Reflections & Realisations
Reflections & Realisations is a faith-based psychology podcast exploring how our past shapes who we become and how we can heal through self-awareness, spirituality, and compassion.
Hosted by Alveena, a Psychology MSc student, writer, and seeker, the podcast blends mental health insights, spirituality, and personal storytelling to explore themes of identity, healing, and growth.
Each episode unpacks the real psychology behind how we think, feel, and love, from attachment styles and trauma to faith, self-worth, and emotional resilience.
Born from years of journaling, therapy, and reflection, Reflections & Realisations invites you to slow down, question, and reconnect with yourself through honest conversations that bridge science and spirituality.
If you’re drawn to psychology, faith, healing, and self-discovery, this podcast is for you. No quick fixes. No perfect answers. Just real reflections that remind you that you are not alone in your journey.
Together, we explore:
- Mental health, emotion, and healing through a faith-based lens
- The psychology of attachment, trauma, and resilience
- How spirituality and self-awareness guide emotional growth
- Honest reflections on belonging, identity, and love
Join the journey toward understanding yourself and healing deeply, one reflection at a time.
Reflections & Realisations
Breaking the Mold: Mental Health, Burnout & Identity as a British Muslim Man
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Did you know many men struggle in silence with burnout and mental health challenges? In this deeply personal conversation, Shahbaz Khan opens up about his journey as a British Muslim, growing up between cultures, facing racism, and navigating the pressures of career, family, and community expectations. From imposter syndrome to overcoming shame and vulnerability, Shahbaz shares what it really took to choose growth and healing, even when life felt overwhelming.
Whether you’re the child of immigrants, a parent, a professional navigating bias, or someone quietly suffering under the weight of expectations, this episode is for you.
Time Stamps
00:00 – Intro & early childhood
10:00 – Returning to the UK & fitting in
20:00 – Academic life-changing moments
30:00 – Racism, belonging, and cultural challenges
50:00 – Spiritual turning points and identity
1:00:00 – Career hurdles & professional identity
1:14:00 – Burnout, therapy, healing, and self-discovery
1:36:00 – Wisdom for the next generation
Key Quotes
"I wanted to be anything but me – but in the end, I had to face myself."
"People forget the repercussions of 9/11. The subsequent wars, the subsequent racial hatred, the subsequent Islamophobia. No one really talks about that. Because that fallout. To talk about that fallout and to address that fallout in many people's minds is to minimize 9/11 or 7/7 in the events of itself. And I think that's unfair"