Mental Health, Culture & Connection: Navigating Emotional Well-Being as Arab Immigrants
05/14/25 • 62 min
In Episode #16 of Chatting with Slava the Jordanian, host Dr. Slava Abdelrehim invites listeners into a heartfelt and necessary conversation about mental well-being within the Arab immigrant experience. Joined by her cohost JD Yusef and special guest co-host Dr. Ihab Abdelrehim, the trio dives into how emotional health is shaped—and often silenced—by cultural norms, spiritual foundations, and traditional belief systems.
Together, they explore:
- How mental health was (or wasn’t) part of their upbringing.
- The tension between emotional vulnerability and cultural expectations.
- How spirituality and tribal connection often served as the unspoken support system in times of struggle.
This episode opens the door to a conversation many have quietly held inside—what does healing look like when it’s filtered through heritage, honor, and faith? And how can today’s generation of Arab immigrants and their children begin to normalize seeking help, embracing emotions, and redefining strength?
It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s rooted in community.
Stay Connected and Join the Conversation!
We want to hear from you! Connect with Dr. Slava Al-Nabulsi and be part of the Chatting with Slava the Jordanian community:
📸 Follow Slava: @slava_como for personal insights, stories, and inspiration.
💼 Support Empowerment: @jordanian.women.entrepreneurs – celebrating and uplifting ambitious women.
🦷 Smile with Us: @greenwooddentalpartners – bringing bright smiles to every face.
👉 Engage with us by:
💬 Sharing your thoughts on the episode in the comments or DMs.
📲 Tagging us in your posts and stories.
🔗 Sharing the podcast with your friends and family.
Let’s grow, inspire, and empower together! 🌟 #ChattingWithSlava
In Episode #16 of Chatting with Slava the Jordanian, host Dr. Slava Abdelrehim invites listeners into a heartfelt and necessary conversation about mental well-being within the Arab immigrant experience. Joined by her cohost JD Yusef and special guest co-host Dr. Ihab Abdelrehim, the trio dives into how emotional health is shaped—and often silenced—by cultural norms, spiritual foundations, and traditional belief systems.
Together, they explore:
- How mental health was (or wasn’t) part of their upbringing.
- The tension between emotional vulnerability and cultural expectations.
- How spirituality and tribal connection often served as the unspoken support system in times of struggle.
This episode opens the door to a conversation many have quietly held inside—what does healing look like when it’s filtered through heritage, honor, and faith? And how can today’s generation of Arab immigrants and their children begin to normalize seeking help, embracing emotions, and redefining strength?
It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s rooted in community.
Stay Connected and Join the Conversation!
We want to hear from you! Connect with Dr. Slava Al-Nabulsi and be part of the Chatting with Slava the Jordanian community:
📸 Follow Slava: @slava_como for personal insights, stories, and inspiration.
💼 Support Empowerment: @jordanian.women.entrepreneurs – celebrating and uplifting ambitious women.
🦷 Smile with Us: @greenwooddentalpartners – bringing bright smiles to every face.
👉 Engage with us by:
💬 Sharing your thoughts on the episode in the comments or DMs.
📲 Tagging us in your posts and stories.
🔗 Sharing the podcast with your friends and family.
Let’s grow, inspire, and empower together! 🌟 #ChattingWithSlava
Previous Episode
From Brooklyn to Breakthroughs: Gisselle Alvarez on Culture, Motherhood, and the Power of Mindset
In Episode 15 of Chatting with Slava the Jordanian, host Dr. Slava Abdelrehim sits down with Gisselle Alvarez, a certified phlebotomist, content creator, and proud first-generation Dominican American, to share a heartfelt journey of identity, migration, and personal evolution.
Gisselle opens up about her family’s move from Brooklyn, NY to Lawrence, MA, and eventually to New Hampshire, weaving together a powerful narrative that explores the beauty and struggle of growing up between cultures. Now a wife and mother, Gisselle reflects on the emotional shifts and mindset changes that shaped the woman she has become — rooted in resilience, compassion, and generational hope.
This episode isn’t just a personal story — it’s a mirror for anyone navigating the balance between cultural heritage and personal growth, especially in the immigrant and first-gen experience. Gisselle’s story reminds us that mindset is everything — and that healing, strength, and purpose can blossom in the most unexpected places.
📲 Connect with Gisselle on TikTok: @gcooks_
Stay Connected and Join the Conversation!
We want to hear from you! Connect with Dr. Slava Al-Nabulsi and be part of the Chatting with Slava the Jordanian community:
📸 Follow Slava: @slava_como for personal insights, stories, and inspiration.
💼 Support Empowerment: @jordanian.women.entrepreneurs – celebrating and uplifting ambitious women.
🦷 Smile with Us: @greenwooddentalpartners – bringing bright smiles to every face.
👉 Engage with us by:
💬 Sharing your thoughts on the episode in the comments or DMs.
📲 Tagging us in your posts and stories.
🔗 Sharing the podcast with your friends and family.
Let’s grow, inspire, and empower together! 🌟 #ChattingWithSlava
Next Episode
Two Worlds, One Heart: Navigating Belief Systems & Relationships as an Immigrant
What happens when your heart belongs to two worlds?
In this deeply personal and reflective episode, Dr. Slava peels back the emotional and cultural layers of what it really means to be an immigrant navigating life between your "home world" values and the expectations of a "new world" society. From gender roles and generational pressures to faith, family, and freedom—this episode speaks directly to the internal tug-of-war many immigrants silently endure.
Dr. Slava explores:
- 💔 The emotional cost of living between two cultures
- 🧠 The mindset shifts required to reconcile identity without losing authenticity
- 💬 How language, gender dynamics, and unspoken expectations shape immigrant relationships
- 💞 What it takes to build and sustain a strong relationship in a new world without abandoning your roots
Whether you’re an immigrant, a first-generation trailblazer, or simply someone navigating love and life across cultural lines—this episode is a must-listen.
Stay Connected and Join the Conversation!
We want to hear from you! Connect with Dr. Slava Al-Nabulsi and be part of the Chatting with Slava the Jordanian community:
📸 Follow Slava: @slava_como for personal insights, stories, and inspiration.
💼 Support Empowerment: @jordanian.women.entrepreneurs – celebrating and uplifting ambitious women.
🦷 Smile with Us: @greenwooddentalpartners – bringing bright smiles to every face.
👉 Engage with us by:
💬 Sharing your thoughts on the episode in the comments or DMs.
📲 Tagging us in your posts and stories.
🔗 Sharing the podcast with your friends and family.
Let’s grow, inspire, and empower together! 🌟 #ChattingWithSlava
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