The Shadow Sessions https://www.theshadowsessionspodcast.com en Hiba Balfaqih The Shadow Sessions is hosted by Hiba Balfaqih, an unconventional psychologist and trauma alchemist. We explore the stories that most people bury—particularly those tied to shame, trauma, and identity. Our goal is to shed light on the hidden corners of human experience, allowing listeners to hear stories that challenge societal norms and spark deep,introspective conversations. https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/508c7f04-d53c-11f0-b71b-e3c48ce77e6b/image/197508254b9c224e2d1fc897170e5141.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress The Shadow Sessions https://www.theshadowsessionspodcast.com yes episodic The Shadow Sessions Hiba Balfaqih The Shadow Sessions is hosted by Hiba Balfaqih, an unconventional psychologist and trauma alchemist. We explore the stories that most people bury—particularly those tied to shame, trauma, and identity. Our goal is to shed light on the hidden corners of human experience, allowing listeners to hear stories that challenge societal norms and spark deep,introspective conversations. The Shadow Sessions is hosted by Hiba Balfaqih, an unconventional psychologist and trauma alchemist. We explore the stories that most people bury—particularly those tied to shame, trauma, and identity. Our goal is to shed light on the hidden corners of human experience, allowing listeners to hear stories that challenge societal norms and spark deep,introspective conversations.

]]> Hiba Balfaqih podcast@hibabalfaqih.com When The Monster was Family Most people imagine abuse as something that happens in dark, distant places. But in reality, it often happens at home—by someone the child knows, someone the family trusts. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Tracey, whose life changed the moment her daughter spoke up. Faced with a reality many struggle to accept, Tracey made a choice that defines this story—she immediately believed her child. What followed was confrontation, action, and a fight to protect her children from further harm. But this conversation goes beyond that moment. It explores the psychological aftermath—the guilt, the questions, and the painful process of reexamining what was once trusted. This episode examines abuse not just as an act, but as a rupture inside families and relationships. It asks what it means to seek justice when healing is ongoing, and what it takes to face betrayal when it comes from within your own home. This is a story about protection, accountability, and the long-echoing trauma that leaves behind. Thu, 14 May 2026 07:00:00 -0000 When The Monster was Family full Hiba Balfaqih Child abuse, betrayal within families, and the lasting psychological impact of choosing to confront it. Most people imagine abuse as something that happens in dark, distant places. But in reality, it often happens at home—by someone the child knows, someone the family trusts. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Tracey, whose life changed the moment her daughter spoke up. Faced with a reality many struggle to accept, Tracey made a choice that defines this story—she immediately believed her child. What followed was confrontation, action, and a fight to protect her children from further harm. But this conversation goes beyond that moment. It explores the psychological aftermath—the guilt, the questions, and the painful process of reexamining what was once trusted. This episode examines abuse not just as an act, but as a rupture inside families and relationships. It asks what it means to seek justice when healing is ongoing, and what it takes to face betrayal when it comes from within your own home. This is a story about protection, accountability, and the long-echoing trauma that leaves behind. Most people imagine abuse as something that happens in dark, distant places. But in reality, it often happens at home—by someone the child knows, someone the family trusts.

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Tracey, whose life changed the moment her daughter spoke up. Faced with a reality many struggle to accept, Tracey made a choice that defines this story—she immediately believed her child.

What followed was confrontation, action, and a fight to protect her children from further harm. But this conversation goes beyond that moment. It explores the psychological aftermath—the guilt, the questions, and the painful process of reexamining what was once trusted.

This episode examines abuse not just as an act, but as a rupture inside families and relationships. It asks what it means to seek justice when healing is ongoing, and what it takes to face betrayal when it comes from within your own home.

This is a story about protection, accountability, and the long-echoing trauma that leaves behind.


]]> 3665 yes Sold At 4 For Drug Money by her Mother We grow up with a core belief: a mother is safety, protection, and home. But what happens when that foundation breaks? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Jazmine, who survived profound abuse within her own home—where harm was not hidden, but normalized, and the person meant to protect her became the source of danger. This conversation goes beyond abuse itself. It explores attachment trauma, how early betrayal reshapes a child’s understanding of love and safety, and the lasting psychological impact of growing up without protection. Jazmine reflects on identity, trust, and what it means to rebuild a sense of self when your earliest blueprint for care was distorted. She also shares the difficult but powerful process of learning to create safety from within. This episode is about trauma, resilience, and what it takes to reclaim your life when the place that should have been safest was not. Thu, 07 May 2026 07:00:00 -0000 Sold At 4 For Drug Money by her Mother full Hiba Balfaqih Parental betrayal, attachment trauma, and the long path to rebuilding trust and identity. We grow up with a core belief: a mother is safety, protection, and home. But what happens when that foundation breaks? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Jazmine, who survived profound abuse within her own home—where harm was not hidden, but normalized, and the person meant to protect her became the source of danger. This conversation goes beyond abuse itself. It explores attachment trauma, how early betrayal reshapes a child’s understanding of love and safety, and the lasting psychological impact of growing up without protection. Jazmine reflects on identity, trust, and what it means to rebuild a sense of self when your earliest blueprint for care was distorted. She also shares the difficult but powerful process of learning to create safety from within. This episode is about trauma, resilience, and what it takes to reclaim your life when the place that should have been safest was not. We grow up with a core belief: a mother is safety, protection, and home. But what happens when that foundation breaks?

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Jazmine, who survived profound abuse within her own home—where harm was not hidden, but normalized, and the person meant to protect her became the source of danger.

This conversation goes beyond abuse itself. It explores attachment trauma, how early betrayal reshapes a child’s understanding of love and safety, and the lasting psychological impact of growing up without protection.

Jazmine reflects on identity, trust, and what it means to rebuild a sense of self when your earliest blueprint for care was distorted. She also shares the difficult but powerful process of learning to create safety from within.

This episode is about trauma, resilience, and what it takes to reclaim your life when the place that should have been safest was not.


]]> 4413 yes Sentenced to Life at Just 13 Years Old What kind of system gives a child a life sentence? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Ian, who at just thirteen years old was tried as an adult for a non‑homicide offense and sentenced to life in prison. This conversation goes beyond one case. It examines the structure of the justice system—where children, particularly Black and Brown youth, are disproportionately treated as adults, perceived as more dangerous, and denied the protections of childhood. Together, they explore what it means for a developing brain to be told its life is already over, how identity is shaped inside systems built on punishment, and why rehabilitation is often replaced with permanence. This episode is about justice, perception, and the deeper question of whom society chooses to protect and whom it is willing to give up on. Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000 Sentenced to Life at Just 13 Years Old full Hiba Balfaqih Juvenile justice, racial bias, and the psychological impact of sentencing children to life in prison. What kind of system gives a child a life sentence? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Ian, who at just thirteen years old was tried as an adult for a non‑homicide offense and sentenced to life in prison. This conversation goes beyond one case. It examines the structure of the justice system—where children, particularly Black and Brown youth, are disproportionately treated as adults, perceived as more dangerous, and denied the protections of childhood. Together, they explore what it means for a developing brain to be told its life is already over, how identity is shaped inside systems built on punishment, and why rehabilitation is often replaced with permanence. This episode is about justice, perception, and the deeper question of whom society chooses to protect and whom it is willing to give up on. What kind of system gives a child a life sentence?

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Ian, who at just thirteen years old was tried as an adult for a non‑homicide offense and sentenced to life in prison.

This conversation goes beyond one case. It examines the structure of the justice system—where children, particularly Black and Brown youth, are disproportionately treated as adults, perceived as more dangerous, and denied the protections of childhood.

Together, they explore what it means for a developing brain to be told its life is already over, how identity is shaped inside systems built on punishment, and why rehabilitation is often replaced with permanence.

This episode is about justice, perception, and the deeper question of whom society chooses to protect and whom it is willing to give up on.


]]> 5086 yes Human Trafficking Survivor Speaks Out We often talk about war in terms of soldiers, politics, and strategy. But conflict creates another reality—one where systems collapse, laws disappear, and exploitation thrives in the chaos. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Lurata, who was trafficked during wartime, in a world where protection had vanished, and survival meant navigating danger no one should ever face. This conversation explores how conflict zones create conditions where trafficking and exploitation can flourish, and what it does to the mind when violence is no longer distant—but personal and constant. Lurata shares her experience of survival, the psychological impact of living without safety, and the long process of reclaiming identity and voice after systems meant to protect people fail. This episode examines war not just as a geopolitical conflict but as a human reality in which the most vulnerable often pay the highest price. Thu, 23 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000 Human Trafficking Survivor Speaks Out full Hiba Balfaqih War, human trafficking, and the psychological cost of surviving exploitation in conflict zones. We often talk about war in terms of soldiers, politics, and strategy. But conflict creates another reality—one where systems collapse, laws disappear, and exploitation thrives in the chaos. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Lurata, who was trafficked during wartime, in a world where protection had vanished, and survival meant navigating danger no one should ever face. This conversation explores how conflict zones create conditions where trafficking and exploitation can flourish, and what it does to the mind when violence is no longer distant—but personal and constant. Lurata shares her experience of survival, the psychological impact of living without safety, and the long process of reclaiming identity and voice after systems meant to protect people fail. This episode examines war not just as a geopolitical conflict but as a human reality in which the most vulnerable often pay the highest price. We often talk about war in terms of soldiers, politics, and strategy. But conflict creates another reality—one where systems collapse, laws disappear, and exploitation thrives in the chaos.

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Lurata, who was trafficked during wartime, in a world where protection had vanished, and survival meant navigating danger no one should ever face.

This conversation explores how conflict zones create conditions where trafficking and exploitation can flourish, and what it does to the mind when violence is no longer distant—but personal and constant.

Lurata shares her experience of survival, the psychological impact of living without safety, and the long process of reclaiming identity and voice after systems meant to protect people fail.

This episode examines war not just as a geopolitical conflict but as a human reality in which the most vulnerable often pay the highest price.


]]> 4312 yes “I Was A Jihadi Spy” What creates a terrorist? Not the headline, the attack, or the manifesto. Before violence, there is always a story. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Mubin Sheikh, a former Islamist extremist who later became a counter‑terrorism expert working to prevent radicalization. This conversation explores how people are drawn into extremist ideology—not because they are born hateful, but because they are searching for belonging, identity, and purpose. It examines how grievance, certainty, and “us versus them” thinking can transform vulnerability into radical belief. But the story does not end with extremism. Mubin shares what it took to question the ideology that once defined his identity, and how he eventually dedicated his life to counter‑terrorism and de-radicalization work. This episode examines the psychology of belief, the mechanics of radicalization, and what it actually takes for someone to walk away from violent ideology. Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000 “I Was A Jihadi Spy” full Hiba Balfaqih Former Extremist Reveals How He Stopped The Biggest Terror Plot In Canada What creates a terrorist? Not the headline, the attack, or the manifesto. Before violence, there is always a story. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Mubin Sheikh, a former Islamist extremist who later became a counter‑terrorism expert working to prevent radicalization. This conversation explores how people are drawn into extremist ideology—not because they are born hateful, but because they are searching for belonging, identity, and purpose. It examines how grievance, certainty, and “us versus them” thinking can transform vulnerability into radical belief. But the story does not end with extremism. Mubin shares what it took to question the ideology that once defined his identity, and how he eventually dedicated his life to counter‑terrorism and de-radicalization work. This episode examines the psychology of belief, the mechanics of radicalization, and what it actually takes for someone to walk away from violent ideology. What creates a terrorist? Not the headline, the attack, or the manifesto. Before violence, there is always a story.

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Mubin Sheikh, a former Islamist extremist who later became a counter‑terrorism expert working to prevent radicalization.

This conversation explores how people are drawn into extremist ideology—not because they are born hateful, but because they are searching for belonging, identity, and purpose. It examines how grievance, certainty, and “us versus them” thinking can transform vulnerability into radical belief.

But the story does not end with extremism. Mubin shares what it took to question the ideology that once defined his identity, and how he eventually dedicated his life to counter‑terrorism and de-radicalization work.

This episode examines the psychology of belief, the mechanics of radicalization, and what it actually takes for someone to walk away from violent ideology.


]]> 4914 yes "I Jumped From A Burning Plane…" We love stories about survival—the miracle, the comeback, the headline. But we rarely talk about what survival actually costs. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Jamie, who survived a devastating plane crash that left 63% of his body burned and doctors giving him only a five‑percent chance of survival. What followed was six months in a coma, two years in the hospital, and more than sixty surgeries to rebuild a body that had nearly been lost. But this conversation goes beyond survival. It explores what happens after catastrophe—when the greatest challenge is no longer staying alive, but learning to live with a body and identity that feel unfamiliar. Jamie reflects on grief, helplessness, and the psychological reality of rebuilding a life after extreme trauma. It’s a story about resilience, acceptance, and the long process of facing the person you see in the mirror. And somehow, after everything, Jamie chose to fly again. Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000 "I Jumped From A Burning Plane…" full Hiba Balfaqih Ex Special Forces Soldier Shares His Miraculous Survival Story. We love stories about survival—the miracle, the comeback, the headline. But we rarely talk about what survival actually costs. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Jamie, who survived a devastating plane crash that left 63% of his body burned and doctors giving him only a five‑percent chance of survival. What followed was six months in a coma, two years in the hospital, and more than sixty surgeries to rebuild a body that had nearly been lost. But this conversation goes beyond survival. It explores what happens after catastrophe—when the greatest challenge is no longer staying alive, but learning to live with a body and identity that feel unfamiliar. Jamie reflects on grief, helplessness, and the psychological reality of rebuilding a life after extreme trauma. It’s a story about resilience, acceptance, and the long process of facing the person you see in the mirror. And somehow, after everything, Jamie chose to fly again. We love stories about survival—the miracle, the comeback, the headline. But we rarely talk about what survival actually costs.

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Jamie, who survived a devastating plane crash that left 63% of his body burned and doctors giving him only a five‑percent chance of survival. What followed was six months in a coma, two years in the hospital, and more than sixty surgeries to rebuild a body that had nearly been lost.

But this conversation goes beyond survival. It explores what happens after catastrophe—when the greatest challenge is no longer staying alive, but learning to live with a body and identity that feel unfamiliar.

Jamie reflects on grief, helplessness, and the psychological reality of rebuilding a life after extreme trauma. It’s a story about resilience, acceptance, and the long process of facing the person you see in the mirror.

And somehow, after everything, Jamie chose to fly again.

]]> 5182 yes What Started On Tinder Ended In Terror We raise girls on fairy tales—Prince Charming, fast love, and the promise of forever. They’re taught to be chosen, to be patient, to make relationships work. But what we rarely talk about is how these stories can shape what women learn to tolerate. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Annesa, who met a man online and quickly found herself swept into an intense relationship that escalated faster than she could question it. Within days, she was meeting family. Within weeks, he was pushing marriage, using faith and urgency to frame devotion as destiny. What followed wasn’t romance. It was love bombing, control, and escalating violence before the wedding ever happened. This conversation explores the psychology behind coercive relationships—how intensity can be mistaken for love, how cultural conditioning can blur warning signs, and why many survivors only recognize the pattern once they are already inside it. This episode examines intimate partner violence not just as an individual story, but as a broader social script that teaches endurance, obedience, and silence in the name of love. Wed, 01 Apr 2026 23:00:00 -0000 What Started On Tinder Ended In Terror full Hiba Balfaqih Love bombing, coercive control, and how cultural narratives about romance can mask the early signs of abuse. We raise girls on fairy tales—Prince Charming, fast love, and the promise of forever. They’re taught to be chosen, to be patient, to make relationships work. But what we rarely talk about is how these stories can shape what women learn to tolerate. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Annesa, who met a man online and quickly found herself swept into an intense relationship that escalated faster than she could question it. Within days, she was meeting family. Within weeks, he was pushing marriage, using faith and urgency to frame devotion as destiny. What followed wasn’t romance. It was love bombing, control, and escalating violence before the wedding ever happened. This conversation explores the psychology behind coercive relationships—how intensity can be mistaken for love, how cultural conditioning can blur warning signs, and why many survivors only recognize the pattern once they are already inside it. This episode examines intimate partner violence not just as an individual story, but as a broader social script that teaches endurance, obedience, and silence in the name of love. We raise girls on fairy tales—Prince Charming, fast love, and the promise of forever. They’re taught to be chosen, to be patient, to make relationships work. But what we rarely talk about is how these stories can shape what women learn to tolerate.

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Annesa, who met a man online and quickly found herself swept into an intense relationship that escalated faster than she could question it. Within days, she was meeting family. Within weeks, he was pushing marriage, using faith and urgency to frame devotion as destiny.

What followed wasn’t romance. It was love bombing, control, and escalating violence before the wedding ever happened.

This conversation explores the psychology behind coercive relationships—how intensity can be mistaken for love, how cultural conditioning can blur warning signs, and why many survivors only recognize the pattern once they are already inside it.

This episode examines intimate partner violence not just as an individual story, but as a broader social script that teaches endurance, obedience, and silence in the name of love.


]]> 4821 yes Epstein’s Survivor: Jena-Lisa Jones Reveals All Abuse doesn’t always hide in dark corners. Sometimes it lives in mansions, on private jets, and behind the reputations of powerful people. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Jena‑Lisa Jones, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein who was drawn into a system of grooming and manipulation long before the world began paying attention. This conversation goes beyond the headlines. It examines how power can become protection, how wealth and influence can silence accountability, and what it means to speak out when the systems around you are invested in maintaining silence. Jena‑Lisa shares her experience of survival, the psychological reality of grooming, and the cost of confronting abuse embedded within structures of power. This episode is about truth, courage, and the difficult work of exposing what systems of influence were designed to hide. Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0000 Epstein’s Survivor: Jena-Lisa Jones Reveals All full 2 12 Hiba Balfaqih Wealth, influence, and how power can silence survivors and protect predators. Abuse doesn’t always hide in dark corners. Sometimes it lives in mansions, on private jets, and behind the reputations of powerful people. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Jena‑Lisa Jones, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein who was drawn into a system of grooming and manipulation long before the world began paying attention. This conversation goes beyond the headlines. It examines how power can become protection, how wealth and influence can silence accountability, and what it means to speak out when the systems around you are invested in maintaining silence. Jena‑Lisa shares her experience of survival, the psychological reality of grooming, and the cost of confronting abuse embedded within structures of power. This episode is about truth, courage, and the difficult work of exposing what systems of influence were designed to hide. Abuse doesn’t always hide in dark corners. Sometimes it lives in mansions, on private jets, and behind the reputations of powerful people.

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Jena‑Lisa Jones, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein who was drawn into a system of grooming and manipulation long before the world began paying attention.

This conversation goes beyond the headlines. It examines how power can become protection, how wealth and influence can silence accountability, and what it means to speak out when the systems around you are invested in maintaining silence.

Jena‑Lisa shares her experience of survival, the psychological reality of grooming, and the cost of confronting abuse embedded within structures of power.

This episode is about truth, courage, and the difficult work of exposing what systems of influence were designed to hide.

]]> 5177 yes She Was 15: A Woman’s Reality of Forced Child Marriage What if your family told you you were going on vacation… And instead, you were married off? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Rubie, who was just 15 years old when her family took her to another country and left her there as the wife of a man she had never chosen. This conversation goes beyond the event itself. It explores coercion disguised as culture, control framed as protection, and what it does to a young girl when the people meant to protect her, become the threat. Globally, 1 in 5 girls are married before the age of 18. Often arranged. Often justified. Often defended. Rubie shares her story of survival. The psychological weight of forced marriage. And the long path back to a life that is finally her own. This episode is about betrayal, resilience, and the moment someone decides that silence is no longer an option. Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0000 She Was 15: A Woman’s Reality of Forced Child Marriage full 2 1 Hiba Balfaqih Forced child marriage, family coercion, and reclaiming identity after betrayal. What if your family told you you were going on vacation… And instead, you were married off? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Rubie, who was just 15 years old when her family took her to another country and left her there as the wife of a man she had never chosen. This conversation goes beyond the event itself. It explores coercion disguised as culture, control framed as protection, and what it does to a young girl when the people meant to protect her, become the threat. Globally, 1 in 5 girls are married before the age of 18. Often arranged. Often justified. Often defended. Rubie shares her story of survival. The psychological weight of forced marriage. And the long path back to a life that is finally her own. This episode is about betrayal, resilience, and the moment someone decides that silence is no longer an option. What if your family told you you were going on vacation…

And instead, you were married off?

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Rubie, who was just 15 years old when her family took her to another country and left her there as the wife of a man she had never chosen.

This conversation goes beyond the event itself. It explores coercion disguised as culture, control framed as protection, and what it does to a young girl when the people meant to protect her, become the threat.

Globally, 1 in 5 girls are married before the age of 18. Often arranged. Often justified. Often defended.

Rubie shares her story of survival. The psychological weight of forced marriage. And the long path back to a life that is finally her own.

This episode is about betrayal, resilience, and the moment someone decides that silence is no longer an option.


]]> 4547 yes Joe DiMeo on Living After 80% Burns and the World’s First Face & Double Hand Transplant We live in a world obsessed with appearance. We chase beauty, filters, and familiarity — often tying confidence to what we see in the mirror. But what happens when the mirror no longer shows the face you remember? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Joe DiMeo, who survived a catastrophic car accident at 20 years old and later became the first person in medical history to receive a full face and double hand transplant. This conversation isn’t only about physical recovery. It’s about identity — how the mind adapts when the body changes, and what it means to rebuild a sense of self when everything familiar is gone. Joe reflects on grief, acceptance, resilience, and learning to live in a body that no longer feels like the one you knew. Rather than focusing on tragedy, this episode explores psychological adjustment, body image, and the courage required to participate in life again. This episode is about adaptation, meaning, and discovering that healing is not returning to who you were — but learning how to become someone new. Thu, 12 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0000 Joe DiMeo on Living After 80% Burns and the World’s First Face & Double Hand Transplant full 1 10 Hiba Balfaqih Severe injury, medical reconstruction, and learning to recognize yourself in a life that looks completely different. We live in a world obsessed with appearance. We chase beauty, filters, and familiarity — often tying confidence to what we see in the mirror. But what happens when the mirror no longer shows the face you remember? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Joe DiMeo, who survived a catastrophic car accident at 20 years old and later became the first person in medical history to receive a full face and double hand transplant. This conversation isn’t only about physical recovery. It’s about identity — how the mind adapts when the body changes, and what it means to rebuild a sense of self when everything familiar is gone. Joe reflects on grief, acceptance, resilience, and learning to live in a body that no longer feels like the one you knew. Rather than focusing on tragedy, this episode explores psychological adjustment, body image, and the courage required to participate in life again. This episode is about adaptation, meaning, and discovering that healing is not returning to who you were — but learning how to become someone new. We live in a world obsessed with appearance. We chase beauty, filters, and familiarity — often tying confidence to what we see in the mirror. But what happens when the mirror no longer shows the face you remember?

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Joe DiMeo, who survived a catastrophic car accident at 20 years old and later became the first person in medical history to receive a full face and double hand transplant.

This conversation isn’t only about physical recovery. It’s about identity — how the mind adapts when the body changes, and what it means to rebuild a sense of self when everything familiar is gone.

Joe reflects on grief, acceptance, resilience, and learning to live in a body that no longer feels like the one you knew. Rather than focusing on tragedy, this episode explores psychological adjustment, body image, and the courage required to participate in life again.

This episode is about adaptation, meaning, and discovering that healing is not returning to who you were — but learning how to become someone new.

]]> 4106 yes Boys Can Be Victims Too: The Silence Around Male Sexual Abuse https://www.theshadowsessionspodcast.com/episodes When we hear the word abuse, many people picture a girl. Culturally, harm is often associated with her fear and her silence. But what happens when the victim is a boy — and no one knows how to see it? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Seth, a veteran, speaker, and advocate for male survivors who grew up in poverty surrounded by addiction, instability, and unspoken pain. This conversation challenges the idea that abuse is gendered. For many boys, silence becomes survival. Shame replaces language, and years pass before anyone hears their story — if they ever do. Rather than focusing on events, this episode explores the psychological aftermath: identity, trust, masculinity, and the difficulty of speaking about harm in a culture that rarely imagines boys as victims. Today, Seth works to break that silence, helping other men confront what they were taught to bury and showing that healing begins the moment someone is finally believed. This episode is about stigma, voice, and what becomes possible when the story a person carried alone is finally spoken. Thu, 05 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0000 Boys Can Be Victims Too: The Silence Around Male Sexual Abuse full 1 9 Hiba Balfaqih Childhood trauma, stigma, and why boys are rarely believed — and even more rarely heard. When we hear the word abuse, many people picture a girl. Culturally, harm is often associated with her fear and her silence. But what happens when the victim is a boy — and no one knows how to see it? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Seth, a veteran, speaker, and advocate for male survivors who grew up in poverty surrounded by addiction, instability, and unspoken pain. This conversation challenges the idea that abuse is gendered. For many boys, silence becomes survival. Shame replaces language, and years pass before anyone hears their story — if they ever do. Rather than focusing on events, this episode explores the psychological aftermath: identity, trust, masculinity, and the difficulty of speaking about harm in a culture that rarely imagines boys as victims. Today, Seth works to break that silence, helping other men confront what they were taught to bury and showing that healing begins the moment someone is finally believed. This episode is about stigma, voice, and what becomes possible when the story a person carried alone is finally spoken. When we hear the word abuse, many people picture a girl. Culturally, harm is often associated with her fear and her silence. But what happens when the victim is a boy — and no one knows how to see it?

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Seth, a veteran, speaker, and advocate for male survivors who grew up in poverty surrounded by addiction, instability, and unspoken pain.

This conversation challenges the idea that abuse is gendered. For many boys, silence becomes survival. Shame replaces language, and years pass before anyone hears their story — if they ever do.

Rather than focusing on events, this episode explores the psychological aftermath: identity, trust, masculinity, and the difficulty of speaking about harm in a culture that rarely imagines boys as victims.

Today, Seth works to break that silence, helping other men confront what they were taught to bury and showing that healing begins the moment someone is finally believed.

This episode is about stigma, voice, and what becomes possible when the story a person carried alone is finally spoken.

]]> 4671 yes When Anger Explodes: The Hidden Psychology Behind Losing Control https://www.theshadowsessionspodcast.com/episodes We all carry anger. Some swallow it. Some hide it behind success, silence, or survival. But what happens when it erupts? When pain becomes pressure, and pressure becomes action? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Jonathan Mendez, whose life changed after a violent confrontation led to jail and forced him to confront himself for the first time. This conversation isn’t about the incident. It’s about the why. Jonathan reflects on shame, childhood experiences, and what happens when a person is never taught how to feel safely. When emotion has no language, it often finds expression through behavior. This episode explores anger not as a character flaw, but as an unprocessed signal, how survival conditioning, emotional repression, and unresolved pain can shape reactions and decisions. It also examines accountability: what it means to face harm, take responsibility, and begin repair. Today, Jonathan speaks openly about emotional regulation, self‑awareness, and learning to experience emotion without fighting it. This episode is about anger, responsibility, and what healing requires after control has already been lost. Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000 When Anger Explodes: The Hidden Psychology Behind Losing Control full 1 8 Hiba Balfaqih Suppressed emotion, childhood wounds, and taking responsibility after anger turns destructive. We all carry anger. Some swallow it. Some hide it behind success, silence, or survival. But what happens when it erupts? When pain becomes pressure, and pressure becomes action? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Jonathan Mendez, whose life changed after a violent confrontation led to jail and forced him to confront himself for the first time. This conversation isn’t about the incident. It’s about the why. Jonathan reflects on shame, childhood experiences, and what happens when a person is never taught how to feel safely. When emotion has no language, it often finds expression through behavior. This episode explores anger not as a character flaw, but as an unprocessed signal, how survival conditioning, emotional repression, and unresolved pain can shape reactions and decisions. It also examines accountability: what it means to face harm, take responsibility, and begin repair. Today, Jonathan speaks openly about emotional regulation, self‑awareness, and learning to experience emotion without fighting it. This episode is about anger, responsibility, and what healing requires after control has already been lost. We all carry anger. Some swallow it. Some hide it behind success, silence, or survival. But what happens when it erupts? When pain becomes pressure, and pressure becomes action?

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Jonathan Mendez, whose life changed after a violent confrontation led to jail and forced him to confront himself for the first time.

This conversation isn’t about the incident. It’s about the why.

Jonathan reflects on shame, childhood experiences, and what happens when a person is never taught how to feel safely. When emotion has no language, it often finds expression through behavior.

This episode explores anger not as a character flaw, but as an unprocessed signal, how survival conditioning, emotional repression, and unresolved pain can shape reactions and decisions. It also examines accountability: what it means to face harm, take responsibility, and begin repair.

Today, Jonathan speaks openly about emotional regulation, self‑awareness, and learning to experience emotion without fighting it.

This episode is about anger, responsibility, and what healing requires after control has already been lost.


]]> 4211 yes From Prison to MMA Legend: The Making of Frank Shamrock https://www.theshadowsessionspodcast.com/ We’re taught to fight for what we want—to toughen up and push through. But what happens when fighting is all you’ve ever known? When childhood teaches you that pain is love, violence is normal, and power equals survival? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Frank Shamrock, a world‑champion fighter whose strength was forged through abuse, abandonment, and incarceration. This conversation isn’t about winning titles—it’s about identity, conditioning, and who you become when no one teaches you who you are. Frank reflects on how survival can harden into armor, and why real healing sometimes begins when you put your fists down and face what’s underneath. Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000 From Prison to MMA Legend: The Making of Frank Shamrock full 1 7 Hiba Balfaqih Violence, survival conditioning, and the difficult path from fighting to healing. We’re taught to fight for what we want—to toughen up and push through. But what happens when fighting is all you’ve ever known? When childhood teaches you that pain is love, violence is normal, and power equals survival? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Frank Shamrock, a world‑champion fighter whose strength was forged through abuse, abandonment, and incarceration. This conversation isn’t about winning titles—it’s about identity, conditioning, and who you become when no one teaches you who you are. Frank reflects on how survival can harden into armor, and why real healing sometimes begins when you put your fists down and face what’s underneath. We’re taught to fight for what we want—to toughen up and push through. But what happens when fighting is all you’ve ever known? When childhood teaches you that pain is love, violence is normal, and power equals survival?

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Frank Shamrock, a world‑champion fighter whose strength was forged through abuse, abandonment, and incarceration. This conversation isn’t about winning titles—it’s about identity, conditioning, and who you become when no one teaches you who you are.

Frank reflects on how survival can harden into armor, and why real healing sometimes begins when you put your fists down and face what’s underneath.


]]> 5204 yes The Sin Of Being a Girl: Surviving Honor-Based Violence https://www.theshadowsessionspodcast.com/ What if your biggest sin is being born a girl? What happens when violence is justified as tradition and silence is enforced as honor? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Nina Aouilk, a survivor of honor‑based violence who grew up in a system where abuse was normalized, and truth was punished. This conversation examines cultural gaslighting, generational silence, and how gender‑based control shapes trauma and identity. Rather than sensationalizing harm, this episode focuses on the psychological and systemic realities that allow violence to hide behind words like culture and family. Today, Nina is a global speaker, coach, and advocate working to expose these structures and support survivor healing. This episode is about truth, resistance, and what becomes possible when silence is broken. Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000 The Sin Of Being a Girl: Surviving Honor-Based Violence full 1 6 Hiba Balfaqih Honor‑based violence, generational silence, and the courage to reclaim identity and voice. What if your biggest sin is being born a girl? What happens when violence is justified as tradition and silence is enforced as honor? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Nina Aouilk, a survivor of honor‑based violence who grew up in a system where abuse was normalized, and truth was punished. This conversation examines cultural gaslighting, generational silence, and how gender‑based control shapes trauma and identity. Rather than sensationalizing harm, this episode focuses on the psychological and systemic realities that allow violence to hide behind words like culture and family. Today, Nina is a global speaker, coach, and advocate working to expose these structures and support survivor healing. This episode is about truth, resistance, and what becomes possible when silence is broken. What if your biggest sin is being born a girl? What happens when violence is justified as tradition and silence is enforced as honor?

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Nina Aouilk, a survivor of honor‑based violence who grew up in a system where abuse was normalized, and truth was punished. This conversation examines cultural gaslighting, generational silence, and how gender‑based control shapes trauma and identity.

Rather than sensationalizing harm, this episode focuses on the psychological and systemic realities that allow violence to hide behind words like culture and family. Today, Nina is a global speaker, coach, and advocate working to expose these structures and support survivor healing.

This episode is about truth, resistance, and what becomes possible when silence is broken.


]]> 4333 yes After the Collapse: Bankruptcy, Identity Loss and Building Again https://www.theshadowsessionspodcast.com/ Not all shadows look like darkness. Some look like ambition. Some look like discipline, perseverance, and the pressure to hold everything together while quietly falling apart. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Amber Duncan, who went from success as it’s culturally defined to total collapse. She filed for bankruptcy. She lost the money, the image, and the version of achievement the world told her to chase. What followed wasn’t just a business rebuild. It was an identity reckoning. This conversation explores what collapse strips away—and what it reveals. How ambition can become armor. How success can disconnect us from ourselves. And how rebuilding after loss requires more than strategy; it requires confronting the patterns that led there in the first place. Amber shares what bankruptcy taught her about worth, control, and resilience—and how rebuilding a multimillion‑dollar company became secondary to reclaiming trust in herself. Today, she helps others navigate financial collapse, career reinvention, and recovery through mentorship, financial education, and honest conversations about failure and survival. This episode isn’t loud or performative. It’s about the quiet shadow of perseverance—and how sometimes, the deepest healing happens after everything you worked for falls apart. Thu, 05 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000 After the Collapse: Bankruptcy, Identity Loss and Building Again full 1 5 Hiba Balfaqih Bankruptcy, identity loss, and the quiet resilience behind rebuilding a multimillion‑dollar business. Not all shadows look like darkness. Some look like ambition. Some look like discipline, perseverance, and the pressure to hold everything together while quietly falling apart. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Amber Duncan, who went from success as it’s culturally defined to total collapse. She filed for bankruptcy. She lost the money, the image, and the version of achievement the world told her to chase. What followed wasn’t just a business rebuild. It was an identity reckoning. This conversation explores what collapse strips away—and what it reveals. How ambition can become armor. How success can disconnect us from ourselves. And how rebuilding after loss requires more than strategy; it requires confronting the patterns that led there in the first place. Amber shares what bankruptcy taught her about worth, control, and resilience—and how rebuilding a multimillion‑dollar company became secondary to reclaiming trust in herself. Today, she helps others navigate financial collapse, career reinvention, and recovery through mentorship, financial education, and honest conversations about failure and survival. This episode isn’t loud or performative. It’s about the quiet shadow of perseverance—and how sometimes, the deepest healing happens after everything you worked for falls apart. Not all shadows look like darkness. Some look like ambition. Some look like discipline, perseverance, and the pressure to hold everything together while quietly falling apart.

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Amber Duncan, who went from success as it’s culturally defined to total collapse. She filed for bankruptcy. She lost the money, the image, and the version of achievement the world told her to chase.

What followed wasn’t just a business rebuild.

It was an identity reckoning.

This conversation explores what collapse strips away—and what it reveals. How ambition can become armor. How success can disconnect us from ourselves. And how rebuilding after loss requires more than strategy; it requires confronting the patterns that led there in the first place.

Amber shares what bankruptcy taught her about worth, control, and resilience—and how rebuilding a multimillion‑dollar company became secondary to reclaiming trust in herself. Today, she helps others navigate financial collapse, career reinvention, and recovery through mentorship, financial education, and honest conversations about failure and survival.

This episode isn’t loud or performative. It’s about the quiet shadow of perseverance—and how sometimes, the deepest healing happens after everything you worked for falls apart.


]]> 4067 no Hacker & Identity James Linton https://www.hibabalfaqih.com/ We’re taught to imagine hackers as men in hoodies—isolated, brilliant, dangerous. But what if the real story isn’t about code or breaches at all? What if it’s about psychology? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with a man who infiltrated some of the most powerful systems in the world—impersonating CEOs, deceiving institutions, and accessing spaces he was never meant to enter. He had power, and he walked away before anyone could stop him. But this conversation isn’t about technical exploits or data breaches. It’s about identity. It’s about the psychology of control, the shadow of the trickster, and what happens when someone becomes whoever the world needs them to be in order to feel safe, admired, or untouchable. Advertised as a threat, treated as a weapon, shaped by fear and projection—until the performance cracks and the truth emerges. This episode explores how hacking can become a mirror for deeper human patterns: the need for mastery, the seduction of invisibility, and the cost of living behind masks. It asks uncomfortable questions about power, protection, deception, and the moment when control stops being safety and starts becoming self‑erasure. This is an episode for anyone interested in psychology, identity formation, shadow integration, cybercrime as a behavioral phenomenon, and what happens when the role you play becomes the only place you know how to exist. Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000 Inside the Psyche of The Hacker who Infiltrated The White House full 1 4 Hiba Balfaqih He infiltrated the White House, impersonated CEOs, and walked away. This isn’t a story about hacking—it’s about identity, illusion, and the shadow of control. We’re taught to imagine hackers as men in hoodies—isolated, brilliant, dangerous. But what if the real story isn’t about code or breaches at all? What if it’s about psychology? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with a man who infiltrated some of the most powerful systems in the world—impersonating CEOs, deceiving institutions, and accessing spaces he was never meant to enter. He had power, and he walked away before anyone could stop him. But this conversation isn’t about technical exploits or data breaches. It’s about identity. It’s about the psychology of control, the shadow of the trickster, and what happens when someone becomes whoever the world needs them to be in order to feel safe, admired, or untouchable. Advertised as a threat, treated as a weapon, shaped by fear and projection—until the performance cracks and the truth emerges. This episode explores how hacking can become a mirror for deeper human patterns: the need for mastery, the seduction of invisibility, and the cost of living behind masks. It asks uncomfortable questions about power, protection, deception, and the moment when control stops being safety and starts becoming self‑erasure. This is an episode for anyone interested in psychology, identity formation, shadow integration, cybercrime as a behavioral phenomenon, and what happens when the role you play becomes the only place you know how to exist. We’re taught to imagine hackers as men in hoodies—isolated, brilliant, dangerous. But what if the real story isn’t about code or breaches at all? What if it’s about psychology?

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, Hiba Balfaqih speaks with a man who infiltrated some of the most powerful systems in the world—impersonating CEOs, deceiving institutions, and accessing spaces he was never meant to enter. He had power, and he walked away before anyone could stop him.

But this conversation isn’t about technical exploits or data breaches.

It’s about identity.

It’s about the psychology of control, the shadow of the trickster, and what happens when someone becomes whoever the world needs them to be in order to feel safe, admired, or untouchable. Advertised as a threat, treated as a weapon, shaped by fear and projection—until the performance cracks and the truth emerges.

This episode explores how hacking can become a mirror for deeper human patterns: the need for mastery, the seduction of invisibility, and the cost of living behind masks. It asks uncomfortable questions about power, protection, deception, and the moment when control stops being safety and starts becoming self‑erasure.

This is an episode for anyone interested in psychology, identity formation, shadow integration, cybercrime as a behavioral phenomenon, and what happens when the role you play becomes the only place you know how to exist.

]]> 4369 yes Mikey, The Death Doula https://www.hibabalfaqih.com/ Not all shadows are dark. Some are quiet. Some are tender. Some ask us to slow down and sit with the one certainty we spend our lives trying to outrun. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, host Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Mikey, a death doula who supports people at the end of life—helping them die on their own terms, with dignity, presence, and meaning. After experiencing her own near-death moment, Mikey didn’t turn away from mortality. She moved closer to it. This conversation explores how our culture avoids death by treating it as a distant event, when in reality it’s happening all the time. Friendships end. Identities fall away. Chapters close. And eventually, the people we love leave their bodies. Mikey’s work invites a different relationship with dying—one rooted in softness rather than fear, choice rather than denial. She challenges the idea that death is a failure and reframes it as a rite of passage we were never taught how to prepare for. This episode is about death, yes—but even more, it’s about how we live when we stop pretending we’re exempt from it. It’s for anyone curious about death doula work, end‑of‑life care, near‑death experiences, grief, meaning, and what becomes possible when we meet mortality with honesty instead of avoidance. Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000 Sitting With Death: What We’re Never Taught About Dying full 1 3 Hiba Balfaqih A near-death experience, the work of a death doula, and why dying isn’t a failure—but a passage we were never taught how to face Not all shadows are dark. Some are quiet. Some are tender. Some ask us to slow down and sit with the one certainty we spend our lives trying to outrun. In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, host Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Mikey, a death doula who supports people at the end of life—helping them die on their own terms, with dignity, presence, and meaning. After experiencing her own near-death moment, Mikey didn’t turn away from mortality. She moved closer to it. This conversation explores how our culture avoids death by treating it as a distant event, when in reality it’s happening all the time. Friendships end. Identities fall away. Chapters close. And eventually, the people we love leave their bodies. Mikey’s work invites a different relationship with dying—one rooted in softness rather than fear, choice rather than denial. She challenges the idea that death is a failure and reframes it as a rite of passage we were never taught how to prepare for. This episode is about death, yes—but even more, it’s about how we live when we stop pretending we’re exempt from it. It’s for anyone curious about death doula work, end‑of‑life care, near‑death experiences, grief, meaning, and what becomes possible when we meet mortality with honesty instead of avoidance. Not all shadows are dark. Some are quiet. Some are tender. Some ask us to slow down and sit with the one certainty we spend our lives trying to outrun.

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, host Hiba Balfaqih speaks with Mikey, a death doula who supports people at the end of life—helping them die on their own terms, with dignity, presence, and meaning. After experiencing her own near-death moment, Mikey didn’t turn away from mortality. She moved closer to it.

This conversation explores how our culture avoids death by treating it as a distant event, when in reality it’s happening all the time. Friendships end. Identities fall away. Chapters close. And eventually, the people we love leave their bodies.

Mikey’s work invites a different relationship with dying—one rooted in softness rather than fear, choice rather than denial. She challenges the idea that death is a failure and reframes it as a rite of passage we were never taught how to prepare for.

This episode is about death, yes—but even more, it’s about how we live when we stop pretending we’re exempt from it. It’s for anyone curious about death doula work, end‑of‑life care, near‑death experiences, grief, meaning, and what becomes possible when we meet mortality with honesty instead of avoidance.


]]> 4137 yes A Childhood Without Safety: Growing Up Inside the Prison System https://www.hibabalfaqih.com What happens when a child grows up without safety—and the system responds with punishment instead of protection? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, host Hiba Balfaqih sits down with Sonny Van Cleaveland, whose life was shaped by incarceration before it was shaped by care. By the age of seven, Sonny was already inside the justice system. By sixteen, he was placed in an adult prison that became one of the most violent facilities in Michigan within its first month. This conversation exposes how early trauma, chronic threat, and institutional violence shape identity. Violence wasn’t defiance. It was adaptation. Survival became instinct. Harm became normalized. When a nervous system is raised in danger, morality doesn’t disappear—it gets overridden. But this episode is not just about prison. It’s about childhood trauma, moral injury, and how systems that claim to rehabilitate often reinforce the very behaviors they punish. It’s about how patterns form under pressure—and what it actually takes to interrupt them. Sonny’s story challenges the idea that people are “born dangerous.” It asks harder questions about responsibility, conditioning, and what healing looks like when no one ever modeled safety to begin with. This is an episode for anyone interested in trauma psychology, incarceration, nervous system survival responses, and the long-term impact of growing up without protection. Thu, 15 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000 A Childhood Without Safety: Growing Up Inside the Prison System full 1 2 Hiba Balfaqih Labeled a criminal at seven. Sent to adult prison at sixteen. A raw conversation about trauma, survival, and breaking the patterns incarceration creates. What happens when a child grows up without safety—and the system responds with punishment instead of protection? In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, host Hiba Balfaqih sits down with Sonny Van Cleaveland, whose life was shaped by incarceration before it was shaped by care. By the age of seven, Sonny was already inside the justice system. By sixteen, he was placed in an adult prison that became one of the most violent facilities in Michigan within its first month. This conversation exposes how early trauma, chronic threat, and institutional violence shape identity. Violence wasn’t defiance. It was adaptation. Survival became instinct. Harm became normalized. When a nervous system is raised in danger, morality doesn’t disappear—it gets overridden. But this episode is not just about prison. It’s about childhood trauma, moral injury, and how systems that claim to rehabilitate often reinforce the very behaviors they punish. It’s about how patterns form under pressure—and what it actually takes to interrupt them. Sonny’s story challenges the idea that people are “born dangerous.” It asks harder questions about responsibility, conditioning, and what healing looks like when no one ever modeled safety to begin with. This is an episode for anyone interested in trauma psychology, incarceration, nervous system survival responses, and the long-term impact of growing up without protection. What happens when a child grows up without safety—and the system responds with punishment instead of protection?

In this episode of The Shadow Sessions, host Hiba Balfaqih sits down with Sonny Van Cleaveland, whose life was shaped by incarceration before it was shaped by care. By the age of seven, Sonny was already inside the justice system. By sixteen, he was placed in an adult prison that became one of the most violent facilities in Michigan within its first month.

This conversation exposes how early trauma, chronic threat, and institutional violence shape identity. Violence wasn’t defiance. It was adaptation. Survival became instinct. Harm became normalized. When a nervous system is raised in danger, morality doesn’t disappear—it gets overridden.

But this episode is not just about prison.

It’s about childhood trauma, moral injury, and how systems that claim to rehabilitate often reinforce the very behaviors they punish. It’s about how patterns form under pressure—and what it actually takes to interrupt them.

Sonny’s story challenges the idea that people are “born dangerous.” It asks harder questions about responsibility, conditioning, and what healing looks like when no one ever modeled safety to begin with.

This is an episode for anyone interested in trauma psychology, incarceration, nervous system survival responses, and the long-term impact of growing up without protection.


]]> 4013 yes The Secret She Carried for Decades: Her Father Was the Father of Her Children https://www.hibabalfaqih.com We teach kids to avoid strangers. To trust their gut. To believe home means safety. But what if home was the danger? In this first episode of The Shadow Sessions, host Hiba Balfaqih sits down with Aziza Kibibi — a survivor whose story of incest, betrayal, and survival shatters the illusion of safety. Aziza was abused by her father, forced to carry and raise his children, and silenced by those meant to protect her. Today, she is a whistleblower, author, and advocate fighting to expose the systems that failed her and to change the laws that still protect abusers. This conversation is not just about what happened — it’s about the courage it takes to speak, to heal, and to turn survival into advocacy. Thu, 08 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000 full 1 1 Hiba Balfaqih When the Monster Is Your Father We teach kids to avoid strangers. To trust their gut. To believe home means safety. But what if home was the danger? In this first episode of The Shadow Sessions, host Hiba Balfaqih sits down with Aziza Kibibi — a survivor whose story of incest, betrayal, and survival shatters the illusion of safety. Aziza was abused by her father, forced to carry and raise his children, and silenced by those meant to protect her. Today, she is a whistleblower, author, and advocate fighting to expose the systems that failed her and to change the laws that still protect abusers. This conversation is not just about what happened — it’s about the courage it takes to speak, to heal, and to turn survival into advocacy. We teach kids to avoid strangers. To trust their gut. To believe home means safety. But what if home was the danger?

In this first episode of The Shadow Sessions, host Hiba Balfaqih sits down with Aziza Kibibi — a survivor whose story of incest, betrayal, and survival shatters the illusion of safety. Aziza was abused by her father, forced to carry and raise his children, and silenced by those meant to protect her. Today, she is a whistleblower, author, and advocate fighting to expose the systems that failed her and to change the laws that still protect abusers.

This conversation is not just about what happened — it’s about the courage it takes to speak, to heal, and to turn survival into advocacy.


]]> 5043 yes We All Have Something We Are Hiding https://www.hibabalfaqih.com The Shadow Sessions is a podcast for the stories we hide, the ones too painful, too early, or too private to ever make it to therapy. Hosted by psychologist and trauma alchemist Hiba Balfaqih, each episode sits with the truths people were never given permission to speak.  From survivors of abuse to those confronting their deepest shadows, these are raw, unfiltered conversations about what we carry and what it costs us. Launching January 8 on all platforms, The Shadow Sessions is a space for anyone who’s ever felt unseen, unheard, or unsafe to tell their story. Because there is light in the shadow, if someone is willing to sit there with you. Thu, 18 Dec 2025 23:30:00 -0000 Introducing The Shadow Sessions trailer Hiba Balfaqih The Shadow Sessions Offical trailer The Shadow Sessions is a podcast for the stories we hide, the ones too painful, too early, or too private to ever make it to therapy. Hosted by psychologist and trauma alchemist Hiba Balfaqih, each episode sits with the truths people were never given permission to speak.  From survivors of abuse to those confronting their deepest shadows, these are raw, unfiltered conversations about what we carry and what it costs us. Launching January 8 on all platforms, The Shadow Sessions is a space for anyone who’s ever felt unseen, unheard, or unsafe to tell their story. Because there is light in the shadow, if someone is willing to sit there with you. The Shadow Sessions is a podcast for the stories we hide, the ones too painful, too early, or too private to ever make it to therapy. Hosted by psychologist and trauma alchemist Hiba Balfaqih, each episode sits with the truths people were never given permission to speak. 

From survivors of abuse to those confronting their deepest shadows, these are raw, unfiltered conversations about what we carry and what it costs us.

Launching January 8 on all platforms, The Shadow Sessions is a space for anyone who’s ever felt unseen, unheard, or unsafe to tell their story. Because there is light in the shadow, if someone is willing to sit there with you.

]]> 108 yes