- Notice when work stopped being what you do and became who you are
- Reconnect the body, feelings and relationships overwork leaves behind
- Map your own burnout pattern with the HIKMA© PEMS framework
- Leave with a lived balance — not another productivity plan
al-kindi.com — scan to learn more & join
Severance: Reclaiming Your Life
A small therapy group for people whose work has quietly taken over their life.
- FormatVirtual (secure video) — open to adults anywhere in Massachusetts
- Length8 weekly sessions · 60 minutes
- GroupClosed group · 8–12 members
- Investment$800 for 8 sessions, per person
Severance: Reclaiming Your Life is an 8-session, clinician-led virtual therapy group at Al-Kindi Counseling Services for adults in Massachusetts who struggle with overwork, burnout or work addiction. Borrowing the idea of the TV series Severance — a worker split into a work self and a home self — the group helps members bring those two selves back into contact, using the HIKMA© method rooted in the philosophy of Al-Kindi.
Why a group called “Severance”?
In the Apple TV+ series Severance, employees undergo a procedure that splits their mind in two: the “Innie” knows only work, the “Outie” knows only home. The science is fiction. The experience is not. Many hard-working people perform a quieter, voluntary severance — feelings, body signals, relationships and meaning are left at the door so the work can continue. Over time the work self is the only one that feels real.
This group is a place to notice that split without shame. You don't need to have watched the show, and you don't need to quit your job. The aim is reintegration: helping the person who works and the person who lives find each other again.
How this group helps
In the HIKMA© method, wellbeing lives in four connected domains — Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual (PEMS). Overwork fractures all four. The group works with each one:
Physical
The body the work self ignores — sleep, tension, fatigue and the signals you override to keep going.
Emotional
Naming the feelings that only get room when the work stops: guilt, dread, restlessness, grief.
Mental
Loosening beliefs like “I'm only worth what I produce” and the perfectionism that keeps them running.
Spiritual
Finding meaning that doesn't depend on output — values, relationships, rest and faith as you define it.
Curious where this comes from? Read the story of Al-Kindi and our HIKMA© method.
The 8-session journey
The group moves through the five stages of the HIKMA© reintegration arc. Each session combines a short, grounded teaching with personal reflection and shared conversation.
- Sessions 1–2
The Waking
Who are you beyond your work role? Separating your core self from what you produce, and tracing how your relationship with work began.
- Sessions 3–4
The Accounting
Mapping what overwork costs each domain: the body and heart first, then the mind and sense of meaning.
- Session 5
The Balance
Seeing how the domains affect one another in daily life, at home and at work.
- Session 6
Naming the Gap
Honestly naming the distance between who you are and how you are currently living.
- Sessions 7–8
Reintegration
Choosing how to live within that gap on purpose, with anchors that help you return when you drift.
Is this group right for me?
A good fit if…
- You feel restless, guilty or anxious when you are not working
- Family, friends or your body keep asking you to slow down
- You've tried to cut back but keep sliding back
- You want depth and community, not a time-management course
Maybe not right now if…
- You're in an acute crisis and need immediate or individual support
- You're looking for career coaching or job-search help
- You can't commit to attending all eight sessions
“The Innie and the Outie are not enemies. They are the same person, trying to find each other.”— The HIKMA Circle
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to have watched Severance?
No. The show is simply a helpful mirror. Everything is explained in plain language, and the group focuses on your life, not the plot.
Is this a 12-step or support-only group?
No. It is a structured, clinician-led therapy group with a defined 8-session arc, grounded in evidence-based practice and the HIKMA© framework.
Do I have to be Muslim or Arab to join?
Not at all. The group draws on ideas from classical Arab philosophers such as Al-Kindi, but these are human insights offered to anyone. People of every background are welcome.
How is the group run online?
Sessions meet by secure video. Each one opens with a brief arrival ritual and check-in, includes a short teaching and a reflective exercise, and closes with a sincere closing circle.
How much does it cost and how do I join?
The group is $800 for 8 sessions per person, paid upfront to hold your place on the waiting list. Use “Request to Join” and our team will contact you about the next start date.
Groups are intentionally small. Request a spot and our team will follow up about the next start date, fit and next steps. Individual therapy with us is in-network with BCBS, Aetna, Cigna, MassGeneral Brigham Health Plan, Optum and UnitedHealthcare.
or call (978) 996-8033
In crisis? This group is not an emergency service. If you or someone you love is in danger, call 911. For immediate emotional support, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).
Other groups at Al-Kindi
Last updated September 2026 · Al-Kindi Counseling Services, Inc., 7 Central Street, Suite 160, Arlington, MA 02476.