Salima and Gulshan on Dare to Share Your Untold Story Podcast

Episode 6: A Heroine’s Journey filled with Grief, Sadness, Discovery and Resilience

Guest: Gulshan Alibhai

Gulshan shared the unexpected grief that she encountered after losing her husband, with unexpected turns to follow. She had to take a step back from a life that not only she was thriving in, but she was also deep in her career path and enjoying all parts of her life, particularly spending time with her husband and children.

As Gulshan shares and her journey unfolds, she talks about post traumatic growth, how she turned to a holistic means of healing and developed and experienced her own spiritual growth. She talks about how to detach from the pain in order to reflect and go inward and experience all parts of herself. She takes the time to share her perception on grief, loss, the death of someone close, and how she found new meaning towards how to keep the loss of her loved one alive. Gulshan’s message to listeners is that: grief is not a linear process; there is more than just the medical model to heal; pay attention to your own judgement and socialization of grief; there is a need to shed your past; and there is sweetness even with ‘the bitter’ encounter.

 

Guest Bio: Gulshan has earned a Master’s in Social Work degree and has put this to excellent use as she has worked with diverse populations, including immigrants, refugees and individuals struggling with various mental health issues. She currently teaches within the social work programs both at Wilfrid Laurier University and Seneca College. After the sudden death of her husband in 2013 — she hit pause on her social work career as she had to take quick action and took over her husband’s iconic 400-seat restaurant known as Lahore Tikka House in the heart of Toronto’s ‘Little India’, and by doing so — she has kept his dream alive of bringing the sense of community together.

 

Passionate about: The medicine of gathering people who heal, such as — Clarity Barton; www.awakenedpriestess.com

 

Salima and Farzana on Dare to Share Your Untold Story Podcast

Episode 2: What People Don’t Know About ‘Khatna’, its Secrecy + Propagation

Guest: Farzana Doctor

Farzana identifies with the Bohra Community that has become known for ‘khatna’, which is a form of surreptitious female genital cutting that happens around the age of seven. As a khatna survivor herself, she speak about her transformation into becoming an activist, breaking the silence of female genital cutting.

As Farzana’s personal story unfolds, she uncovers for us how she has moved beyond the traumatic moment, while honouring her process. She talks specifically about how she was impacted as she went through her journey to the activist she is today, what she is grateful for encountering, and the toll it took on her mental health. She shares a special message with listeners – encouraging people take what actions they need to take in order to see change, that without taking uncomfortable steps, we cannot see change. Through her story she shares the importance of taking time and being gentle with yourself if khatna is something you have also been a victim of.

 

Guest Bio: Farzana is the Toronto-based author of four novels: Stealing Nasreen, Six Metres of Pavement, All Inclusive, and her latest titled – Seven. Seven was just named an Indigo/Chapters Best Book of the Year, and Amnesty International Readers 2020 Choice. Farzana is also the ‘Maasi’ behind ‘Dear Maasi’, a new sex and relationships column for female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) survivors. She is also an activist, part-time psychotherapist and amateur tarot card reader.

 

Passionate about: @wespeakoutfgm @canadafgm

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