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In this insightful episode, Dr. Slava is joined by her co-hosts, JD Yusef and Dr. Ihab, for a candid discussion on how traditional Arab gender role expectations shaped the mindsets of their parents—and how those beliefs, in turn, influenced their own immigrant journeys.

Together, they reflect on questions such as:

• How did these cultural expectations impact their sense of identity and belonging?
• In what ways did these inherited mindsets either help or hinder their integration into Western society?
• What shifts in thinking were necessary to create empowered paths forward in their new environments?

With personal stories and deep cultural insights, this episode offers an authentic look at the intersection of heritage, gender, and mindset—revealing both the challenges and the resilience within immigrant experiences.

If you’re passionate about culture, mindset, personal growth, or the immigrant journey—this episode is for you.

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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.

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"My name is Nada Abukishk, and this is my story…"

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Dr. Slava Abdelrehim sits down with Palestinian Jordanian American epidemiologist Nada Abukishk, a global health scholar with a remarkable story of resilience, intellect, and global impact.

Nada reflects on her earliest memories as a child growing up in a refugee camp in the 1980s, and the defining moment when she realized she wanted her life to be about creating change. Through courage, education, and grit, she went on to earn degrees from the University of Jordan and Harvard Medical School, and has worked for over a decade in global public health, including 10 years with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), where she served over 5.6 million Palestinian refugees.

Now an epidemiologist with the CDC Foundation in Boston, Nada shares her insights on leadership in humanitarian contexts, the hidden costs of compassion, and what it means to represent Palestinian excellence on global stages.

Listeners will walk away with a deeper understanding of:

• The mindset of humanitarian leadership
• How identity can inform purpose
• What it means to leave a legacy beyond borders

🔗 Explore Nada’s Work & Research:

• ResearchGate Profile (Peer-reviewed publications):
  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nada-Abu-Kishk
• Harvard DASH Publication (Open-access research):
  https://dash.harvard.edu/entities/publication/d07ec0b8-74a3-4bc9-9652-ebab5bf25d7c

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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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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.

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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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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.

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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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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_

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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.
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Let’s grow, inspire, and empower together! 🌟 #ChattingWithSlava

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In this insightful episode, Dr. Slava Abdelrehim hosts a powerful conversation with JD Yusef and Dr. Ihab, as they share their personal journeys through higher education as Arab American immigrants. Tune in to discover the practical tools and mindset shifts they utilized to manage stress and anxiety while overcoming social stigmas. Packed with heartfelt stories, candid reflections, and valuable advice, this discussion offers essential guidance for young Arab Americans considering the path to higher education.

Join us to learn, grow, and be inspired by experiences that highlight resilience, determination, and the unlimited potential within every immigrant journey.

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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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In Episode 13 of Chatting with Slava the Jordanian, Dr. Slava Abdelrehim sits down with her husband, Dr. Ihab, to celebrate the life and legacy of his mother—an extraordinary Egyptian American female immigrant entrepreneur known affectionately as Um-Ihab or Tiny Ekram.

Although she never completed high school, Um-Ihab possessed an intuitive wisdom and a radiant spirit that deeply impacted every young woman fortunate enough to know her. Dr. Slava describes her mother-in-law as her best friend and maternal mentor—an unwavering support system who helped her navigate the complexities of adjusting to a new culture and society as an immigrant herself.

Her mindset was truly remarkable—rooted in positivity, resilience, and grace. Even in the darkest moments, she found the silver lining, and her uplifting presence brought light and laughter to all who knew her. Her love for cooking was not only a gift to the taste buds but a reflection of her nurturing soul, often using food as a way to bring people together and spread joy.

Through warm stories and heartfelt memories, Dr. Slava and Dr. Ihab invite listeners into the essence of a woman who lived fully, loved deeply, and left behind a legacy of compassion, strength, and boundless optimism.

This episode is more than a tribute—it is a love letter to a life well-lived and a reminder that our greatest impact often comes not from titles or degrees, but from the way we show up for others.

Tune in to celebrate the spirit of Um-Ihab—whose influence lives on in every story shared, every tradition upheld, and every heart she touched.

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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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Part of the Discovering Palestinian Intellects Series

In this powerful and thought-provoking episode of Chatting with Slava the Jordanian, Dr. Slava launches her special series “Discovering Palestinian Intellects” by welcoming the brilliant Dr. Maher Massis—a Palestinian-American scholar, entrepreneur, author, and advocate whose life story is as inspiring as his mission.

Born in Dahran, Saudi Arabia to Palestinian diaspora parents, Dr. Massis shares the footsteps of his immigration journey—from high school to earning his Ph.D. in International Relations in the United States. He reflects on the strength and values passed down by his parents: a hardworking father who served in Aramco and taught English, and a devoted mother who nurtured their home with love and purpose.

Dr. Slava and Dr. Maher engage in a rich conversation about the Palestinian legacy of education, their people’s unwavering commitment to self-determination, and what it means to be called “the world’s most educated refugees.” Together, they unpack the immigrant experience, share childhood stories, and highlight the mindset needed to survive and thrive in new lands without losing identity or hope.

From publishing Poems for Palestine to advising national PACs and contributing to global publications, Dr. Maher Massis is not just preserving his heritage—he’s guiding the next generation toward possibility.

This episode is a tribute to Palestinian resilience, intellect, and vision.
Let’s amplify the voices that the world needs to hear.

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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