Author Q&A With Nada Yousif

Nada Yousif is a writer, astrologer, and creative born and raised in Toronto, Canada. From a young age, Nada has held many roles in the film and television industry, in front of and behind the camera. Most recently, Nada penned four magical episodes over the course of two seasons on the Hulu show “Spellbound,” a teen witch/dance drama set in Paris, France.

With roots in Egypt and Sudan, Nada is a natural-born scribe who integrates an ancient lens of mythology and soul into her storytelling. Fueled by an unbridled passion for esoteric and spiritual studies, Nada weaves astrology and symbolism into her personal and creative endeavors. She is the author of The Astrology of Healing: Unlocking Our Sacred Wounds with the Wisdom of the Stars, published in 2026 by Rise Books. Meet Nada: 

You are an author, but is it your day job? If not, what does fill your days? I’m a full-time mother, writer, and astrologer. Often, these roles overlap, as in my debut book, The Astrology of Healing, where I explored traditional astrological techniques and mythology while grounding them in lived experience. When I’m not writing I’m usually doing astrological client work, guiding them through the depths of their birth charts and diving into sacred themes embedded within them.

Did you always want to be an author? I’ve always been a reader; books and the land of mythology saved my life many times. Growing up in a chaotic and traumatic household, fiction became a necessary escape. It helped restore some sense of hope in humanity and life itself. So, like many avid readers out there, I of course wanted to become an author on the shelves of libraries and bookstores I once frequented. The timing, however, was never at the forefront of my mind as I pursued other creative outlets, such as fashion design, screenwriting, and astrology. All of which, in hindsight, helped me become a better artist and writer.

The book becomes a chart companion for those who are interested in understanding the timing of their lives and their natal promise (what their chart is asking them to become). Since an hour-long session is never enough to cover everything a client should be aware of, the book can help them navigate some of the most difficult parts of their lives and chart their progress. One thing I’ve learned through my astrological studies is that trauma has meaning and purpose, and is usually a signature in a birth chart. Through exploring public figures, I can easily see how their plight becomes their purpose. From Michael J Fox’s work with Parkinson’s disease to Frida Kahlo’s accident that drew her back into painting, astrology reaffirms that these were not only timed but divinely assigned through the signatures of their charts.

How do you hope your book uplifts those who read it? I pray that my book brings healing and a sense of compassion for the journey each reader has lived through. One thing I have learned in my own life and through astrology is that every life has a mix of difficult periods and times of pleasure and joy. Most of us dread the hard parts, even though we know on some level that they are part of the human experience. With astrology, we learn that timing, and we can prepare for the natural ebbs and flows of our lives without so much worry or fear. I hope my book provides this guidance as a gentle reminder that nothing has gone wrong and that we are exactly where we are meant to be.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to succeed in your professional industry? Join writers’ communities, online or in person. These are the best ways to join a group of like-minded creatives. You can share your journey, your struggles, and your wins. It’s a great way to develop accountability partners who can help you track your progress and give you feedback.

How do you handle setbacks and criticism? I turn to astrology. I look at the current sky in my chart to see what is being activated. Usually, I can see what is trying to play out through the delay or setback. This reminds me that everything is meant to ‘be born’ at its own time, which eases my ego’s need to have things done on its time. When it comes to criticism, I think it depends on who is giving it. Suppose it’s someone whose opinion I trust, whether as a fellow writer or creative, then I try my best to hear and implement their feedback. If it’s someone who isn’t familiar with my work (or astrology), I usually take that with a grain of consideration. However, it does help me see where I can improve at articulating concepts that might be foreign to newcomers to astrology or mythology.

Being an author today is like running a business. How do you manage all your publicity and social media while keeping your engagement with readers high? To be honest, I struggle with the balance between exposure and what social media presence requires, given my hermit tendencies. Part of the draw of being a writer for me is the ability to create and have an impact on others through the page or screen without having to be seen in the traditional sense. Instead, I aim to feel by naming the ineffable, whether it’s a feeling, an event, or a story yet to be shared. I want to make visible what might otherwise have remained hidden. It’s the paradox of being a writer, I guess — I want to bring light into the world without having to always stand directly in it. I have faith that the work I do will find its way into the hands of those who need it, even without becoming a content creator.

How do you hold yourself accountable and achieve the goals that you set forth? Deadlines. Accountability partners who know what I’m working on and who I can send my drafts to keep me on track. It also allows for collaborative opportunities and provides me with fresh eyes on projects I may have been too close to.

How do you structure your day and make time for writing? I have a set schedule. I go to the same coffee shop to write until I have to pick up my son from school. It makes things feel like a ‘normal’ job, and it turns my coffee into a Pavlovian response. The coffee shop becomes my office and my social outlet. When I do client sessions for astrology, I usually end up having a much shorter ‘writing’ day. However, I have noticed that even when I’m not actively producing written work, I am still studying through real-life experiences of others, which ultimately lends to my growth as a writer and storyteller.

What do you find most fulfilling in the career that you’ve chosen? The best part of being a writer, fiction or otherwise, is the ability to touch people’s hearts and souls through shared meaning. Being able to articulate a feeling someone else has, who you’ve potentially never met, and turning it into a beacon of hope and transformation. As much as I hope my art can change the world, even if only a single person is moved, healed, or feels seen, then my job is done. As Van Gogh once said, “What is done in love is done well.”

What book uplifts you? Only Love is Real by Brian Weiss. It is a true story that reminds me that our lives are not singular; they are cumulative, and all the love we experience is always remembered on a soul level, revisited through multiple lifetimes together. For fiction, I love The Alchemist and The Celestine Prophecy; both have deep spiritual meaning that reflects the soul’s journey and the need to ascend beyond our fears, conflicts, or suffering. It reminds me that there is an intelligence guiding us all the time, through signs and synchronicities, if we have the spiritual eyes to see them and the courage to follow them.

Connect with Nada and learn more about her work and book on her website.