E56. Healing Trauma and Leading with Responsibility: A Deep Dive into Awareness Integration Theory with Dr. Foojan Zeine
Sun Jan 18 2026
In this powerful episode of Internally Guided Life, Host, Kayla Sweet is joined by Dr. Foojan Zeine, clinical psychologist, international speaker, author, and creator of Awareness Integration Theory (AIT), for a deeply grounding and expansive conversation about healing trauma and leading with responsibility.
Dr. Foojan shares her personal journey from surviving childhood trauma to developing Awareness Integration Theory, a holistic, evidence-based framework that bridges psychotherapy, coaching, and leadership development. AIT offers a way to heal unresolved trauma while also creating a clear, empowered direction forward, supporting emotionally intelligent leadership without bypassing responsibility or personal agency.
Together, Kayla and Dr. Foojan explore what it truly means to reclaim authorship of one’s life and lead from a place of self-awareness, integration, and accountability.
This conversation dives into:
How Awareness Integration Theory helps people heal trauma while intentionally shaping their future
Why personal responsibility is not blame, but liberation
How reframing past experiences can unlock resilience, pride, and self-trust
How Awareness Integration Theory is applied in organizational development, education, and workplace culture
Why accountability, self-awareness, and emotional integration are essential for healthy leadership and modern organizations
This episode will resonate with leaders, coaches, therapists, and individuals navigating healing who are seeking depth, clarity, and sustainable change. It speaks to those interested in trauma-informed leadership, personal responsibility, emotional integration, and the evolving intersection of psychology, coaching, and organizational development.
At its core, this conversation offers an invitation: to look inward with honesty, take responsibility with compassion, and lead from the inside out with awareness, integrity, and intention.
Meet the Guest:
Dr. Foojan Zeine is an international speaker, author, psychotherapist, and the originator of Awareness Integration Theory (AIT), a multi-modality psychological and educational approach shown to significantly reduce anxiety and depression while improving self-esteem, confidence, and overall life fulfillment.
She holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, and has over 32 years of experience in mental health, coaching, and leadership development.
She is the founder of the International Awareness Integration Institute, which certifies therapists, coaches, and educators in AIT, and the co-founder of the Foojan App, a psychology-meets-technology platform offering guided journaling and meditative practices across 31 life areas.
Connect with Foojan:
https://foojan.com/
https://awarenessintegration.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drfoojanzeine/
Meet the Host:
Kayla Sweet is the host of Internally Guided Life and an expert in burnout prevention, transformational leadership, self-care, and personal growth. As a life coach, she specializes in helping people reclaim their worthiness and purpose, guiding them to create fulfilling lives with balance and ease. With a background in psychology, mindfulness, and transformational leadership, Kayla empowers her community to align with their authentic selves, develop their strengths, and embrace intentional growth.
Kayla's debut poetry collection, Alchemy of Life, is available now at internallyguidedleadership.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart. This is a reflective collection of poems on transformation, healing, and becoming.
Connect with Kayla:
Linktree
Facebook
Instagram
TikTok
LinkedIn
Visit Internally Guided Leadership
Episode Credits:
Intro & Outro Music: By artist Goat On The River, produced by Christian Michael Smith at https://www.microdotstudioproductions.com/
Podcast recorded by Christian Michael Smith at https://www.microdotstudioproductions.com/
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In this powerful episode of Internally Guided Life, Host, Kayla Sweet is joined by Dr. Foojan Zeine, clinical psychologist, international speaker, author, and creator of Awareness Integration Theory (AIT), for a deeply grounding and expansive conversation about healing trauma and leading with responsibility. Dr. Foojan shares her personal journey from surviving childhood trauma to developing Awareness Integration Theory, a holistic, evidence-based framework that bridges psychotherapy, coaching, and leadership development. AIT offers a way to heal unresolved trauma while also creating a clear, empowered direction forward, supporting emotionally intelligent leadership without bypassing responsibility or personal agency. Together, Kayla and Dr. Foojan explore what it truly means to reclaim authorship of one’s life and lead from a place of self-awareness, integration, and accountability. This conversation dives into: How Awareness Integration Theory helps people heal trauma while intentionally shaping their future Why personal responsibility is not blame, but liberation How reframing past experiences can unlock resilience, pride, and self-trust How Awareness Integration Theory is applied in organizational development, education, and workplace culture Why accountability, self-awareness, and emotional integration are essential for healthy leadership and modern organizations This episode will resonate with leaders, coaches, therapists, and individuals navigating healing who are seeking depth, clarity, and sustainable change. It speaks to those interested in trauma-informed leadership, personal responsibility, emotional integration, and the evolving intersection of psychology, coaching, and organizational development. At its core, this conversation offers an invitation: to look inward with honesty, take responsibility with compassion, and lead from the inside out with awareness, integrity, and intention. Meet the Guest: Dr. Foojan Zeine is an international speaker, author, psychotherapist, and the originator of Awareness Integration Theory (AIT), a multi-modality psychological and educational approach shown to significantly reduce anxiety and depression while improving self-esteem, confidence, and overall life fulfillment. She holds a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, and has over 32 years of experience in mental health, coaching, and leadership development. She is the founder of the International Awareness Integration Institute, which certifies therapists, coaches, and educators in AIT, and the co-founder of the Foojan App, a psychology-meets-technology platform offering guided journaling and meditative practices across 31 life areas. Connect with Foojan: https://foojan.com/ https://awarenessintegration.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/drfoojanzeine/ Meet the Host: Kayla Sweet is the host of Internally Guided Life and an expert in burnout prevention, transformational leadership, self-care, and personal growth. As a life coach, she specializes in helping people reclaim their worthiness and purpose, guiding them to create fulfilling lives with balance and ease. With a background in psychology, mindfulness, and transformational leadership, Kayla empowers her community to align with their authentic selves, develop their strengths, and embrace intentional growth. Kayla's debut poetry collection, Alchemy of Life, is available now at internallyguidedleadership.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart. This is a reflective collection of poems on transformation, healing, and becoming. Connect with Kayla: Linktree Facebook Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Visit Internally Guided Leadership Episode Credits: Intro & Outro Music: By artist Goat On The River, produced by Christian Michael Smith at https://www.microdotstudioproductions.com/ Podcast recorded by Christian Michael Smith at https://www.microdotstudioproductions.com/