Third Culture Therapy: mental health through a cultural lens

In this episode, Third Culture Therapy’s Layla speaks with Nyree Abrahamian, a writer, producer, and educator whose work centres storytelling as a tool for identity, belonging, and collective healing. As a Canadian-born Armenian living in Armenia, Nyree reflects on the paradoxes of diaspora, repatriation, and feeling both deeply connected and perpetually in-between. The conversation explores the impact of the Nagorno-Karabakh war, the stories behind Nyree’s acclaimed podcast Country of Dust, and how Armenian cultural practices hold space for grief, resilience, and communal care.💬 Topics Covered:✔️ Diaspora, repatriation, and navigating belonging✔️ Armenian identity and cultural inheritance✔️ Storytelling as a tool for collective healing✔️ The impact of the Nagorno-Karabakh war✔️ Creating the Country of Dust podcast✔️ Processing grief, trauma, and resilience in Armenia✔️ Community-building and Armenia’s first Storytelling FestivalTimeline00:00 Introduction to Third Culture Therapy00:09 Meet Nari Abramian: A Journey of Identity and Storytelling01:03 Diaspora Dynamics and the Concept of 'Repatriation'04:48 The Impact of the Nagorno-Karabakh War05:10 Creating the Country of Dust Podcast08:05 From Education to Storytelling10:51 Armenia's Post-Independence Development14:06 Armenia as a Haven for Diasporic Communities16:16 Processing Trauma and Grief in Armenia19:20 The Role of Storytelling in Healing23:27 Behind the Scenes of Country of Dust39:31 The Power of Community and Storytelling Festivals🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on mental health culture!Follow Third Culture Therapy on🌍 Substack | 🎧 Apple Podcasts | 🎙 Spotify | 📱 InstagramSupport the show: Like, follow, and share 💛Powered by Podeo — Listen to this episode

In this episode, Third Culture Therapy’s Layla speaks with Ariana Alexander Sefre, a British-Iranian activist and entrepreneur, and the founder of Spoke – an innovative app using music as a tool for mental health and emotional regulation. Together, they explore the cultural and systemic gaps in mainstream healthcare, Ariana’s personal journey into building Spoke, and the power of music to reach communities often excluded from traditional mental health support. The conversation also touches on technology, activism, ethical business, and what it means to build care-led platforms as a culturally diverse founder.💬 Topics covered:✔️ Music as a tool for mental health and emotional regulation✔️ Ariana’s journey to founding Spoke✔️ Cultural and systemic barriers in mental healthcare✔️ Technology, accessibility, and innovation in wellbeing✔️ Navigating entrepreneurship as a British-Iranian founder✔️ Activism, ethical business, and social justice✔️ Mental health, creativity, and collective careTimeline:00:00 Introduction 00:55 Ariana's journey to founding Spoke03:11 The science and impact of music on mental health10:44 Challenges and strategies in reaching the audience13:47 Personal reflections and cultural insights25:26 Activism and social justice42:27 Conclusion and final thoughtsRelevant linkshttps://spoke.world/https://entrepreneursforpalestine.comhttps://techforpalestine.org/🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on mental health culture!Follow Third Culture Therapy on🌍 Substack | 🎧 Apple Podcasts | 🎙 Spotify | 📱 InstagramSupport the show with a like, follow, review and please share 💛Powered by Podeo — Listen to this episode

In this episode, Layla speaks with Nat Rustom, a Lebanese clinical psychologist and co-founder of the Arab Psychedelic Society. Together, they explore psychedelic-assisted therapy through an Arab and culturally rooted lens. From the role of indigenous practices through community-based healing to the complexities of working with psychedelics within legal and cultural frameworks. Nat shares their personal journey into psychology and how reclaiming ancestral and regional knowledge can reshape mental healthcare in Arab communities. 💬 Topics Covered:✔️ What psychedelic-assisted therapy can look like in Arab contexts ✔️ Nat’s journey into psychology and psychedelic work✔️ MDMA, trauma, and culturally informed healing✔️ Indigenous knowledge, local plant medicines, and ancestral practices✔️ Legal and cultural challenges of integrating psychedelics into therapy✔️ The mission and future of the Arab Psychedelic Society✔️ Community care and collective healing beyond Western models 00:00 Introduction to Third Culture Therapy00:10 Meet Nat Rustom: Clinical psychologist and co-founder of the Arab Psychedelic Society00:57 Nat's journey into mental health and psychedelics01:58 First encounter with MDMA06:12 Cultural impact on psychedelic experiences08:41 Culturally informed and rooted approaches in therapy09:50 Challenges and opportunities in integrating psychedelics 14:43 The Arab psychedelic society: mission and initiatives16:33 The role of psychedelics in trauma therapy33:04 Future directions and hopes for psychedelic therapy in Arab communities 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on mental health culture! Follow Third Culture Therapy on 🌍 Substack | 🎧 Apple Podcasts | 🎙 Spotify | 📱 Instagram Support the show: Like, follow, and share 💛Powered by Podeo — Listen to this episode

In this episode, Third Culture Therapy’s Layla speaks with award-winning journalist, author, and cultural commentator Yomi Adegoke about the intersections of culture, identity, and mental wellbeing. Drawing on her experiences growing up Nigerian-British, Yomi reflects on representation, online accountability, and the complexities of Black British identity in media and public discourse. Layla and Yomi explore cultural heritage, community grounding, and the ongoing challenges and progress in creating more nuanced and inclusive narratives.💬 Topics Covered:✔️ Black British identity and cultural diversity✔️ Growing up Nigerian-British and navigating belonging✔️ Representation, visibility, and media narratives✔️ Online accountability, backlash, and mental health✔️ Writing Slay In Your Lane and centring Black women✔️ Anti-racist literature and political shifts post-2020✔️ Community, heritage, and grounding practices00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction00:54 Exploring Cultural Identity02:16 Black British Identity and Influences04:22 Navigating Cultural Differences06:46 The Impact of Representation11:30 Writing 'Slay In Your Lane'15:17 Comparing Black British and American Experiences21:12 Reflections on Progress and Challenges24:16 Navigating Post-2020 Social Dynamics24:43 The Backlash and Political Shifts25:32 The Importance of Anti-Racist Literature28:37 Writing for Black Women31:49 Exploring Fiction During Lockdown33:09 The Complexity of Online Accountability40:03 Balancing Online Presence and Mental Health43:03 Grounding in Community and Heritage45:10 Upcoming Projects and Future Plans🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on mental health culture!Follow Third Culture Therapy on🌍 Substack | 🎧 Apple Podcasts | 🎙 Spotify | 📱 InstagramSupport the show: Like, follow, and share 💛Powered by Podeo — Listen to this episode

Exploring Asian Fetishisation and Self-Discovery with Kaila YuIn this episode, Layla Maghribi speaks with Kaila Yu, a Taiwanese American writer, model, and singer, about her memoir Fetishised: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty. Together, they unpack the fetishisation of East Asian women in Western media and culture, Kaila’s experiences in the entertainment industry, and the personal cost of navigating visibility, desirability, and stereotype. The conversation explores identity, recovery, self-love, and the ongoing process of healing through self-reflection and culturally aware care.💬 Topics Covered:✔️ Asian fetishisation and “yellow fever” in Western culture✔️ Kaila’s journey through the entertainment industry✔️ Historical roots of racialized beauty standards✔️ Family dynamics, identity, and cultural pressure✔️ Addiction, recovery, and self-reckoning✔️ Therapy, mental health, and self-love✔️ Healing as an ongoing, non-linear process00:00 Introduction to Third Culture Therapy00:12 Meet Kaila Yu: Author and Entertainer00:42 Exploring 'Fetishise': A Deep Dive into Kaila's Book01:35 Kaila's Journey in the Entertainment Industry02:55 The Impact of Cultural Stereotypes04:52 Personal Experiences and Family Dynamics06:13 Defining and Discussing Fetishisation07:44 Historical Context and Personal Reckoning13:07 Addiction, Recovery, and Self-Reflection14:01 The Role of Family and Cultural Background17:37 Therapy, Self-Love, and Moving Forward32:14 Future Aspirations and Final Thoughts🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on mental health culture!Follow Third Culture Therapy on🌍 Substack | 🎧 Apple Podcasts | 🎙 Spotify | 📱 InstagramSupport the show: Like, follow, and share 💛Powered by Podeo — Listen to this episode

Third Culture Therapy is back on the 28th of January with a slate of riveting new episodes! From entrepreneurs to healers, entertainers to storytellers, tune in to hear our exceptional guests share their personal and professional insight on how culture shapes mental and emotional wellbeing. Out every other Wednesday. Click follow now to never miss an episode!Powered by Podeo — Listen to this episode

This podcast episode is published in collaboration with Hadar's Web and Third Culture Therapy.In this episode of Hadar's Web, host of Third Culture Therapy Layla Maghribi shares personal stories of ancestral pilgrimage to Libya and Syria. She traces her family history of activism against colonialism, which she continues through her own work, and highlights the critical history of Italian colonialism in Libya that is so often overlooked. In conversation with Hadar Cohen, Layla explores the mental health impacts of exile, the necessity of community to regional resilience, and the centrality of Palestinian liberation.***Hadar's Web is hosted by Hadar Cohen, an Arab Jewish scholar, mystic and artist. She teaches spirituality and Jewish mysticism at Malchut, a spiritual skill building school teaching direct experience of God. Hadar is a Jewish mystic who builds decolonial frameworks to worship God. Hadar is an artist weaving the spiritual with the political through the artistic mediums of performance, movement, writing, weaving, sound, and ritual.To learn more about Hadar, visit hadarcohen.me //@hadarcohen32To study at her mystical school, check out malchut.one.Subscribe to her Substack to stay tuned to latest episodes and offerings hadarcohen.substack.comHadar's Web is a podcast featuring community conversations on spirituality, healing, justice, and art. You can follow Layla at laylamaghribi.com, substack.com/@thirdculturetherapy & on Instagram @laylamaghribi Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Powered by Podeo — Listen to this episode

Nisrine Maktabi is a Lebanese Canadian psychotherapist, trauma-informed coach, and founder of Rooted and Resilient, a program supporting multicultural individuals in reclaiming belonging and inner peace.In this intimate conversation, Nisrine joins Third Culture Therapy podcast to explore the invisible threads of intergenerational trauma, the grief we inherit, and the embodied paths to healing. We speak candidly about tracing ancestry, reclaiming joy through storytelling, and how somatic therapy helps multicultural communities move from survival to connection.💬 Topics Covered:✔️Tracing ancestry and grief after loss✔️How unacknowledged grief shows up in high-functioning adults✔️The sacredness of ancestral storytelling and cultural grief✔️What healing looks like in a trauma-informed lens✔️Somatic tools: breath, movement, self-touch, and sensory grounding✔️ Understanding Internal Family Systems (IFS) and parts work✔️From blame to compassion in parent-child dynamics✔️The power of community healing and group therapyLearn more about Nisrine here 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on mental health & culture!Follow Third Culture Therapy on🌍 Substack | 🎧 Apple Podcasts | 🎙 Spotify | 📱 InstagramSupport the show: Like, follow, and share 💛This episodes is sponsored by luxury hair wrap brand Paradise Fold. Listeners get a special discount with the code TCT10.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Powered by Podeo — Listen to this episode

In this episode, Third Culture Therapy’s Layla speaks with Selma, the Moroccan-Dutch creator of Heal Magazine, a wellness platform created to centre diverse voices and increase representation in conversations around mental health. They explore how mainstream wellness often misses the mark, what it means to create community-led healing spaces, and the highs and lows of creating new narrative spaces in media.💬 Topics Covered:✔️Why the wellness industry feels “vanilla” to many✔️The lack of representation in mainstream wellness content✔️The power of ancestral healing and intergenerational trauma✔️Challenges in building inclusive wellness spaces and media✔️The future of Heal Magazine and in-person community✔️Selma’s personal rituals for maintaining mental well-being🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on mental health & culture!Follow Third Culture Therapy on🌍 Substack | 🎧 Apple Podcasts | 🎙 Spotify | 📱 InstagramSupport the show: Like, follow, and share 💛This episodes is sponsored by luxury hair wrap brand Paradise Fold. Listeners get a special discount with the code TCT10.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Powered by Podeo — Listen to this episode

How does Islamophobia shape our mental health? In this powerful conversation, we explore the deep psychological toll of racism, internalised Islamophobia, and the struggle for belonging. Our guest, Shaista Aziz, a British-Pakistani writer, politician, stand-up comedian, and fearless advocate, shares her personal journey of reckoning with these forces. As the co-founder of The Three Hijabis, Shaista has dedicated herself to tackling racism in football and challenging gendered Islamophobia head-on. She speaks candidly about the complexities of identity, community, and faith. We discuss the profound impact of recent global events, particularly the genocide in Gaza, on our collective grief and resilience. This episode is an invitation to confront the ways racism permeates our inner worlds and how we can reclaim our mental well-being through solidarity, compassion, and community healing.🎙 Topics Covered:✔️ The hidden weight of internalised Islamophobia✔️ How racism shapes our mental and emotional well-being✔️ The role of faith and spirituality in resilience✔️ Collective grief as a form of love and resistance✔️ The importance of finding and creating spaces for healingTune in for an unfiltered discussion on navigating identity, pain, and strength in an unjust world.🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on mental health & culture!Follow Third Culture Therapy on🌍 Substack | 🎧 Apple Podcasts | 🎙 Spotify | 📱 InstagramThis episodes is sponsored by luxury hair wrap brand Paradise Fold. Listeners get a special discount with the code TCT10.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.Powered by Podeo — Listen to this episode