucson
Plus telehealth across Arizona
WHO WE ARE
About Atiq.
I’m a licensed clinical social worker and therapist who’s spent the last decade building welcoming, trauma-informed care for LGBTQIA+ and other marginalized communities. I founded Liberation Counseling and Consulting, a thriving private practice, and I also run Atiq Shomar Consulting, where I create anti-oppression trainings and support therapy practices in building more inclusive models of care.
Mentoring clinicians as they grow into independent practice and leadership is work I find genuinely meaningful. I’ve supervised and launched multiple associates, and I bring that same collaborative spirit into the therapy room with every client.
My background includes leading outpatient services and telehealth mental health programs at the VA, where I focused on quality improvement and community outreach. That work deepened my respect for what genuinely accessible care requires: showing up for people in ways the system often doesn’t.
I hold an MA in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and an MSW from Arizona State University. I combine clinical expertise with practical practice-management skills to make care accessible, compassionate, and sustainable.
Email · Call · Book Online
HOW I WORK
My Approach to Therapy.
I think of myself as a long-term therapist. That means I’ll devote time to getting to know you, building a relationship and understanding where you’re coming from. Therapy is an investment we’re both making in your future. And the most important part of the equation is the relationship you and I have with each other.
Types of therapy I do:
TYPES OF THERAPY I DOEMDR
Lots of people are hearing about EMDR lately. And, it is a very good tool to help you recover from trauma, anxiety, depression and many other illnesses. As an EMDR trained therapist, it is an option for the work we do together. We will spend time really fleshing out your individual needs before we jump into EMDR. EMDR is part of the therapy that we’ll do, but not the only thing.
TYPES OF THERAPY I DODBT Skills
DBT Skills are extremely helpful to anyone who is struggling with being present (Mindfulness), with relationships or with tolerating difficult situations. We can integrate these skills into the therapy we do or we can focus intensely on the skills. We’ll decide together what direction might help you most.
TYPES OF THERAPY I DOInternal Family Systems
Internal Family Systems therapy is about addressing the different “parts” that live in each of us. One part of you may be angry, while another part feels scared. That can be so confusing! We’ll work hard to make sense of what’s going on and to help you find your “best adult self” who can most effectively “drive the bus.”
MY STORY
My Anti-Oppression Journey
Coming to teach about anti-oppression therapy has been a long time in the making for me. I am the granddaughter of Muslim Syrian immigrants and raised in a (very) small (very) white town in Michigan. FIY: Michigan was FAR too cold for my desert dweller self. My parents did their best to teach us about Islam, even though we were isolated from the Muslim community. We celebrated Ramadan and Christmas. We got baskets of chocolate at Easter and donned headscarves to attend the Toledo Mosque for Islamic Eids (holidays).
In middle school, I was fortunate to have a social studies teacher who recognized the absence of “difference” in our community. He taught me that the concept of “melting pot” was one that erased the beauty of individuals, but that the concept of a “tapestry” could bring out the best in each of our cultures. My teacher asked my family to help educate other students about Islam. So, at a time when all I wanted was to “fit in,” I began teaching my peers and their parents about a faith that seemed alien and dangerous to my classmates. Those presentations continued through my high school years as we saw our country rocked by the First Gulf War.
I went to college in the mid-nineties, when sexual assault on campus was rampant, women were earning pennies to men’s dollars, and the numbers of women in leadership were abysmal. I found myself organizing Take Back the Night marches, Pride Parades, weekly Women’s Council meetings, Arab Cultural Socials, and Coming Out Day dances. I spent far too much time coordinating and protesting and not enough time studying. I struggled with aligning my faith with my new identities as a feminist and lesbian. Somehow, I managed to graduate with a BA in Women’s Studies and a fire for changing the world.
My professional work was always in the social services and non-profit organizations such as Girl Scouts of the USA (I’m still a Lifetime Member!), Human Services for the State of Michigan, and other small non-profit start-ups. But it didn’t feel like I was doing enough or integrating all the parts of me in my work. When Social Work found me, I was ready for new education, new opportunities and new communities. And what a journey it’s been!
I’m so excited that I can now bring together all of my hard work, life experiences and education to make changes in my therapy community. For all you fellow therapists, if you’re ready to start down your own anti-oppression journey I can help. Click here for more information.
One Last Story.
You’ll notice I tend to talk in metaphors and stories. True to form, I’m going to give you one last story before you leave my website:
When I was working on leaving my full-time job and starting a private practice, I talked with a good friend about how to explain the nature of therapy and how it works to someone who might be scared about it or have had a bad experience in the past. She suggested I start with something I love. I am a quilter. It makes my heart happy to create something beautiful for, and with, people I love.
What That Means for Us
When I make a quilt, I take an amazing piece of fabric, cut it up, and sew it back together into something even more meaningful, connected and stronger. Therapy also works like this. Together, we will examine the struggles you face, work to cut them apart, and reassemble the pieces to create the image you want.
I may not walk in your shoes, but I will always do my best to stay focused on the picture you’re painting for your life and do my best to help you get there.
THE DETAILS
Credentials and Training.
Licensure
Education
MA, Depth Psychology (Community, Liberation, Indigenous and Eco-Psychology), Pacifica Graduate Institute, 2024
MSW, Arizona State University, 2008
BA, Women’s Studies, Michigan State University, 1998
Training and Certifications
EMDR Level I and Level II trained
Safe and Sound Protocol provider
Dialectical Behavior Therapy provider
Memberships
National Association of Social Workers (NASW) member
OUTSIDE THE SESSION
Beyond the Therapy Room.
Podcast Feature
I joined Maegan Megginson on the Deeply Rested podcast to talk about doing the real work of anti-racism in your business, what that actually looks like, and why surface-level gestures fall short.
Consulting and Training
Through Atiq Shomar Consulting, I create anti-oppression trainings and support therapy practices in building more inclusive, equitable care models. If your organization is ready to move beyond performative inclusion, let’s connect.
LET’S TALK
If you think we might be a good fit, get in touch.
Consultations are free, and there’s no pressure to book a session afterward. It’s a conversation about whether this is the right place for you.
MEET WITH ATIQ AT OUR CIVANO LOCATION: 10501 E SEVEN GENERATIONS WAY, STE 121