Growing up between cultures — being an immigrant and now a parent raising the first generation — is not something I understand only from books or training.
It is part of my lived experience.
Coming to the U.S. in my 20s, going through cultural shock, and navigating acculturation has shaped who I am — both as a person and as a therapist.
If you are a recent immigrant, you may experience:
Loss of daily contact with family
Loss of friendships and social networks
Loss of familiarity (culture, systems, routines)
Loss of professional identity and status
Loss or struggle with language fluency
Feeling that “nothing is fully gone, yet everything has changed”
You have been in survival mode
Overworking to the point of exhaustion
Guilt when resting
Constant focus on the future
Difficulty experiencing joy
Emotional numbness or exhaustion
Increased risk of anxiety, depression, and physical symptoms
You tend to rely on messages that once helped you to power through:
“I must be strong.”
“My problems are not important.”
“I shouldn’t complain.”
Asking for help sounds like a foreign language for you
Therapy Can Help You
Ask for help without guilt
Express your emotions safely
Process grief and loss
Notice and communicate your needs
Build the ability to rest without guilt
First-Generation Experience: Cultural Messages & Internal Rules
Grew up with strong, often unspoken ideas about what is “right” and “wrong”
Learned what is allowed vs. not allowed in emotions, behavior, and choices
Developed internal rules shaped by family and cultural expectations
These beliefs helped you survive and move forward
May feel pressure to be responsible, successful, or “strong”
In the present, this may show up as:
Difficulty relaxing or slowing down
High self-criticism or perfectionism
Guilt when prioritizing yourself
Struggles with boundaries
Feeling torn between cultures or expectations
Therapy Can Support You In
Understanding your cultural beliefs and where they come from
Noticing how they show up in your life today
Exploring whether they still serve you
Building flexibility — not erasing your values
Recognizing your current resources and support
Creating new ways of relating to yourself and others
If what you read feels familiar, you don’t have to go through it alone. You were not born to constantly be strong and power through everything. You deserve support. I’m Yuliya — a bilingual Gestalt therapist and a mother of two. I work with immigrants and first-generation Americans to help you better understand yourself, process your experiences, and build a life that feels more grounded, flexible, and your own.
