The Stigma of Therapy with Lilly Ismail

The Stigma of Therapy with Lilly Ismail

From Breaking Pita With Zee by Zahra Huber

October 28, 2025 · 30 min · Season 4 · Episode 9

About this episode

Zahra Huber and therapist Lilly Ismail discuss the mental health stigmas in Arab and Arab-American communities.

Have thoughts? Send Zahra a text! In this episode, host Zahra Huber sits down with therapist Lilly Ismail to talk openly about the mental health stigmas that run deep in Arab and Arab-American communities. From the fear of judgment and pressure to remain “strong,” to the silence around trauma, anxiety, and depression, they explore how these patterns form and why they persist. Lilly offers insight from her work and her own lived experiences, breaking down the difference between cul...

People in this episode

Hosts: Zahra Huber, Zahra

Guest: Lilly Ismail

Topics covered

  • mental health
  • stigma
  • therapy
  • Arab communities
  • trauma
  • anxiety
  • depression

Keywords

  • mental health stigma
  • Arab-American
  • judgment
  • strength
  • silence
  • lived experiences

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Stigma of Therapy

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