Identity and Culture
Many clients seeking multicultural or identity-focused therapy have been carrying the weight of micro-aggressions, feeling othered, or being the target of bigotry and racism. These experiences can be uncomfortable at best, traumatic at worst. Finding a therapist who understands these experiences is invaluable.
But your identity and culture is so much more than those difficult experiences.
It shapes how you move through the world; how you understand yourself, relate to others, and make meaning of your experiences. Culture, family history, ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender, and social context all play a role in shaping your values, expectations, and sense of belonging. And that’s absolutely beautiful.
For many people, identity isn’t singular or static. It’s layered, evolving, and sometimes conflicted.
You may feel grounded in some parts of who you are, while questioning or feeling conflicted with others. You may move between cultures, roles, or communities, trying to adapt constantly, translating yourself, or carrying unspoken pressure to “get it right” in every space.
Therapy offers a place to explore these questions with care and depth, so you can feel more like…you.
Belonging, Values, and Experiences
Feeling Truly Seen
Cultural and familial trauma doesn’t always look dramatic. It can live in anxiety, control, emotional distance, or overprotection, passed down through behaviors rather than words.
Previous generations may have carried unresolved fear, loss, or instability, which then shaped how they related to you. Without tools or support, these patterns often repeat themselves, even when our intentions are loving.
In therapy, we gently explore:
How intergenerational dynamics influence your sense of safety and autonomy
The emotional roles you were assigned growing up
Where responsibility was placed too early or too heavily
How these patterns continue to affect your adult relationships
Understanding these dynamics creates more compassion for yourself and caregivers without minimizing the impact they’ve had on you.
Am I struggling with my Identity or Culture?
You might feel a strong sense of loyalty to your family or community, while also wanting to define yourself on your own terms. There may be generational expectations, cultural values, or collective histories that shape your choices, even if they conflict with your current needs.
Struggling with these aspects of yourself can look like:
Feeling torn between personal desires and family or cultural expectations
Struggling with guilt, obligation, or pressure to fulfill certain roles
Questioning where you belong, or whether you fully belong anywhere
Navigating cultural transitions, immigration, or changes in environment
Relying on local support systems while loved ones remain far away
Feeling heightened stress during political, economic, or social instability
Managing workplace and social environments that weren’t designed with your background in mind
Carrying inherited narratives about success, resilience, or sacrifice
These experiences are deeply personal and often difficult to articulate. Therapy is where you can put the pieces together, and make space for their complexity. Together, we will explore how your lived experience has shaped your inner world without trying to fit you into a label.
It’s about helping you own and make sense of your story.
A Space to Integrate, Not Perform
Some clients worry that exploring or challenging these themes means rejecting their background or distancing themselves from important relationships. In reality, working on these different parts often helps people relate more honestly to themselves and others.
Our work together may include:
Examining cultural, familial, and generational messages you’ve internalized
Exploring how identity impacts relationships, boundaries, and self-expression
Processing experiences of difference, marginalization, or invisibility
Strengthening your sense of agency and self-trust
Clarifying values so your choices feel more aligned and intentional
If you’re navigating identity questions, cultural transitions, or the pressure of holding multiple roles at once, you don’t have to do it alone.