The Check-In With Podcast

Farah Hassan on Mental Health, Stigma, and Therapy in Arab Communities

"Mental health issues like anxiety are often seen as body pains" - FH

How do family, faith, and cultural expectations shape the way people experience mental health care?

Host Calvin Anderson sits down with psychologist Farah Hassan to explore the realities of therapy in Arab communities and how culturally sensitive care can make a difference.

Drawing on her clinical experience in the UAE and UK, Farah discusses persistent stigma around therapy, the influence of faith and family, and why Western therapy models may need to be adapted to fit a client’s cultural context.

She also shares what she sees in clients navigating life between Eastern and Western cultures, and offers encouragement for anyone who is considering therapy but feels hesitant to begin.

In this episode

• Why therapy may still be seen as a last resort and how that perception is changing
• How family relationships, faith, and community expectations shape mental health care
• When spiritual explanations can complicate recognition of mental health needs
• The pressure some women experience to meet family expectations while living a different private reality
• Why culturally responsive therapy should support personal boundaries without asking people to abandon their families or culture
• Why “the Middle East” cannot be treated as one uniform culture
• How anxiety and emotional distress can show up physically
• The identity questions that can arise when someone is raised between cultures
• Why finding the right therapist may take more than one meeting
• What to expect from therapy—and why it usually isn’t a quick fix

key topics

Mental health perceptions in Arab societies

Cultural influences on therapy acceptance

Stigma and misconceptions about therapy

The impact of faith, family, and community

Adapting Western models for Arab clients

Cultural diversity within the Middle East

Common mental health struggles in Arab communities

Cross-cultural challenges for Arab individuals

Building trust and understanding in therapy

The future of mental health in Arab societies

The Truth About Fitness, Trauma, and Breaking Generational Cycles.

Calvin Anderson speaks with award-winning body transformation coach and keynote speaker Nazia Khatun, founder of Fitness Reborn UK. Nazia shares how her experiences with an eating disorder, depression, boxing, and cultural pressure shaped her approach to fitness, neuroscience, and healing.They discuss growing up British and South Asian, why mental health can be difficult to talk about in some communities, and how family patterns can shape confidence and self-worth across generations.

In this episode

• Navigating multiple identities as a British, Bangladeshi, Muslim woman
• Finding a stronger sense of self while questioning expectations
• Why mental health stigma can keep people from seeking support
• How childhood experiences and family dynamics can affect confidence and relationships with food
• Healing through self-awareness, forgiveness, and understanding inherited patterns
• What it means to become a generational cycle breaker
• Fitness as a tool for confidence, resilience, and wellbeing—not just appearance
• The effects of modern food habits and sedentary living
• Social media comparison, perfectionism, and the value of stepping away from the screen
• Nazia’s encouragement for young British Asian listeners to prioritise self-love and challenge expectations

• Self-love is a practice, not just a slogan.
• Awareness can help people recognise and change inherited patterns.
• Healing yourself can influence the generations around you.
• Fitness can support wellbeing without defining your worth.
• Understanding someone’s emotional history can offer more insight than judging surface-level behavior.

• Notice which family beliefs still shape your choices.
• Make space to talk about emotions rather than suppressing them.
• Take intentional breaks from social media comparison.
• Choose movement that supports your wellbeing, not only appearance.
• Consider reaching out for support if you’re struggling with self-worth, emotional eating, or family pressure.

The Truth About Healing When Your Culture Feels Heavy

"Recreate what culture means to you." - FH

Fahima Ali discusses her powerful book Navigating Life as a Brown Girl, her personal journey, and insights into mental health within brown communities. She shares her experiences with trauma, therapy, and cultural challenges, offering valuable tools for self-reflection and growth.

Key Topics

Fahima Ali's personal journey and her motivation for writing the book

The significance of vulnerability and authenticity in therapy and life

Common emotional struggles among brown women, including guilt and self-sacrifice

The impact of cultural expectations on mental health and self-worth

Tools for self-reflection and personal growth, including comparison exercises

The importance of community and safe spaces for questioning and healing

Fahima Ali's insights on autonomy and redefining cultural identity

Her experience with complex post-traumatic stress disorder and healing process

The legacy Fahima Ali hopes to leave for future generations of women

takeaways

It's okay to feel guilt but not let it control your decisions.

Recreating your cultural narrative is a form of empowerment.

Self-awareness and honesty are crucial first steps in healing.

Community support and safe spaces are vital for questioning norms.

Healing is a non-linear process that requires patience and self-compassion.

To contact Fahima please use the following :

Peacebypiece.co

[email protected]

Why Your Body Holds Trauma Long After Your Mind Moves On

Mendy Klein on Somatic Healing, Breath work, and Grounding Calvin Anderson sits down with Mendy Klein, a life coach, somatic practitioner, breath work facilitator, and founder of Clients Coaching, for a conversation about how body awareness, presence, and spiritual practice can help people move through stress, trauma, and emotional overwhelm.

They focus on why so many people feel disconnected, how the body stores experience, and practical ways to begin reconnecting with yourself.

In this episode, Mendy explains how mind, body, and soul work together, why grounding and meditation are different, and how inner child patterns show up in adult relationships and daily life.

Calvin guides the discussion with questions about healing, misconceptions, and first steps for anyone who feels stuck.

Key Topics

• Mendy Klein’s background and work
• Why presence matters
• Mind, body, and soul as one system
• How trauma shows up in the body
• Transforming touch and co-regulation
• Grounding as a daily practice
• Meditation vs. grounding
• Inner child work and triggers
• Healing without judgment
• First step for someone who feels overwhelmed

The Mindset Shift That Helped Faye Harris Heal What Felt Like Psychosis

Faye Harris on Healing, Deliverance, and the Power Within

Calvin Anderson sits down with Faye Harris, a healer, deliverance practitioner, trauma informed coach, and founder of the Spiritual School and the F A-C-O-N method.

The conversation focuses on what genuine freedom looks like, how spiritual and emotional healing intersect, and why transformation often begins with renewing the mind.Faye shares her own path through childhood pain, mental health crisis, spiritual discernment, and grief, explaining how those experiences shaped the work she now does with clients.

The episode is especially useful for listeners interested in faith based healing, trauma recovery, and the idea that lasting change has to come from within.

Key topics

• Faye explains how childhood pain, trauma, and a later mental health crisis became the turning point that pushed her toward healing work.
• She describes her recovery as a journey of renewing the mind, not just managing symptoms, and says she and her business partner Carla healed together over time.
• In this episode: genuine freedom is framed as inner peace, mental clarity, and no longer living as a victim of circumstances.
• Faye breaks down why old patterns can return in the mind even after someone feels healed, and argues that knowledge, discernment, and spiritual authority are key to staying free.
• We discuss her view that deliverance is broader than many people assume, including distinctions between spiritual attachments, demonic possession, trauma based openings, and the role of unhealed wounds.
• She says conventional therapy can help, but lasting transformation also requires addressing the spiritual side so the “house” is no longer empty.
• Faye explains why she founded the Spiritual School and built the F A-C-O-N method, including her approach of pairing two people together so they can heal and support one another over weeks and months.
• She shares that the goal is to help people connect with the Holy Spirit, develop discernment, and recover their God given ability to heal.
• Faye talks about why she believes prayer should be relational rather than begging based, and why asking God what a lesson means is more effective than simply asking to be rescued.
• She reflects on grief after losing her mother, saying the trauma around the loss is something she continues to carry, but that God’s strength

Key takeaways

• Healing is a journey, not a one-time event.
• Accessing the Holy Spirit can lead to profound transformation.
• Understanding spiritual attacks helps in overcoming recurring wounds.
• Building a relationship with God is essential for true freedom.
• Knowledge of spiritual laws empowers personal growth.

To get in contact with Faye:

www.thespiritualschool.co.uk 

www.thefalconmethod.org

When Therapy, Creativity, and Culture Collide

“Are you being received? Is there somebody to receive you as a person?” - Nishani J

“There is no limited space at the top. We all can get there.” - Gi Gi

Joining us for a special cross-continental check-in are Nishani Jayawardena and Himgauri “Gigi” Alve, co-hosts of If I’m Being Honest.

Nishani is a Licensed Professional Counsellor (LPC), strategic business coach, and the founder of Attunigrate, a clinical practice and holistic wellness brand based in Detroit, Michigan.Originally from Sri Lanka, Nishani’s personal and professional journey has been deeply shaped by her South Asian roots.

Her experiences give her a firsthand understanding of the ways mental health can be viewed, stigmatised, and navigated within Asian cultures, as well as the impact this can have across generations.

Through her therapeutic and coaching work, Nishani supports high-achievers, founders, and leaders in moving beyond hyper-vigilance, challenging the “mask of competency,” and creating space where their emotional wellbeing and professional lives can coexist more authentically.

Joining her is Himgauri Alve, also known as Gigi, a graphic designer, creative founder, and the founder of Tessellations.Before moving to the United States, Gigi spent 13 years in the United Arab Emirates, working as a graphic designer with global and governmental brands and developing extensive experience in branding, visual communication, and design strategy.

Her entrepreneurial journey began through her first branding project with Nishani for Attunigrate. What started as a creative collaboration eventually became the foundation for Tessellations, Gigi’s design studio dedicated to helping small businesses develop thoughtful brand identities, websites, and visual systems that feel intentional, clear, and authentic.

Together, Nishani and Gigi co-host If I’m Being Honest, where they create space for open conversations around mental health, therapy, culture, identity, relationships, entrepreneurship, and the experiences that shape how we show up in the world.

In this episode of The Check-In With Podcast, we explore culture and mental health, breaking generational patterns, the pressures of appearing capable, entrepreneurship, identity, creativity, and what it really means to integrate the different parts of ourselves.

A thoughtful conversation about healing, culture, business, creativity, and the courage to show up more honestly.

• How therapy helped Gigi become more self-aware and confident creatively
• Nishani’s experience with mental-health stigma in South Asian and immigrant communities
• How their friendship grew into a creative partnership and podcast
• Why therapy should not be viewed only as a solution for crisis
• The risks of relying on unqualified mental-health advice on social media
• Why AI and online content cannot replace a licensed therapist or human connection
• The relationship between personal identity and branding
• How to hold space for others without making decisions for them
• Their advice for people who are hesitant to begin therapy
• Their vision for expanding conversations around holistic wellness

To get in touch please use the following:

https://www.attunigrate.com/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/if-i-am-being-honest/id1843172918

The Hidden Cost of Becoming a Therapist in Private Practice

"Being a therapist is part of who you are, but it does not have to define your entire identity". - OA

Calvin Anderson welcomes back therapist Olumide AJulo for part two of a conversation about the realities of training, the cost of burnout, and what ethical, human-centered therapy should look like. They also dig into a bigger concern in the field today: how mental health can become overly commodified, performative, and celebrity-driven.

Olumide shares personal turning points from his own path, including moments of doubt, the importance of support , and the lessons he learned about pacing, supervision, and staying grounded as a person outside the therapist role.

Key topics

• In this episode, Olumide reflects on a period during his training when he genuinely questioned whether he had made the right career decision.
• He explains how deciding to pursue therapy was an intentional choice made with his wife, and how that shared decision became an anchor during difficult seasons.
• He shares how COVID delayed his placement hours and graduation, leaving him feeling behind while others seemed to move ahead faster.
• A job loss caused by a cyber attack on an employer’s application system turned into an unexpected lesson about patience and not comparing his pace to others.
• He talks candidly about the danger of overloading yourself during training and how tiredness affected the quality of his work as a therapist.
• Olumide stresses that effective therapy requires balance, rest, supervision, peer support, and awareness of changing personal limits.
• He explains what clients have taught him about being human: that shame can soften in a confidential, non-judgmental space and that people need room to fully explore their experiences.
• He shares why he sometimes gently pauses clients who try to rush past something vulnerable, and why the question of “who is this for” matters in session work.
• He discusses the importance of keeping therapist identity separate from personal identity so that the role does not consume the whole person.
• He voices concern about the industrialisation of mental health, warning that therapy can become more about money, personality, and celebrity than service and care.
• He emphasises that healing is not a straight line, that therapy is not right for everyone, and that the client decides when the work is done.
• He closes by saying he wants people to feel heard, understood, and gently challenged, and he encourages listeners to reflect on what mental health content they consume and why.

• “Being human is complicated.”
• “No one benefits from me burning out.”
• “Mental health looks different for everyone and that’s okay.”

Deepening Therapy Skills: Insights from Olumide Ajulo

"Trust your gut and take your time" - OA

Summary

In this in-depth interview, Olumide Ajulo shares his journey through the mental health field, his evolving passions, and insights on practicing authentically and deeply. Discover how his experiences, research, and personal growth shape his approach to therapy and professional development.

Key topics

Olumide Ajulo's professional journey and growth

The importance of research and continuous learning in therapy

Balancing different roles: therapist, supervisor, researcher

The significance of slowing down and internal reflection in practice

To contact Olumide please use the following:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/olumide-ajulo-msc-mbacp-snr-accred-msfdbt-61a40895/

Supporting Families Through Child Bereavement: Insights from Crystal Luk-Worrall

"Trust in my team keeps me safe." - CLW

Summary

In this episode, Crystal Luk-Worrall shares her insights on supporting families through child bereavement, the expansion of hospice services, and the role of creative modalities like EMDR and music therapy in healing.

Key topics

Child bereavement support and services

Expansion of hospice services to support sudden death

The use of EMDR and music therapy in trauma healing

Challenges faced by families after sudden child loss

The importance of community and team support in bereavement

Differences between grief and trauma and their management

The legacy of children and hope after loss

The impact of cultural backgrounds on bereavement support

To get in contact with the Crystal please use the following:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystal-luk/

https://clapandtoot.com/

Unlocking Emotions Through Music: Insights from Crystal Luk-Worrall

"Hope is trust in human resilience" - CLW

Summary

Join host Calvin Anderson as he interviews Crystal Luk-Worrall, a passionate music therapist supporting young people, families, and bereaved individuals. Discover her journey from classical piano to impactful therapy, insights on trauma-informed care, ethical dilemmas, and the power of music as a universal language.

Key topics

Music therapy's role in emotional expression

Trauma-informed care amidst resource cuts

Ethical dilemmas in private practice

The systemic approach to mental health support

To get in touch with Crystal please use the following:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystal-luk/

https://clapandtoot.com/