Wajan Hale (Class of 1992) Quaker United Nations Office Calling
Posted on April 8, 2025
Wajan Hale (Class of 1992) found her calling during a 2001 internship at the Quaker United Nations Office in New York. It was a small operation with an international focus – because of Quakers’ pacifism the office could bring major word players together to have off-the record conversations over home-cooked meals in a beautiful, discreet, old house. The aim was to create movement on issues such as women’s rights, small arms trafficking and child soldiers. It was extraordinary work but Wajan, who trained and worked as a teacher for 10 years, was also struck by something else. “There were individuals at the UN helping the world but in a lot of personal pain in their marriages or with their children,” recalls Wajan. “This felt like an important area for me to grow into.”
Now Wajan is a therapist with a relationships counselling practice in Sandy Bay. She mostly works with couples but says the fastest and most profound shifts occur in sessions with teenagers and their parents. “Often we approach our children with a preconceived idea of who they should be and what they should say,” explains Wajan, who also counsels in workplaces after critical incidents. “Just for teenagers to feel heard by their parents can be a powerful experience that often de-escalates conflict.”
