Alveena | Reflections & Realizations
Reflections & Realizations isn’t just a podcast — it’s a series of introspective conversations I have with myself, and you’re invited to be part of the journey.
I’m Alveena — a Psychology MSc student, writer, and seeker blending mental health, psychology, and Islamic spirituality to unpack life’s challenges and growth.
This podcast was born from years of journaling, therapy, and faith, combining:
🖊️ Unfiltered personal stories and reflections
📚 Psychology insights and research
🤍 Spiritual lessons rooted in Islam
If you’re craving honest, personal conversations about mental health, faith, healing, and self-discovery — this is your space.
No quick fixes. No polished answers. Just me, questioning, processing, and sharing — so you don’t have to feel alone in your own reflections.
Together, we’ll explore:
- Mental health struggles and resilience
- The intersection of faith and psychology
- Healing through self-awareness
- Growth that feels real and personal
Join the conversation. Let’s reflect, realize, and heal — one episode at a time.
Alveena | Reflections & Realizations
Raised as a Dog: What Environments Do to Us
What if the problem isn’t you — but the environment you were raised in?
Inspired by the book “The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog,” this episode explores how our surroundings literally shape our nervous system. From childhood homes to adult relationships, the people and places around us can either heal us… or keep us in survival mode.
In this episode of Reflections & Realizations, I break down the neuroscience of safety, trauma-informed psychology, and the subtle but powerful ways our environments teach our bodies how to feel — anxious or calm, safe or on guard, loved or invisible.
I introduce a two-step Realignment Tool, built around nervous system awareness and trauma-informed journaling, to help you spot what your body has been trying to tell you.
This is about scanning your reality with honesty — and shifting, one small step at a time, toward something safer.
🛠️ The Scan & Shift Framework
➤ Step 1: Scan
Tune into your body. Ask:
Do I feel safe here?
Are my shoulders tense? Jaw tight?
Do I leave this space or person feeling drained… or energized?
Your nervous system knows the truth before your mind does.
➤ Step 2: Shift
Once you’ve spotted what’s not serving you:
Can you set a boundary?
Step back from a draining dynamic?
Change how you respond to a known trigger?
Even small changes can help retrain your brain’s sense of safety.
Because your environment doesn’t just influence you — it programs you. And you deserve to live in a space, both internal and external, that makes your body exhale.
With love,
Alveena
Reflections & Realizations
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