Fathimath Nahla holds postgraduate degrees in Counselling & Psychotherapy from the University of Adelaide, Australia, and Social Policy from the Maldives National University. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Sociology) from the University of Mysore, India, and a Diploma in Teaching (Middle school) from the Maldives College of Higher Education.
Nahla has been a Lecturer at MNU since 2014, contributing to programs in Counselling, Psychology, and Social Work. She also has gained experience as a Graduate Research Assistant at the National University of Malaysia and served as a member of the Maldives Allied Health Council (MAHC), the national regulatory body for allied health professionals, where she represented training institutions in the Allied Health field, and is currently a member of the Technical Committees established under the National Action Plan on Disability Inclusion (NAPDI).
Nahla is a licensed counsellor with the Maldives Allied Health Council. Her practice spans counselling, psychotherapy, crisis intervention, and clinical supervision. She currently provides supervision for provisional counsellors and students in placement. Her past roles include Counsellor in private practice, Counselling Coordinator at Kudakudhinge Hiya (Children in State Care) and volunteer Crisis Worker at Lifeline South Australia.
Nahla’s achievements include receiving the Australian Development Scholarship (AusAID), earning a Distinction in the Master of Social Policy program, and being awarded a Gold Medal in Psychology from the University of Mysore.

Master of Arts in Social Policy, Maldives National University, 2017
Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy, University of Adelaid Australia, 2013
Bachelor of Arts (Psychology & Sociology), Mysore University, 2009
Diploma in Middle School Teaching, Maldives College of Higher Education, 2001

Mental Health
Substance Use
Clinical Supervision
Children & Youth Wellbeing

1- Eco-Anxiety and Climate Change Attitudes: A Study of Young Adults in the Maldives at the Maldives National University. RR-2026-24, Co-researcher.
2- A Mixed-Methods Study on the Needs and Training Efficacy of Clinical Supervision in the Maldives, RR/2026/21, Principal investigator.
3- Understanding risk factors, prevalence and elements of trajectories among adolescents involved in dual drug and ATS abuse at selected hot spots in Malaysia, LRGS/1/2020/UKM-UKM/2/1, Graduate Research Assistant.
4- The Prevalence and Patterns of Child Sexual Abuse among Tertiary Students in the Maldives, RR/2018/22, Principal investigator.
5- Conducted qualitative interviews for the research project, Factors contributing to Drug use initiation among young people in the Maldives, under the MNU research grant RE/2018/C0.

NA

Counselling
Pschology
Social Work

Co-author

1- Ismail, R., Shafurdin, N. S., Shukor, M. S., Nawi, A. M., Abdul Manaf, M. R., Ibrahim, N., Rasdi, R. M., Lyndon, N. A., Amit, N., Hassan, S. A., Hanafi, N., Ibrahim, F., Nahla, F., & Wahab, S. (2024). Predictors of drug and substance abuse among school-going adolescents living in drug hotspot in Malaysia. PLOS ONE, 19(6), e0305460. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0305460

2- Shafurdin, N. S., Ismail, R., Shukor, M. S., & Nahla, F. (2025). A cross?sectional study on psychoactive drug use among school?going adolescents: Data from drug?burdened hot?spots in Malaysia. Employee Response Rights Journal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4687653

Technical Committee member of National Action Plan on Disability Inclusion (NAPDI).

NIL

Professional member at International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) since 2020, Licensed Counsellor at Maldives Allied Heath Council since 2014.

Australian Development Scholarship (AusAID), 2011.
Distinction Award in the Master of Social Policy program, Maldives National University, 2017.
Gold Medal in Psychology from the University of Mysore in 2009.

– Training of MNU Helpline respondents, 2026.
– Consultancy work at Maldives Allied Health Council to review Licensing Pathway for Behavioural Sciences and reviewing Curriculums 2015-2018.
– Facilitated a support Group for parents of addicts in treatment jointly with NDA and Journey (NGO), 2016.
– Provided Clinical supervison at Dhamnaveshi 2017-2018
– Provided consultancy for the Ministry of Gender on preventing and intervening crisis (suicide) in schools, and conducted out reach activities in schools at GN. Fuvahmulah, in 2016.