Online Multicultural Counseling in Portland, Seattle and throughout Oregon & Washington
EMBRACE YOUR UNIQUENESS AND FIND UNDERSTANDING, CONNECTION AND CONFIDENCE.
Do you often feel like you don’t quite fit in?
Like you’re a part of two worlds, but don’t quite belong to either?
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Growing up, you knew that you were different. At school you made friends, but there was always something missing. On the surface you were just like the other kids; you liked the same music, complained about the same classes and wanted to do the same things.
But inside, you could feel that something was just out of place and you found yourself often feeling misunderstood by others or having them not get why you had to go home and take care of your siblings, make dinner or why you had to make all the phone calls for your parents because they didn’t speak English.
Or maybe instead, you found yourself fitting right in with people. They totally understood your uniqueness, fully accepted your differences and you never felt awkward bringing them home. However, when you look back on your childhood friends, you realize that all of your friends were either immigrants themselves or first gen kids and now that leaves you curious as to why.
You constantly felt like you were straddling two worlds.
You wanted to be a good child and honor your parents, but you also knew that you wanted something different in life than they had planned for you. You may have often found yourself feeling frustrated with not feeling understood or supported in the way that you wanted to, but also guilty because you knew they gave up so much to create this life for you.
You often wondered how you could find the balance between being your genuine self, honoring your roots and fitting into the dominant culture that you were living in.
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Leaving everything you knew behind and starting fresh in a new country was hard, but you did it. Whether you came here with family or are braving this new life on your own, you know that everything has changed. In your previous home you had friends, family, close connections and maybe even a career that you spent years building.
Now you may be feeling alone, disconnected from your community back home, but also not having a community here. It doesn’t feel like you left that long ago, but yet you already feel different from those you left behind.
You’re doing everything you can to learn English, learn about the city you live in and become more “American” and yet, you are finding yourself constantly feeling out of place and missing home. You wonder, “was this the right choice?” “Will I ever feel like I belong again?”
Time has passed and you may have navigated through some of these confusing waters and figured out how to exist in both worlds, and yet, things still don’t feel quite right.
You go to work and on the surface things seem fine, but you just can’t figure out what’s quite different or why you don’t feel like you fully belong.
You have “American” friends, but you notice that some of them just don’t get you in the same way as some of your other friends do. You often find yourself having to explain to people why it’s not weird that you talk to your mom every day, drop everything and go help your family when they ask and why you can’t just say no and not show up to a family dinner.
Though it seems like people are trying to be curious and accepting of you, sometimes it feels like you are this weird novelty on display and not someone who truly belongs.
When it comes to your family, you know you love them and they love you, you’re thankful for everything that they’ve done for you, but you still want to be able to pursue your own life path without the constant feeling of guilt and shame. You talk to your parents and help out when you can, but anytime you try to set boundaries, voice your thoughts or seem too “American,” you know they just won’t get it.
Finding the path to you
What does counseling for multicultural issues look like?
What if:
You woke up every day with the confidence to be you
Friendships felt genuine
You felt seen, heard and understood by those you love
You were able to truly honor your roots, while living in the dominant culture
You felt like you belonged at work, in your family and with friends
Learning to navigate your various identities can feel overwhelming and exhausting, but it doesn’t have to.
Here’s what we’ll do together
We’ll explore your cultural background, values, and beliefs.
Together we will create a brave and supportive environment where you can fully embrace who you are without fear of judgment. It's important to take our time to establish this space, so that you feel comfortable and empowered to express yourself authentically.
Understanding where you come from and what matters most to you is essential in shaping our work. Additionally, we'll explore how the dominant culture you're a part of influences your thoughts, feelings, and actions in the world around you. This insight will help us navigate the complexities of your experiences and identity.
Another thing we will look at is how the past may be showing up today. We will dig deeper and see how intergenerational and cultural trauma may be influencing your views, experiences and responses.
Throughout our journey, my goal is to honor, respect, and include all the beautiful and unique parts of who you are. Your experiences, perspectives, and strengths are valuable, and I am here to support embracing and celebrating you.
Some areas I specialize in:
First and second generation adults (adults who either came here as children or are the first generation born here
Immigrants
Refugees
Multi-cultural/multi-racial partnerships and families
Ukrainian/Eastern European cultures
Pacific Islander cultures
Latinx cultures
Other types of cultures
Faith communities
Military
And others
EMDR
Some tools i use:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a well-researched, helpful therapy that works on your memories and beliefs to help you heal from past trauma and stressful events. It uses techniques like eye movements or tapping to help your brain process the past in a calming way. This can make you feel more at ease and give you better tools to handle difficult things when it comes up.
Integrative Mental Health
I've received specialized training that allows me to explore all aspects of your well-being to uncover any factors contributing to you not feeling well. This includes examining your sleep patterns, diet, physical activity, and other areas of health to identify potential areas for improvement that can help you feel better.
Therapy for multicultural issues can help you…
Embrace your cultural heritage and personal identity
Reconnect to meaningful relationships with your family and community
Cultivate your self- worth and belonging
Feel confident navigating the intricacies of the worlds that you belong to
Understand how the bigger systems around you impact who you are
Embrace your whole self.
It’s possible to embrace your whole self and find acceptance.
Questions?
FAQs
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No. I work with anyone struggling to find themselves and fit into their community and the dominant community around them. Whether you are finding yourself leaving a faith community, starting a job in a brand new field that has a particular type of culture or just someone who feels like they don’t quite fit into the community around them, counseling for multicultural issues can help you.
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No. Therapists are bound by law and ethics to keep what you say in counseling confidential. That means that what we talk about in session, stays in session. Outside of very limited circumstances (we can talk more about this in session), I will never acknowledge knowing you to anyone without your written permission. If we ever run into each other out in the community, I will never approach you first. You are welcome to say hi to me or ignore me completely. Keeping our work safe and confidential is my number one priority.
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Although, I may not be a part of your culture, I have lived experience navigating living in and fitting into many different cultures at the same time. Being an immigrant myself (see About page), I had to figure out how to stay true to myself and feel like I fit into the dominant culture. Professionally, I have spent most of my time working with folks from many different cultures find peace and understanding for themselves. Though I do have lived and professional experience in this area, I will say that I am not the expert on your life, you are. My goal is to walk alongside you and help you figure out what is best for your particular culture, life experience and circumstance.