Facilitation & Workshops

I have devoted my adult life to facilitating spaces where people can experience non-judgmental listening and connect deeply through the power of voice. My work is informed by the creative and wonderful work of Internal Family Systems Therapy and Narrative Therapy, as well as my experience as a personal storytelling performance artists for the past 15 years. Below are some examples of my work as well as cherished folks I have had the honour to have worked with.

“Showcasing Your Strengths” with The Opportunity Network

Designed and facilitated multiple college essay writing and college preparedness workshops for The Opportunity Network, a non-profit organization that equips high school and college students with the skills and experiences to harness their power and passions to thrive through college and career. Collaborated with the College Guidance and Transition Team on a year long curriculum review, focused on building interactive learning experiences into the existing programming and curriculum offered to students throughout the year.

“Benaifer guided a conversation about the impact of diet culture and fatphobia at my company, an advertising agency in the west village. They were thoughtful, asked kind, yet thought provoking questions, and encouraged open conversation. They curated a space for a variety of people and experiences that left everybody feeling safe and seen. I would absolutely work with Benaifer again and would recommend them 10/10 to anybody looking for a mental health facilitator.”

Arielle Chavkin (they/them), Group Media Director

“Advocacy through Personal Stories” with OSF Georgia

Working with Open Society Georgia Foundation and the Open Society Foundations, created and facilitated a 3-day storytelling and advocacy training to 22 participants representative of oppressed groups in the country including injecting and former drug users, people with physical and intellectual disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, people with VIV, Hepatitis C, victims of torture and domestic violence, and palliative care patients. Over the 3-days participants excavated their own stories, learned what kind of listeners they can be for one another and brainstormed how they could help break stigma and advocate for access to needed resources through the telling of their true stories.

Read more here

“My one-on-one coaching work with Benaifer launched me into new levels of comfort and confidence describing, writing and telling my story. Benaifer is not only a skilled, intuitive and knowledgeable coach, they are also a fun, warm and caring human being. I would highly recommend working with Benaifer.”

Hakeem Rahim (he/him), Mental Health Speaker & Trainer

“Kaur Story” with Sikh Youth Australia

As a part of Sikh Youth Australia’s Summer Camp, designed and facilitated an intensive and experiential personal workshop where Sikh women came together to explore their inner power, develop unique leadership skills, learn courageous communication techniques and discover their personal values, purpose and vision. This 3-day workshop workshop guided participants in a deep exploration of the internal and external obstacles that prevent women from stepping into their natural ability and right to lead. Through reflection and experiential exercises, participants discovered the power of their own voice and practiced giving the gift on non-shaming listening.

Read more here

Partnerships & Clients

    • 3-Day Advocacy and Storytelling Trainings in Turkey, Lithuania, Georgia and the Ukraine working with health advocates on how to share their personal stories to advocate for health and accessibility rights.

    • Created and facilitated a multi-country week long storytelling program bringing together transport workers, union members, staff and healthcare workers to excavate and share personal stories of how HIV/AIDS has impacted their lives. The program’s goal was to combat the secrecy and stigma associated with HIV and AIDS with the power of story.

    • Facilitated a series of personal storytelling and listening workshops for CUNY’s All Staff Day

    • Created and facilitated leadership workshops for CUNY DREAMers Program from 2015 - 2019.

    • For 2 years created curriculum and taught a semester long storytelling course for the Baruch DREAMer Diplomat Program resulting in a storytelling performance and literary magazine for the CUNY community.

    • Facilitated a Mental Health Awareness Month program For Heartbeat Advertising Agency: “The impact of weight stigma & fatphobia on our mental health”.

    • Facilitated an advocacy and storytelling workshop for family members who have lost loved ones due to traffic accidents in the US as a part of the annual Vision Zero Cities Conference. The workshop was designed to help family members excavate and share their personal stories to advocate for safer driving practices throughout the country.

    • Facilitated a 90-minute workshop: “Amplifying our Voices and Building Community through Storytelling and Generative Listening” at Columbia College Women’s Alumnae reunion.

    • Created and facilitated weekend long continuing education course titled “Advocacy through Storytelling: Creating Empathy, Resonance and Change” for licensed social workers and students at Columbia University’s School of Social Work .

    • Created and facilitated workshop for the Park’s Department’s Annual Public Programs Summit Leadership Retreat.

    • Facilitated a workshop for Barnard Alumnae Network and Barnard Mentoring Program.

    • Facilitated a workshop for the Rockefeller Foundations’ Development Team: “Creating Impact in the World: A Storytelling Workshop”.

    • Providing storytelling coaching and curriculum support to Hakeem Rahim, a profound Mental Health Speaker and Trainer