Part 2 of 2 Interview with Nima

Nima Novak is an Indigenous SLP from the Mohawk Tribe of the Iroquois Nation. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from San Diego State University and her master’s degree of science in SLP from California State University San Marcos. She is a school SLP, who has worked extensively in marginalized communities for the last five years, specifically on the west side of Chicago. She’s worked with a range of student populations starting from preschool up to high school.

She has seen first hand the negative effects of trauma on speech, language and fluency development. From her personal life experience, she feels strongly that there are no "bad students" but rather students whose needs are not being met to achieve success in school. She is currently studying Polyvagal Theory, Mindful Self Compassion and Reiki to promote healing across the communities she serves, with the intention of loving kindness for all. Her focus on evidence-based practices and empirical research serves to bridge the worlds of healing and science which are often relegated to different categories. Nima’s holistic approach of resilience and education teaches how research-based mindfulness practices can be used to manage trauma in the body for both her students and colleagues experiencing the effects of secondary trauma. She is dedicated to empowering her students and all womxn to pursue their passions through the cultivation of resilience and self-worth. In her school based speech therapy and basketball coaching Nima takes a trauma-informed approach to support BIPOC and all students at every level.

Nima is an advisor on Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Board and mentor's current students at California State San Marcos in the Students of Speech & Language, Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity Group. For her anti-racism work, she has been featured in Vice Magazine, Medium.com and Authority Magazine. She is a contributing founder and author of the anti-racism work group Living in Empathy. Nima has been featured on Educators for Justice IG live, SLPs Of Color IG live, the FAACT podcast, the Breaking Down Podcast and as The Rainbow Project’s keynote speaker.

Since the recording of this episode, Nima has pivoted towards new beginnings in her anti-racism teaching. She is deeply appreciative for the work that she had the opportunity to do in 2020.

Nima offers Indigenous anti-racism consultation/training and somatic consultation/training. She has worked at the individual levels, businesses and universities including the prestigious Northwestern University. Catch her next workshops with Chicago Minds! Please find her at @nima.novak on Instagram.

Timestamps:

0:37 - Supporting POC experiencing emotional labor

7:28 - Current work and Living in Empathy

13:09 - Coping with COVID

27:55 - Indigenous identity and how it’s impacted on speech therapy

42:43 - The 8% and InterVested

46:07 - Staying passionate in antiracism and speech therapy

51:25 - Advice to younger self

54:44 - Loves and passions

58:44 - Future steps

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Music in this episode: Intro Beat by Marcus West; Classic by @gar_doh (Soundcloud.com/emergence_sf)