The Role of Healthy Boundaries in Healing

On June 11, 2025June 11, 2025 By Zeenat Merchant Syal-Counseling Psychologist|Spiritual CounselorIn Emotions, healing, Mind, Mind-Mental Health, Positive Self Reflection, spiritual healing2 Comments

The more you value yourself, the healthier your boundaries become.

I often witness the profound transformation that occurs when individuals learn to set and honor healthy boundaries. I’ve witnessed this profound transformation in my clients as they learn to honor and embody healthy boundaries—but this journey has also been deeply personal. As I’ve refined and realigned my own boundaries, I’ve experienced a powerful expansion in emotional clarity, self-trust, and inner peace. Boundaries have not only supported my healing—they’ve deepened my capacity to hold space for others with greater compassion and authenticity.

Boundaries aren’t about building walls, they’re about creating space where safety, trust, and self-respect can thrive. They are acts of self-love that protect our emotional energy, allowing for deeper, more authentic relationships, both with others and ourselves.

As I deepened my own healing journey, I came to understand that setting healthy boundaries is not just a helpful practice—it’s a sacred starting point for true transformation.

Continue reading →

Healing is Not About Erasing Your Past

On April 19, 2025April 19, 2025 By Zeenat Merchant Syal-Counseling Psychologist|Spiritual CounselorIn Emotions, healing, Mind, Mind-Mental Health, spiritual healing6 Comments

“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”~ Brene Brown

Our minds and bodies have an incredible ability to protect us. When we experience trauma or prolonged stress, we develop coping mechanisms to survive. These mechanisms unconsciously become our identity.

In the past, I have used emotional eating as a coping mechanism. I have used immersing myself in work till my bones hurt as a coping mechanism. I have used avoidance and isolation as a coping mechanism. But all because I was too afraid at the time to face the feelings and emotions that were coming up. I did it because I needed to survive through so much trauma without any guidance or knowing how.

I know you know what I am talking about. We all have our very own coping mechanisms.

Continue reading →

The Big Little Pleasures that are actually not so little

On November 8, 2024 By Zeenat Merchant Syal-Counseling Psychologist|Spiritual CounselorIn Emotions, healing, Mind, Mind-Mental Health, Positive Self Reflection9 Comments

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” ~ Robert Brault

A few months back, my daughter had a sudden fainting one night, when her eyes were open but her body was not responding. She was crying but could not speak what was happening to her. And moments before that we were planning outfits for her week in college. We were giggling and laughing, while trying on clothes and then suddenly as she was talking to me, she just lay down and that was her state.

We all rushed her to the hospital at 11 pm that night. All the while I was trying to hold it together and my mind kept trying to find an explanation to her condition logically.

Continue reading →