Our Story
Founded by two women who believe healing happens through hands in clay
Who we are
Mittika was founded by Haleema and Nayab, bringing together professional ceramic artistry, multidisciplinary design, and a deep belief in the therapeutic power of working with clay.
We're not art therapists running clinical sessions. We're not pottery teachers focused on perfect technique. We're wellbeing facilitators who use clay pottery wheels, hand-building, and ceramics to help people ground, regulate, and reconnect
Haleema
Professional Ceramicist & Multidisciplinary Designer
Haleema is a multidisciplinary designer and ceramic artist with over 13 years' experience across interiors, theatre, furniture design, and education. Her ceramic work explores clay as a powerful medium for mindfulness, grounding, and emotional expression.
She brings professional level pottery wheel expertise, hand-building techniques, and ceramic design knowledge all adapted to make clay accessible and therapeutic for people of all abilities.
Haleema's philosophy: Clay doesn't judge. It doesn't require words. It just invites you to be present with your hands and let everything else fall away.
Nayab
Wellbeing Specialist & Growth Mindset Speaker
Nayab brings over 15 years of experience mentoring professionals across industries, delivering talks and workshops at global platforms including Pinnacle and ProductTank London. She's also a trained energy healer and growth mindset coach.
She founded Mittika after watching burnout devastate the professionals she mentored and realising that traditional talk-based wellbeing approaches weren't reaching people. Clay offered a different path: embodied, tactile, non-verbal healing.
Nayab's role: Understanding what groups need emotionally, adapting sessions for wellbeing outcomes, and ensuring every participant feels psychologically safe to explore clay at their own pace.
Why we focus on clay
Not everyone heals through talking. For many, healing happens through touch and creation.
We focus exclusively on clay because it's uniquely powerful:
- No skills needed, accessible to everyone regardless of ability
- Instantly grounding, cool, wet texture brings immediate presence
- Naturally meditative, requires complete focus, quiets the mind
- Non-verbal release, express emotion without words
- Tangible results, create something real to hold and keep
