Embracing life as an immigrant in America means navigating a unique reality that differs from those born here. The beauty of this role lies in the unwavering strength you possess to carve out your own path in this vast world, leaving you with an incredible but tiring need to succeed. It can become easy to navigate life with the weight of the world on your shoulders, but you are not alone on this journey, and there is a supportive community ready to welcome and uplift you.
Society asks you to be professional, obedient, and normal while your family expects you to take on the breadwinner attitude for their needs. The pressure of these demands leaves you feeling alienated and stuck in a cycle where control over your life never feels in your hands. That is why my practice focuses on helping first-gen immigrants find their place in the world through their own experiences and not what others expect of them.
Surviving Doesn’t Mean Thriving
Every immigrant child knows the weight they carry when they walk through their school, work, and home. It’s like an endless presumption that you are to care for, mend, and uplift the family that provided you with this new life. However, if those feelings are left unattended, it can be easy for the weight to become too heavy.
Trauma can form in between the cracks, leaving you reliant on your means of survival to get you through each day without concern for your own mental or emotional needs. Carrying the responsibility of being a provider and caregiver for your family can sometimes look like suppressing your goals and needs for the betterment of others. This leaves you in a kind of survival mode, always looking for the next opportunity to fulfill your role before you can focus on yourself.
How Does Therapy Fit Into My Life?
As a therapist, I want to ensure that you are taking care of your mental, emotional, and physical needs regardless of what is expected of you. Because immigrant families tend to be tight-knit, it can feel suffocating and awkward to turn to a family member to talk about family issues. That is why this type of therapy exists: to allow you the space to be yourself without judgment or reprimand. You don’t have to be completely vulnerable and open about your experiences in the first session, but having the ability to show up for yourself will mark the first step in your healing journey. I want to help you break down the barriers and guards so that you can learn how to have meaningful conversations and relationships where your needs are prioritized.
Reach Out To Find Yourself Today
You are your person, and that deserves to be celebrated in all areas of your life. Otherwise, you fall into the space trapped between family expectations and your sense of self. Take the first step of becoming who you were meant to be today. Reach out to my practice so you can gain the tools and knowledge needed to confidently put yourself first.