Meet Sabrina N’Diaye, PhD, LCSW-C, MDiv (she/her)—therapist, storyteller, peacebuilder, author, speaker, educator, and CMBM Faculty Member!
As a CMBM Faculty Member, Dr. Sabrina N’Diaye has responded to multiple community traumas, including those in Las Vegas, Houston, Pine Ridge Reservation, New York City, Broward County, and the US Capitol. Certified in Mind-Body Medicine, she has also led teams of CMBM practitioners in Central Asia, Jordan, and Indianapolis. Dr. N’Diaye currently serves as a program advisor for the Hoosier Heartland Healing Collaborative, the Indiana Department of Corrections, and the US Council of Catholic Bishops. She, along with two CMBM Faculty, recently launched Embracing Buffalo, a project specifically designed to address the aftermath of the May 14th massacre in East Buffalo. Dr. N’Diaye also initiated the Big Mama Scholarship fund, a program designed to increase the number of CMBM-Certified African Americans.
As an integrative psychotherapist and founder of the Heart Nest Center for Peace and Healing in Baltimore, Dr. N’Diaye lovingly serves women, couples, other healers, and small groups. Her approach to healing is a blend of wisdom, science, and spiritual practices.
In her capacity as a keynote speaker, guest lecturer for the Maryland University of Integrative Health, and adjunct faculty member at Saybrook University, Dr. N’Diaye frequently lectures on oppression, spirituality, stress management, substance use, self-care for healers, and the “magic” of connection. She has educated and inspired diverse audiences, including police departments, educators, flight attendants, corporations, peacebuilders, and aspiring healers.
Dr. N’Diaye is a devoted wife, mother, daughter, friend, and the sister of choice to countless people. She enjoys sewing, studying the teachings of Sufi healer Sidi Muhammad al-Jamal, reading, writing, eating with her fingers, and pretending to be a master gardener.
Celebrating Big Mama Speaks
We are thrilled to join Dr. N’Diaye in celebrating the launch of her inspiring and powerful new book, Big Mama Speaks: Love Lessons from a Harlem River Swan.
Big Mama Speaks is “part memoir, part self-help, and all spiritual.” Dr. N’Diaye weaves together the story and spiritual teachings of her beloved grandmother, Marion “Big Mama” Brisco, who was assaulted at age 33 by two police officers, contributing to a massive stroke that left her in a coma for 50 days. After waking from the coma, Big Mama defied incredible odds, living for 51 more years. When her grandmother passed away, Dr. N’Diaye began a meditative practice of writing to Big Mama each morning—written conversations rich with healing wisdom.
“Sabrina, and her book, are great and generous healers. Big Mama, speaking through Sabrina, is the presiding genius–a kind, wise, no-nonsense guide to peace and fulfillment. Her wisdom can bring great and lasting value to all of you who are reading this book.”
James S. Gordon, MD, Founder and CEO, The Center for Mind-Body Medicine
Dr. N’Diaye on her work with CMBM
“My life with CMBM has been a series of memorable moments, and I have been blessed to meet some of the most amazing humans on the planet. Every experience has prepared me for the one that I am leading in the present moment–the incarcerated women and men in Indianapolis. My heart has been stretched beyond what I once believed was possible, and I have fallen in love with the ‘discarded.’ This was my grandmother’s dream for me.”
What do you want people to know about mind-body medicine?
“Mind-body medicine is not just an organization–it is a way of life. When laced with dignity, it can change the way we see ourselves, and our world.”
What is your go-to mind-body medicine practice?
“I am constantly returning to the breath…striving to bring my entire being back into balance…all the time. And when I’m not breathing, I am usually dancing or writing. When all else fails, I strive to belt out a hearty laugh each day.”
Learn more
We are deeply grateful for Dr. N’Diaye’s leadership and voice! To learn more about (and from) Dr. N’Diaye and order your own copy of Big Mama Speaks, please visit bigmamaspeaks.com.
