Whatever traumatic past we have had, we know at some point that in most cases counseling or therapy can help us heal and feel better. But who to turn to and what to look for? In Today’s episode, we tap into EMDR therapy with Guest expert Dania Dbaibo Darwich and talk all about EMDR which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, facts and history, and the healing power of this therapeutic modality. 

Dania Dbaibo Darwish is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who specializes in 3 approaches CBT, EMDR & Hypnotherapy. She is also a Certified Professional Coach specializing in life, career, relationship, & positive psychology Coaching. She is also an EMDR Accredited consultant & a Mentor coach who supervises trainees in both domains.

• Dania’s background 
• What is EMDR ?
• REM sleep and brain activity
• History of EMDR
• Changes that happen to the traumatic memories when EMDR is implemented
• Signs when trauma is not healed 
• Different types of traumas 
• The healing power of EMDR 
• How EMDR is different from other therapeutic modalities
• EMDR Phases and what an EMDR session looks like 

• Dania Dbaibo Darwich Website 
• Dania  on Linkedin
• Dania on Facebook
• Dania on Youtube
• Ghada B Khalifeh
• Review Living in Alignment on iTunes

We each have a unique set of personal core values that color the way we view the world and how we show up in life, how we behave, how we choose, how we treat ourselves and others both at work and in our relationships. Many of us are walking around in the world unaware of which values we ascribe to. So what exactly are core values? and why is knowing our values important?

In today’s episode, I had the chance to sit with guest  Abir Beydoun and tap deeper  into one of our favorite topics as coaches, Values.  Abir is an experienced Accredited Facilitator of Transformation through Values for Leaders , a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) from the International Coach Federation (ICF) with more than 600 hours of individual coaching, she is Strengths Strategy Certified Coach (SSCC) and  people acuity guide. Abir is currently acting as leadership facilitator and coach covering the AME region for Standard chartered bank.

• What exactly are core values 
• Why knowing our values is important
• Where do our values come from
• How do we figure out our top core values
• The iceberg analogy /model 
• How we perceive others through our lens of values 
• What it feels like when we are in alignment with our values.
• How to know when we are not in alignment with our personal values.
• When values Compete or in strong conflict 
• Impact on our life and career 
• Feeling good vs Feeling right 
• Designing systems to help us live our values 

• Abir Beydoun on Linkedin
• Barretts Value Assessment 
• Ghada B Khalifeh
• Review Living in Alignment on iTunes

This episode is inspired and based on the work of positive intelligence by shirzad Charmine. Shirzad is the author of the New York Times bestselling Positive Intelligence. He has been the CEO of the largest coach training organization in the world, having trained faculty at Stanford and Yale business schools. He supports his lasting positive change with a solid research-based analytical foundation, to both ignite the mind and inspire the heart.

We all have something we know we should do, but that doesn’t mean we actually do it. In this episode on Living in Alignment Podcast,  we  tap into the self sabotage theme, explore the self sabotage roots, my top saboteurs, and how to  break the sabotage cycle and grow into  our own rhythm and potential.

Resources and Links

• Positive Intelligence  Website 
• Take your Saboteur Assessment
• Ask for Mental Fitness Exercises 
• Mental Fitness Program 
• Ghada B Khalifeh
• Review Living in Alignment on iTunes

Weight and health have become one in the same in our society steeped in diet culture. But what does health really look like? and how do we separate weight from health and start to see all dimensions of health? and how in fact weight bias and weight stigma is shown to be an independent risk factor for various health issues including disordered eating, diabetes, heart disease and depression.

In today’s episode we are going to learn from our guest expert Florence Gillet the issue with weight equaling health  and delve into the topic of dieting, weight bias and health spectrum. Florence is a size inclusive certified eating psychology coach and a body image expert. She helps chronic dieters and disordered eaters reclaim their freedom of body and mind in order to transform their lives by nurturing self-acceptance. She does this by using her experience as a former disordered eater, her knowledge of the Health at Every Size principles as well as by sharing vital resources online and through her blog. She also works in partnership with Dr Nicola Rinaldi (Author of ‘No Period, Now What?’) to help women with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea restoring their hormonal cycles and regaining their fertility naturally. She is also an active volunteer for the Middle East Eating Disorder Association.

• Florence Recovery journey with disordered eating and body image 
• BMI and Health 
• The latest research about weight and health 
• Health spectrum and dimensions of health
• Body mechanism to protect us against Famine 
• The two long terms effects of Dieting
• The weight bias and weight stigma strong effect on the physical body 
• Health at every size principles 
• Non-weight centric Doctors 
• The focus on healthy “behaviors” and not the weight 
• The impact of eating for pleasure 
• Where can people start to shift the conversation 

• Florence Gillet Website 
• Florence Gillet on Instagram
• Ghada B Khalifeh
• Review Living in Alignment on iTunes

This episode is inspired and based on the spiritual teacher Byron Katie’s teachings “the work”, and one of my favorite questions “who would you be without your story? Byron Katie is one of my favorite spiritual teachers and her teachings changed my perspective about the way I see myself, my thoughts, my relationships and the world.


"When inquiry is alive inside you, every thought you think ends with a questions mark, not a period. And that is the end of suffering" Byron katie 

Resources and links:

• Byron Katie Website 
• Byron Katie The work
• Ghada B Khalifeh
• Review Living in Alignment on iTunes

We have guest Angela Perger today and she will introduce us to Ayurveda, the ancient Indian healing system for modern times and why it's so important for each of us to receive this manual to life,which is rooted in authenticity, simplicity and ease and helps us get into greater harmony with oneself and within our external environment. 

Angela Perger is a certified Ayurvedic chef, Ayurveda health counselor, Yoga teacher and mother of two. She hosts The Simple Ayurveda Podcast where she discusses Ayurveda, Yoga, motherhood and minimalism. Her goal is to share these ancient sciences in simple, everyday ways so that you can be your happiest, healthiest self.

• How Angela Journeyed into Ayurveda 
• The philosophy of Ayurveda and what makes up the underpinning of Ayurveda
• The five elements of Nature 
• The Dosha types and examples and how it plays out in our mind and body
• The two parts of Ayurveda Foundation 
• The benefits of understanding your Dosha
• How does someone begin to learn about their Doshas 
• How do we align with the seasons and daily cycle
• How Ayurveda can support our wellbeing as Preventive measure 
• How can we ease into Ayurveda  lifestyle

• Angela Perger  on Instagram
• Angela Perger Website 
• Facebook Community
• Ghada B Khalifeh
• Review Living in Alignment on iTunes

We always try to eliminate certain foods under the guise of “I’m being healthy” “I have to take care of my body”,  and not realizing the impact it could have …increase in obsessive & compulsive thoughts, anxiety, inflammation, binge eating, emotional eating and even eating disorders.  

While Eliminating food groups may work for a bit, for some of us our primal instinct to nourish our body with all food groups takes over, causing us to overeat the food group or foods we have been avoiding. What is more sustainable than eliminating foods/food groups is becoming a competent eater. In this week’s episode we are super excited to have guest expert Dr. Jillian Murphy who is going to introduce us to the theme of competent eating, food freedom and how to trust ourselves with food and find joy in eating. 

Jillian is a speaker, writer, educator and coach. Jillian’s background includes 10 years of general naturopathic practice along with over 15 years of working with children in various fields, including intuitive eating and body image. She has additional training in CBT and coaching. She helps diverse, smart, health-conscious, people (who are DONE WITH DIETING) get out of their heads and reconnect with their bodies. She uses up-to-date eating psychology, clinical insight & guidance around diet culture, health, and weight to teach individuals WHY they stay stuck in negative patterns with food and feel constant body dissatisfaction and HOW they can make the shift to food peace and body joy.

• Jillian’s weight and health story 
• What is competent eating 
• Intuitive eating vs Competent Eating
• The benefits and impact on our wellbeing 
• The many layers to our relationship with food(How food, exercise and body management become this place where we can put our attention or control when other things in our life are hard)
• Eating Experience vs Nutrition/Food Science 
• Where does nutrition science come in and how do we take that in, as one of the components of decision making around what we’re eating
• The lacking component(s) in the model of health=nutrition and exercise
• The elements and skills of Competence Eating
• What do we need to let go of to become Competent Eaters/The challenging element to move into trust 
• How can our kids become more competent eaters and where can we do better job with our kids

• Jillian Murphy on Instagram
• Jillian Murphy Website 
• Redefining Health with Jillian
• Ghada B Khalifeh
• Review Living in Alignment on iTunes

Today on our show we have Guest Kelsey Evans, and together we are going to tap into the inner child bonding process and go through the steps for listening to our inner child. In this process, we heal the wounded self so we can reconnect to our healthy loving adult, live in alignment and lead an authentic life.

Kelsey is a Certified Life Coach, NLP Practitioner and Inner Child Coach. She has coached individuals and couples, led coaching workshops and had several speaking engagements. Some of her recent events include: LifeTalks Live workshop; Speaker at The Change Project’s “Love” event; Speaker at End Small Talk’s “Self-Love” event. Kelsey is focused on helping others tap into their internal Guidance which enables them to use their thoughts to create a life they love, which is not dictated by social standards, producing self-acceptance, peace, love and joy. 

• Kelsey’s main challenge that led her to inner child healing
• The two aspects of inner child 
• Why inner child work is important 
• Impact on our adulthood and fullest expression
• Signs of a healthy inner child
• The 6-step process of Inner bonding 
• Spiritual Bi-Passing 
• Daily practice to a get to listen to our inner child

• Kelsey Evans on Instagram
• Kelsey Evans  Website 
• Facebook: @kelseyaevans
• YouTube: @kelseyaevans
• Ghada B Khalifeh
• Review Living in Alignment on iTunes

Most people know what yoga is, and, if asked, might say that it is a stretchy, physical movement of the body that tones and strengthens muscles and keeps us fit. This understanding can be 100% accurate but there is something important missing from that perspective. I have discovered that at the very heart of yoga is self care. I stay with yoga because there is a whole self I discover and learn more about myself, my body, my breath and my emotional landscape.

In today’s episode, we are going to learn from our guest Emily Goodwin about the art of self care through yoga and redefine the benefits of yoga practice for self exploration , alignment and self care. Emily is a holistic occupational therapist, Reiki Master, and experienced yoga instructor including prenatal yoga. She is passionate about helping her clients achieve their greatest potential by using collaborative and integrative interventions.

• Why should somebody consider trying yoga at all
• Different types of yoga
• Occupational Therapy and Accessibility 
• Impact of Yoga on the physical, mental and spiritual needs 
• How could someone find their preferred or valuable style ? 
• What does yoga give you? 
• What does it take from you ? 
• The common struggles that you see moms go through
• How to do integrate occupational therapy, yoga and coaching to help manifest the goals you want 

• Emily Goodwin on Instagram
• Emily Goodwin Website 
• Ghada B Khalifeh
• Review Living in Alignment on iTunes

We often hear statements like “millions of people practice TM around the world”, and that there are “hundreds of scientific research studies on its benefits”. But what is really, the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique? We finally got the chance to sit down with guest Joumana Nammour, and talk about the essence of TM in a nutshell. 

Joumana is a certified TM teacher,  a Media Personality, Anchor, Journalist, TV producer  and Anthropologist. In today’s episode, Joumana will provide an overview of the benefits and practice of the TM technique including what it is, how it works, how it differs from other meditation practices and modalities.

• Joumana’s Journey 
• What is TM and how it works
• What takes place during the practice of  TM 
• The various benefits of TM(mental, emotional , physiological and societal positive impact)
• The reservoir of creative intelligence, pure consciousness and the unified field 
• Different states of Consciousness 
• The profound impact of Transcendental consciousness 
• The Maharisihi and Meissner Effect 
• What makes TM unique as a meditation practice
• The steps of learning TM Practice 

• Official page of Transcendental Meditation 
• Ghada B Khalifeh
• Review Living in Alignment on iTunes