Finding Home in the In-Between: Sadaf’s Story of Identity and Healing

In this episode of As I, A Peer, we’re excited to sit down with Sadaf, a thoughtful peer, mental health advocate, and former Peer School Facilitator with CMHA Calgary. Sadaf shares her powerful journey of navigating identity, culture, and mental health — from growing up in Calgary as a child of Pakistani immigrants to finding her voice in spaces that didn’t always make room for her full self. Struggling to blend in while holding on to her heritage, Sadaf opens up about the challenges of growing up feeling misunderstood, and learning how to embrace the duality of her identity. Her mental health journey took a pivotal turn during a study abroad trip, where the sudden shift and isolation brought forward anxiety and depression for the first time. Through therapy, reflection, and the support of her brother, Sadaf began to better understand her mental health — and why culturally responsive, compassionate care matters. Peer support became a meaningful part of her healing, not only as a personal lifeline but as a practice she would eventually share with others. From working at CMHA to studying business today, Saadaf reflects on what it means to show up authentically, accept uncertainty, and keep growing — even when the path forward isn’t clear. Join us as Sadaf reminds us that healing isn’t linear, identity isn’t fixed, and sometimes the bravest thing we can do is keep going — especially when we’re still figuring it out.