Exploring Life & Business with Nicole Rizkallah of Orari Healing Therapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Rizkallah

Hi Nicole, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I always envisioned starting my own business, though I never imagined it would be in mental health. Starting out in business and consulting, I eventually followed the persistent tug on my heart to become a marriage and family therapist—reluctantly at first, but with growing enthusiasm. This surprising outcome is what makes my life so dynamic and exciting; there are still parts of myself that have yet to evolve and be discovered.

Like everyone else, my story begins long before I was born. My parents were both raised in Cairo, Egypt, after their families fled Armenia, Syria, and Sudan. I have countless memories of sitting around the dining room table, hearing stories of a vibrant life in Egypt, with its rich traditions and rituals. It became clear to me as a child that life was more communal and joyful there, but political and economic instability, coupled with religious persecution, made it unsustainable. Growing up, I felt a twinge of envy for my parents’ childhood in Egypt, as it contrasted sharply with the more isolated and achievement-focused culture in America. I had to learn to embody a culture of my own to find my true place in this world as a Middle Eastern American. Now, that I specialize in couples and individual trauma work, I feel so honored for my story that allows me be with others in theirs.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Surrounded at home with Eastern values of conformity and family-centered goals, I was often uncertain living amidst Western values of self-expression and individualism. I found living among these conflicting values to be challenging; and, not surprisingly, I inherited anxiety-inducing immigrant messages of survival and to make my parents proud at all costs. Yet, growing up within different cultures, habits, and languages allowed me to become adept at perspective-taking, vulnerability, and communication—allowing me to get to where I am today.

The work of neurobiologist Dan Siegel has been instrumental in my own healing. Siegel says, “We remember the future.” Siegel isn’t suggesting that humans possess some psychic ability to foresee the future. He’s referring to how the human mind functions—we take in information in the present and filter it through past experiences to predict what’s to come. My family’s story is one of loss of country and community. Experience has taught me to be risk averse, play it safe, and not to dream. So, to allow new ideas and possibilities into my heart, while honoring my family’s history, was incredibly life changing.

To go back to school and start my career all over was a major risk and financial setback. I had to trust the desire on my heart was true and the right doors would open for me. During school, I worked three jobs at one point and balanced competing roles within different work cultures. I was challenged, but thankfully, my parents modeled a strong work ethic. Today I have my dream job and my own business, Orari Healing Therapy.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Orari Healing Therapy?
Orari Healing Therapy is a place, not a brand. We are deeply rooted in person-centered care, with a grounded approach that prioritizes people over labels or diagnoses. In a world that often oversimplifies the complexity of human experiences and reduces individuals to symptoms, Orari honors your distinct narrative, understanding that no two stories are alike.We don’t believe in wasting anyone’s time or money, so we invest great care from the beginning to ensure you receive the right treatment for your unique needs and aspirations.

Seeking therapy for yourself, your relationships, or your family can be daunting enough. The last thing we want is for someone in a period of uncertainty and change to feel unwelcome in our space. We strive to create a relatable, inclusive environment that is open to people from all backgrounds. However, we don’t promise comfort—discomfort is a natural part of the healing journey. Just as visiting the dentist or a physical therapist can be uncomfortable, addressing deep-seated trauma requires a tolerable level of discomfort in order to facilitate healing.

Therapy sometimes gets a reputation for being soft or coddling, but those who seek to heal are courageous for stepping into the unknown to confront and process unresolved pain. At Orari, we honor that bravery. Our services are designed to support deep healing through EMDR and EFT therapy, intensives, longer sessions, and occasional weekend availability. For us, healing isn’t about offering quick fixes—it’s about fostering deep, meaningful change by addressing trauma at its root.

At the heart of it all, we remain person-centered. You are not here to serve us; we are here to serve you. It is our responsibility to model a secure and trustworthy presence before you share your vulnerability with us.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Relational health matters most to me, both professionally and personally. A recent Harvard study shows that healthy relationships are the most important factor in achieving happiness and longevity—relationships!—not career achievements, altruistic deeds, money, or even a healthy diet.

When faced with emotional challenges, I know I have options to avoid feeling something painful—to avoid suffering. As a therapist I witness daily the ways in which we humans can sublimate (e.g., make a joke to release nervous tension, have a few drinks, binge-watch Netflix); intensify (e.g., get louder, angrier, sadder, more sexual); or shut down (e.g., deny or suppress our emotions).

But I want to do more than just survive. I want to flourish and that means going more deeply into what my experience is, even if it hurts. Emotions are simply how our bodies let us know that something important to us is happening.

Professionally, I dedicate myself to the field of emotionally focused therapy (EFT), a type of therapy where emotional experiences of yourself and others are reshaped to create more security and intimacy. The gold standard for couples therapy, EFT heals affairs, addictions, and trauma. I love being able to offer therapy, trainings, and supervise new therapists. I also enjoy an exchange of ideas, so I recently founded an online publication, Beyond Therapy, to help the broader public receive more nuanced information about relational health.

Overall, what matters to me is being able to share the good that I have received with others in whatever way possible. Egyptians are known for their incredible hospitality and sense of humor. I feel honored to be part of a culture that values warmth, being wanted, and the ability to laugh even in the midst of tears. I know not everyone has this genuine experience of expression, but I long for connection—for myself and others. I desire authenticity, not performance, so that each day can be experienced anew and good, even if unknown. And, as Winnie the Pooh wisely said, “Any day spent with you is my favorite day. So today is my new favorite day.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.orarihealingtherapy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orari.healing.therapy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OrariHealingTherapy
• Other: https://www.azeftcouplesintensive.com