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Maha Ghazale, Tallet el Khayat, Beirut (2026)

05/02/2026

That burning in your muscles when you want to quit? That’s the same feeling that rises when your child is screaming and nothing is working.

The discomfort of holding lunges. The discomfort of holding space.

Both ask the same thing of you: stay.

Stay when your body says stop. Stay when your child can’t think straight, can’t use words, can’t hear reason because in that moment, they genuinely can’t.

Their brain isn’t giving them access to logic yet. They need you to be the steady one first. To breathe. To regulate. So they can borrow your calm and find their way back co-regulation before problem-solving.

And here’s the thing it’s hard. Especially if no one ever did this for you. Especially if you’re learning this language for the first time as an adult.

You’ll mess up. You’ll lose your form in the gym and at home. Some reps will be ugly.

But you keep showing up.

Not perfect. Just present.

And over time, what once felt impossible starts to feel possible. Not because the discomfort disappears but because you learned you could sit in it.

That’s the workout no one talks about. That’s the one that changes everything.

14/01/2026

Playing with our children doesn’t feel natural to everyone, and that’s important to say out loud.

For many parents, play feels awkward, unfamiliar, or even pointless. Not because they don’t care, but because they were never played with in that way themselves. Our nervous systems learn relationship through experience, not intention.

So when you sit on the floor, enter your child’s imaginary world, or try to repair after a hard moment, and something in you feels tense or unsure, that’s not failure.

That’s your nervous system encountering something new.

Many parents today talk about “breaking the cycle.” What’s often missed is this:
breaking a cycle doesn’t feel comfortable. It feels unfamiliar.

And that discomfort isn’t a sign you’re doing something wrong.
It’s a sign you’re building a relationship differently, on purpose.

ليس من السهل على جميع الأهل أن يشعروا بالراحة أثناء اللعب مع أطفالهم، وهذا أمر طبيعي.

كثيرون نشأوا في بيئات لم يكن فيها اللعب المشترك جزءًا من العلاقة اليومية، ولم تكن مشاركة الخيال أو الجلوس على مستوى الطفل أسلوبًا مألوفًا للتواصل. ومع الوقت، تصبح هذه التجارب المبكرة النموذج الداخلي الذي نعيد الاعتماد عليه دون وعي.

لذلك، عندما يحاول أحد الوالدين اليوم اللعب مع طفله، أو إعادة بناء العلاقة بعد لحظة توتّر، ويشعر بعدم الارتياح أو التردّد، فذلك لا يعني أنه يقوم بشيء خاطئ.

بل يعني أنه يخوض تجربة جديدة على مستوى الجهاز العصبي والذاكرة العاطفية.

كثير من الأهالي يصفون هذه المرحلة بأنها «كسر للحلقة».
لكن كسر الحلقة لا يكون مريحًا بالضرورة.
الشعور بالغرابة ليس فشلًا،
بل هو مؤشر على بناء علاقة بطريقة مختلفة… وبوعي.

كيف تشعر عادةً عند اللعب مع طفلك؟

07/01/2026

• استقبل طفلك بدفء، مع تقليل الأسئلة والمطالب
«اشتقت لك» أفضل من «ماذا حدث اليوم؟»

• احرص على طقوس ثابت عند العودة
أغنية هادئة، لحظات صمت، أو وقت قصير دون حديث

• حافظ على تواصل بسيط خلال اليوم
ملاحظة صغيرة أو رسالة تُشعره بالأمان

• قدّم طعامًا خفيفًا وماءً فور العودة
فالجسد غالبًا يكون مُنهكًا بعد يوم طويل

• وفّر وقتًا للهدوء أو الراحة
الإرهاق يزيد من حدّة التوتر والانفعال

• خفّف الضجيج والفوضى عند الدخول إلى المنزل
فالحمل الحسي يكون مرتفعًا بعد نهار طويل

• امنح الطفل خيارًا بين الحركة أو الهدوء
بعض الأطفال يحتاجون إلى التفريغ، وآخرون إلى السكون

• خصّص مساحة هـادئة في المنزل
مكان مريح، قليل المطالب، يساعد على الاستقرار

• تجنّب البدء فورًا بالواجبات أو الأنشطة
التفريغ يأتي أولًا

• اعتمد روتينًا واضحًا بعد المدرسة
وصول → طعام → تفريغ → نشاط خفيف
الروتين مصدر أمان، لا صلابة

• تحلَّ بالمرونة
فبعض الأيام تتطلّب وقتًا أطول أو تعديل الخطة

• لا تُقلّل من شأن الانهيار العاطفي
قل: «كان يومك طويلًا، أنا هنا معك»

• حافظ على هدوئك
توتر البالغ يصعّب على الطفل تهدئة نفسه

• تحدّث بعد أن يهدأ الطفل تمامًا
وليس في لحظة الشدّة

• شجّع التفريغ الجسدي
قفز، حركة، تأرجح، أو تنفّس عميق

• سمِّ المشاعر بصوت هادئ
«يبدو أنك مرهق»

29/12/2025

This year asked a lot of us.
And still we showed up.❤️

Through uncertainty, exhaustion, and moments that were far from ideal, we kept going. We adapted. We stayed present. We made meaning where we could.

Workshops, travel, conversations, small pauses in between none of it was perfect. But it was real. And in many ways, that’s what mattered most.

Ending the year with gratitude, clarity, and a steady commitment to keep going.☺️

Ready for 2026?

26/12/2025

After the war, we entered classrooms with structure and intention, but without assumptions, allowing children to lead us into their inner world through creative expression.

Working with children at the Ali Ghandour Center at , across both private and public schools, was a powerful reminder of why creative, non-verbal interventions matter, especially after collective trauma.

Through structured creative sessions, children didn’t need to explain what the war took from them.
They showed us.

In their drawings, their movement, their silence, their play, children invited us into their inner world and trusted us with what they were carrying. No rehearsed narratives. No adult language. Just truth.

These sessions weren’t about “fixing” children.
They were about making space for regulation, for expression, for meaning-making, when words fall short and nervous systems are overwhelmed.

It is a privilege to witness children lead the way, to remind us that healing doesn’t start with talking, it starts with being seen, felt, and met where they are.

This work reinforced something I believe deeply:
Creative interventions are not optional after war. They are essential.

19/08/2025

The build-up of a relationship — from joining them in their play when they were younger, to now sharing their interests as they grow. For us, that’s swimming. We swim together, and afterwards, we always close it with a meal — sometimes at home, sometimes outside, depending on how exhausted we are. 😄

It’s in these simple rituals that attachment deepens: enjoying their world, then inviting them into ours. My hope is that as they grow, they’ll always know — we can join them in what they love, and they can join us in what keeps us close. That’s how memories are built. 💙 whats your favorite ritual?

12/06/2025

خليهن يحسّوا إنو الدنيا آمنة، دافئة، ومليانة سحر. ✨
بعالم عم يستعجل الطفولة، خلّينا نحنا نبطّئ الإيقاع.
نحمي براءتن، ونعيش اللحظات اللي فيها ضحك، فوضى، وتساؤل.

لأن الطفولة مش مرحلة منركض نخلّص منها—
هي الأساس اللي كل شي بعدو بينبنى عليه❣️

Let them feel the world is kind, gentle, and full of wonder. ✨
In a time that pushes children to grow up too soon,
let’s hold space for their imagination.
Let’s honor their curiosity, their laughter, their wild, beautiful mess.

Because childhood isn’t a stepping stone to real life—
it is real life.
And it shapes everything that follows ❣️

30/04/2025

Yesterday was a big day. I wrapped up a workshop that brought together children from two very different schools—one private, one public—as part of a project led by . Over the past few days, I had been working with each group separately, offering expressive arts interventions to help them process the emotional weight of war and create a bit of safety and stability amidst the ongoing uncertainty.

But yesterday was different. We brought them all into one shared space. I had carefully planned activities to help bridge the two groups, but honestly? The kids didn’t need much help from me.

Children are incredible. You know why? Because they instinctively found the one thing they all had in common: play. That was their language. That was their bridge. After the break, I looked around and saw them holding hands, arms around each other’s shoulders, switching partners, laughing, creating games out of nothing.

Play is powerful. It’s how children connect, how they build trust, how they grieve and celebrate and feel seen. It’s how they reclaim a sense of control when the world around them feels chaotic. It’s not just “fun”—it’s healing, it’s regulating, it’s unifying. And yesterday, it reminded me that sometimes, children lead the way in showing us what humanity really looks like.

16/04/2025

Scrolling hits the dopamine… but strolling sparks everything else.
Lately I’ve been noticing how different my brain feels when I choose nature, real connection, or even boredom over constant stimulation.
That’s where the creativity kicks in. The presence. The calm.
Honestly, I think our brains are craving less noise and more meaning.
Which one refuels you more?

02/03/2025

The challenge in relationships—isn’t about always getting things right. What truly matters is the commitment to repair when a rupture occurs. It’s not about placing blame or seeing problems, but rather about continuously working toward genuine connection, moment by moment, day by day.

11/02/2025

Exciting News! ✨

I had to share this with you—because you’ve been with me from the start. I know I’m not the most active on here, but you’ve been part of this journey, and that means a lot.

I’m honored to be invited as part of the 2025-2026 Teaching Faculty at UC Davis CPE for the Napa Infant-Parent Mental Health Fellowship. This opportunity allows me to share the work I’m doing and explore how our cultural practices can shape healing and growth in our communities.

A deep honor, immense gratitude—and onwards. 💛

Thanks for sticking around, even with my minimal posts. 😉

خبر حلو! ✨

بعرف إني مش كتير ناشطة هون، بس إنتو كنتو جزء من هالمشوار، وما فيّي إلا شارك معكن!

مبسوطة وممتنّة إني انضمّيت لهيئة التدريس لسنة 2025-2026 بجامعة كاليفورنيا، ديفيس CPE ضمن زمالة نابا للصحة النفسية بين الرضيع والأهل. فرصة حلوة إني شارك الشغل يلي عم بعمله، ونحكي كيف فينا نوظّف ممارساتنا الثقافية لنخلق مساحات شفاء ونموّ بمجتمعاتنا.

شرف كبير، و امتنان،! 💛

شكرًا لإنكن بعدكن معي، حتى مع بوستاتي القليلة

24/01/2025

Walking through the halls of LAU again, this time as a speaker, was such a meaningful experience. I had the privilege of giving a lecture to psychology students about the power of play and its role in trauma recovery. It felt so rewarding to stand where I once sat as a student, sharing insights that have shaped my career.

A huge thank you to Dr. Pia Tohme for inviting me and creating space for these important conversations. I’m also deeply grateful to Dr. Bruce Perry for generously giving us his time to speak directly to the students about neuroscience and play. His wisdom and perspective added so much depth to the discussion.

Play is so much more than just an activity—it’s a pathway to healing, connection, and growth.

Grateful for the journey that brought me here and for the opportunity to give back to a place that shaped me.

Maha Ghazale

05/02/2026

14/01/2026

07/01/2026

29/12/2025

26/12/2025

19/08/2025

12/06/2025

30/04/2025

16/04/2025

02/03/2025

11/02/2025

24/01/2025

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