In Balance

Latest Episodes:

Season 2 Episode 7｜Let's Talk First Time Sex with Amirah Zaky, Sexual Intimacy Educator & Vaginismus Expert Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, I sit down with Amirah Zaky, sexual intimacy educator and vaginismus expert, for an honest and compassionate conversation about fear, intimacy, and navigating first-time sexual experiences as Muslim women.

We discuss the emotional and psychological barriers that can make intimacy feel overwhelming, how shame and cultural expectations impact our relationship with our bodies, and the importance of healing, communication, and self-compassion.

This episode is a gentle reminder that intimacy is not just physical: it’s deeply emotional and spiritual too!

Please leave a review to help the podcast reach more Muslimas navigating life, relationships, and healing ✨

Links of my guest:

Amirah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amirahzaky
Amirah's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amirah_zaky

My Links:

My Book The Winds of Change: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/49zlWcC⁠⁠⁠⁠
My Newsletter: https://themizaan.substack.com
My Instagram: instagram.com/themizaan

Season 2 Episode 6｜What's with the Marriage Crisis ? With Humeyra Nur Celebi, Co-Founder of Ruh Dec 25, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, I am joined by Humeyra, the co-founder of Ruh, a platform dedicated to Muslim therapy and mental health, and a therapist specialized in family and marriage counseling.

Together, we explore what’s really behind the rising struggles in Muslim marriages, from unmet expectations and communication breakdowns to cultural pressures, mental health and faith perspective on this topic. Humeyra shares what she’s seeing on the ground through her work, common patterns couples face, and how our deen can be a source of healing rather than guilt.

I hope you find this episode as grounding and eye-opening as I did!

About my guest:
Ruh Platform: https://www.ruhcare.com/Ruh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruhcare/

My Book
The Winds of Change is now available worldwide: https://www.lulu.com/fr/shop/assia-boukrouh/the-winds-of-change/paperback/product-576mvy8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

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My links:
Instagram: instagram.com/inbalance.podcastInstagram: instagram.com/themizaanYouTube: youtube.com/themizaan

Season 2 Episode 5｜Islam, Culture & Identity : Growing up as a Diaspora Kid with Bayan Fares, Founder of the Badan Collective Aug 22, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, I’m joined by Bayan Fares, founder of the Badan Collective, to talk about navigating identity, balancing cultural and societal expectations, and the role of faith in maintaining mental health—especially during difficult times for Palestine.

Bayan also shares how reconnecting with her heritage through tatreez has empowered her and inspired others in the diaspora.

Please leave a review as it helps the podcast to be discovered by likeminded sisters who are navigating life as Muslimas! Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for tuning in this season, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed working on it, please let me know your feedbacks!

Links of Bayan :
Website: https://www.badancollective.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/badan.collective

My Links:
My Book The Winds of Change: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/49zlWcC⁠⁠⁠⁠
My Newsletter: https://themizaan.substack.com
My Instagram: instagram.com/themizaan & instagram.com/inbalance.podcast

Season 2 Episode 4｜Should we really be working as women? May 22, 2025

Show notes

Sharing with you all a few reflections I've been having on our fitrah as women, whether or not we're made to be working and how work can only be positive for us if we keep one specific thing in mind!

Please leave a review as it helps the podcast to be discovered by likeminded sisters who are navigating life as Muslimas!

Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for tuning in this season, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed working on it, please let me know your feedbacks!

Links:

My Book ‘The Winds of Change’: ⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/49zlWcC⁠⁠⁠

My newsletter: https://themizaan.substack.com

My Instagram: instagram.com/themizaan

Season 2 Episode 3｜From Taking Hijab off to Putting it Back on - Embracing its Beauty again with Subhi Bora, Mother Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

This one is for the sisters who struggle with what is probably one of the biggest blessings Allah has decreed for women.

In this episode, Subhi shares with us her journey with hijab: how she started wearing, how she drifted apart from it before deciding to take if off, only to re-embrace it again a few years later Alhamdulillah.

A beautiful message of hope, proving that faith is a journey and a sign for whoever is listening, that nothing is worth compromising it for.

About my guest:

Subhi's instagram: instagram.com/subhi.bora

My links:

My Book ‘The Winds of Change’ is now available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/49zlWcC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ramadan Playlist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/49LqCwi

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/inbalance.podcast⁠⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram.com/themizaan⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/themizaan⁠⁠⁠

Newsletter: https://themizaan.substack.com/

Season 2 Episode 2｜The Transformative Power of Gratitude with Roedah Mansour, Author of Blessings in the Little Things Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

This Ramadan, I'm partnering with MyTenNights to encourage you to automate your donations. Learn more here: ⁠https://mytennights.com/partner/assia-boukrouh⁠

Allah said in the Quran "If you are grateful, I would certainly give you more.” (14:7)

We often fail at noticing the simplest blessings in our life, but for some reason, it required personal development gurus for people to realize the transformative power of gratitude.

In this episode, we're diving into this topic with Roedah Mansour who wrote a book completely dedicated to it: "Blessings in the Little Things: In Pursuit of Heartwork to a More Meaningful and Intentional Life."

How can gratitude deepen your relationship to Allah and invite you to renew your intention? How can we be grateful for the simplest things but also, the difficult ones? How does gratitude impact your relationships?

A beautiful conversation that we hope is insightful and beneficial insha'Allah!

About my guest:

Roedah's book: https://www.imanshoppe.com/products/blessings-in-the-little-things-in-pursuit-of-heartwork-to-a-more-meaningful-and-intentional-life-by-roedah-mansour

Roedah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roedah_/

Roedah's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChpAJ12LPqkmzaowPztUYtw

My links:

My Book ‘The Winds of Change’ is now available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/49zlWcC⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ramadan Playlist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/49LqCwi

Instagram: ⁠⁠instagram.com/inbalance.podcast⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠Instagram.com/themizaan⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠youtube.com/themizaan⁠⁠

Newsletter: https://themizaan.substack.com/

Season 2 Episode 1｜Am I really a righteous person? Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

Alhamdulillah, we're back for a second season of In Balance!

In this first episode, I give you a little update on what's happened since the last episode aired a year ago and my reflections on what being a righteous person actually means.

Please leave a review as it helps the podcast to be discovered by likeminded sisters who are navigating life as Muslimas!

Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for tuning in this season, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed working on it, please let me know your feedbacks!

Links:

My Book ‘The Winds of Change’: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/49zlWcC⁠⁠

My newsletter: https://themizaan.substack.com

My Ramadan Playlist on YouTube: ⁠https://bit.ly/49LqCwi

My Instagram: instagram.com/themizaan

Episode 12 ｜ Does Age Really Mean Anything? Being 30, Being 40 and Life Talk With Sumayyah Nasaruddin, Founder of Olloum Mar 08, 2024

Show notes

How does it feel to be 30 and not married? 40 with no kids?

What about starting new projects or a new fitness journey at this age? Does age truly mean anything?

In this episode, I'm joined by the incredible Sumayyah for the big sister talk you didn't know you needed. In a society that always makes women feel like their prime is at a certain age and that their worth decrease with time, we thought we would show you that the Qadr of Allah is greater than everything and that age doesn't in fact mean anything.

Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for tuning in this season, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed working on it, please let me know your feedbacks!

My Book ‘The Winds of Change’ is now available: ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/49zlWcC⁠⁠

Ramadan Playlist: ⁠https://bit.ly/49LqCwi

About my guest:

Sumayyah's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sue.nasar/

Olloum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olloum.official/

My links:

Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/inbalance.podcast⁠

Instagram: ⁠Instagram.com/themizaan⁠

YouTube: ⁠youtube.com/themizaan⁠

All my links: ⁠snipfeed.co/themizaan⁠

Episode 11 ｜ Cherishing The Blessings in our Period with Hind Al Khatrash, Founder of LEAP Period Mar 02, 2024

Show notes

Why is there so much taboo around our period? Why are we not embracing the beauty of something Allah chose for us?

In today’s episode, I’m having a great conversation with Hind Al Khatrash, founder of sustainable period care LEAP on how she started this wonderful brand in Kuwait, broke stigmas and learnt to make period something to cherish and be proud of.

I hope you find this conversation as uplifting as I did!

My Book ‘The Winds of Change’ is now available: ⁠https://amzn.to/49zlWcC⁠

Staying Close to Allah during your Period: https://youtu.be/HxzpS_NJ5SI?si=EFTTdl9Ro3l7PY_8

About my guest:

LEAP Period: https://leapperiods.com/

LEAP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leap.periods/

My links:

Instagram: instagram.com/inbalance.podcast

Instagram: Instagram.com/themizaan

YouTube: youtube.com/themizaan

All my links: snipfeed.co/themizaan

Episode 10 ｜ Climbing Kilimanjaro & Everest BC : the Power of Determination with Noor Al Mandhari, Social Entrepreneur and Athlete Feb 17, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, I am joined by Noor Al Mandhari, a remarkable social entrepreneur and athlete from Oman who shatters stereotypes and defied expectations by climbing Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp.

Through her extraordinary journey, she shares the profound physical, mental, and spiritual lessons she gained. Discover how Noor's resilience, faith, and determination are not only reshaping perceptions but also breaking down barriers for hijabis in sports and society at large.

I hope you find this conversation as uplifting as I did!

My Book ‘The Winds of Change’ is now available: https://amzn.to/49zlWcC

About my guest:

Noor’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nooralmanthari

My links:

Instagram: instagram.com/inbalance.podcast

Instagram: Instagram.com/themizaan

YouTube: youtube.com/themizaan

All my links: snipfeed.co/themizaan