Transcending Trauma: How to Overcome Major Loss and Help Your Children Heal

Recorded on the second anniversary of the Beirut port explosion, Sarah El Nabulsi opens by acknowledging what the mind struggles to do in the face of catastrophic loss — find an explanation or justification. She makes a key distinction: transcending trauma does not mean forgetting. It means accepting what happened and choosing not to let it hold you back. She introduces Transcendental Meditation as a clinical tool for this process. On supporting others: she advises against avoiding the topic — repression prevents processing. On children: she outlines the PTSD symptoms parents need to watch for — hyperarousal, worst-case-scenario thinking, negative worldview, and nightmares — and advises consulting a psychologist if these symptoms persist beyond a couple of months.