Reema Ayub – Where Psychology Meets Corporate

The journey of self-awareness is often shaped by a combination of personal experiences, societal influences, and psychological growth. For some individuals, this process begins early in life, fueled by challenges that force them to confront questions about identity, belief systems, and their place in the world. As a clinical psychologist, I have come to understand how these experiences create a foundation for self-discovery and the pursuit of understanding others. Early Experiences: The Formation of Resilience: During childhood, our beliefs and values are often challenged, sometimes in ways that isolate us. In my case, a schoolyard debate about religious practices brought an entire school’s attention to me. Despite being alone in my stance, I was able to respond confidently and calmly, pushing my peers back to their classrooms without any external intervention. Looking back, this event was an early marker of resilience—a trait often formed in challenging environments. Such experiences ...

The year is 2025, but looking back to the early 2000s, I often wonder—has anything really changed? Back then, I wore a burka, watched Shaktiman, and used Facebook to make new friends. Now, while technological advancements have reshaped the world, the underlying cultural and societal patterns seem frozen in time, particularly in the subcontinent. Women are still judged by the standards of religion and morality, but the focus has slightly shifted. Let me take you on a journey through this perspective, strictly tied to the cultural context of the subcontinent, while living in Pakistan. 1. Middle-Class Women and the Judgment of Morality: In Pakistan’s middle class, wearing an abaya (burka) earns women immense respect. However, the same is not true for lower-class or upper-class women, who seem to have outgrown or ignored this pressure. Lower-class women are too occupied with survival, while upper-class women focus on ambition and influence. Middle-class women, on the other hand, juggle soc...