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Episode Summary:

In this episode, Dr. Arezoo Momeni shares her journey growing up in Iran and her decision to move to the US for a PhD in chemical engineering. She discusses her challenges as a woman in Iran and the societal expectations that conflicted with her desire for freedom. Arezoo also opens up about her experiences in her PhD program, highlighting the toxic culture and unrealistic expectations placed on graduate students. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing one's own worth and the need for self-care and self-discovery. Arezoo shares her experience of feeling like she didn't belong due to cultural differences and struggling with self-worth. She describes a transformative psychedelic experience that helped her connect with her true self and let go of societal conditioning. However, she faced challenges in implementing the insights from her experience into her daily life. Arezoo emphasizes the importance of seeking professional help and highlights the power of acceptance, commitment therapy, and mindfulness techniques. She also discusses the fears she encountered on her journey and the tools she uses for maintaining her mental health, such as morning routines, visualization, gratitude practices, and connecting with nature.Takeaways:*Growing up in Iran as a woman comes with societal expectations and conflicting messages about identity and self-worth.*PhD programs, particularly in engineering, can have toxic cultures and unrealistic expectations, leading to mental health challenges for graduate students.*Recognizing one's own worth and prioritizing self-care and self-discovery are crucial for personal growth and well-being.*Psychedelic experiences can provide a fresh perspective and help challenge ingrained thought patterns. Feeling like you don't belong due to cultural differences can impact self-worth and identity.*Psychedelic experiences can provide profound insights and a sense of interconnectedness, but implementing those insights into daily life can be challenging.*Seeking professional help, such as therapy, can be instrumental in navigating personal growth and healing.*Acceptance commitment therapy (ACT) and mindfulness techniques can help change our relationship with fear and thoughts.*Morning routines, visualization, gratitude practices, and connecting with nature can contribute to maintaining mental health.Join Arezoo's Campaign:Arezoo invites you to Write a daily gratitude note for 30 days. Use this link to join her campaign: https://forms.gle/XbtXdGCHhbUAibJFA

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