Therapy for Immigrants and Their Children

Do you sometimes feel like you're stuck between two cultures, unsure where you actually belong? Do family expectations weigh heavily on you, making it hard to pursue what you actually want? Or maybe it's hard to set boundaries without guilt. Maybe you struggle with a sense of shame about your identity that others don't quite understand.

These are just some of the common struggles that first-generation immigrants and second-generation immigrants face in their daily lives. In my practice, I specialize in supporting this population with deep compassion. You are not alone, even if you feel like you might be.

In therapy, we will widen the space for exploring your true feelings, needs, and values. We will also cultivate insight to collaborate on deciding which meaningful changes you'd like to make. Both your cultural background and your individual voice matter, and we will give room to both.

Understanding the Struggles of Immigrants and Second-Generation Immigrants

Over the years, I have intentionally focused my clinical efforts on supporting those who hold marginalized identities. I support adults wishing to reconcile how certain cultural experiences, family roles, and systemic pressures show up in their daily lives.

This work can be as hard as it is tender. Immigrant families have unique needs, and mental health struggles are not always openly talked about. Unpacking certain cultural norms may feel intimidating, and you might feel guilty or afraid to talk about your experiences.

With that, I'm not just culturally competent by definition. I share this experience personally. As someone with a mixed-race, multicultural identity, I understand the difficulties of navigating cultural expectations and finding authenticity. Therapy should never shame or pathologize who you are- instead, it's about reclaiming yourself and feeling more whole.

Here are some of the common struggles we may focus on in therapy:

Internalized Shame

Many of my clients carry a deep sense of shame that lives quietly and powerfully inside them. Often, they don’t name it “shame” right away. Instead, it shows up as anxiety, limited self-worth, or a harsh inner critic. It might feel like low self-esteem or an ongoing fear that something about them is wrong, even if they can’t explain why.

Shame is sneaky like that. It tells you you’re not enough, or that you’re too much. It can also tell you that you don’t belong and that if people really saw your pain or truth, they might turn away. Sometimes it makes you feel responsible for everyone else's wellness.

For many immigrants and second-generation clients, shame is not just personal. It’s intergenerational. It can come from family messages that say you must put others first, stay silent to be strong, or that needing help is weakness. Maybe you were praised for being selfless or quiet, even if it meant sacrificing your own needs. Over time, those lessons can be internalized within the body as shame.

Therapy gives you space to notice these patterns with compassion. We explore where these beliefs came from and how they’ve shaped you. In doing this, we can begin to gently loosen shame’s grip, helping you reconnect with a more grounded, whole version of yourself.

Conflicting Boundaries

For many immigrants and second-generation clients, the concept of boundaries can feel confusing or even wrong. You may love your family, but also feel unseen or overextended. You may have grown up in a culture where closeness is expected or putting your own needs first is disrespectful. Saying "no" might feel impossible, even when you strongly disagree with something.

You might love your family deeply, but still feel overwhelmed or emotionally drained. This internal conflict can lead to strong feelings of guilt, resentment, confusion, or sadness.

In therapy, we gently process this tension. Boundary work is less about becoming rigid or controlling and more about learning how to attune to your own needs. The goal is to honor them in ways that feel both personally and culturally respectable. This allows you to communicate what you need without cutting off connections or abandoning yourself.

Challenging Family Expectations

Families can be a powerful source of love and connection, but they can also carry unspoken expectations that are hard to question. In many immigrant and second-generation homes, there’s a strong rule that you put the family first. Speaking up, setting limits, or choosing a different path might be seen as disrespectful or disloyal.

You may have taken on a role that never quite fit. Maybe you’ve become the one who smooths things over, takes care of others, or keeps your feelings to yourself to avoid conflict. Over time, it can feel like there’s no space for your own needs, let alone your full self.

In therapy, we step back from these roles and look at how they’ve shaped you. You’ll have space to consider what kind of relationship you want with your family. We’ll work together to help you navigate these ties with more clarity and self-trust.

Intergenerational Trauma

You may be carrying a pain that didn't start with you.

Maybe your parents or grandparents experienced war, displacement, or discrimination. Maybe they fled their home country with nothing but the belongings on their backs. Maybe nobody really talks about "what happened," but you can feel that weight in your body and in your fears. Or maybe they do talk about it, but there's this sense of obligation to honor your family's struggle.

Intergenerational trauma can affect you both emotionally and physically. If you have this kind of trauma, you might have symptoms of emotional numbness, people-pleasing, fear of failure, or chronic guilt. You may always feel like you're bracing for something, as if things could fall apart at any moment, even when life seems stable. Rest might feel unsafe. Accomplishments may never feel like enough.

These patterns generally represent survival strategies passed down through generations. In therapy, we create space to understand and soften them, so you can stop carrying what was never fully yours to begin with.

Cultural Nuances

Culture shapes everything, from how we love and spend money to how we perceive ourselves and feel safe in the world. Culture influences values, and these values may be your strengths and your struggles.

Living in modern society is hard when you don't exactly know what's yours versus your family's. This untangling takes time, as you may have been taught that even identifying your own needs is selfish or unnecessary. In some families, emotional independence feels disloyal, and therapy itself may be viewed as unnecessary or even shameful. Many cultures still perceive therapy as a service only for those with serious mental illness. 

Seeking mental health services may feel like a betrayal of your upbringing. You might worry about being seen as dramatic, weak, or ungrateful. Your fears are real, and they can make reaching out for support difficult.

These fears don't mean therapy isn't for you. It just means therapy needs to be a space where you feel understood. You don't have to choose between your culture and your mental health. Together, we'll explore any fears at your own pace and with compassion.

What to Expect In Our Work Together

Some of my clients have been to therapy in the past. But many are also new to this experience. Therapy hasn’t always felt culturally accessible or emotionally safe. You may have worried about being misunderstood, judged, or having to explain too much. Either way, you’re welcome here, just as you are.

I use a cultural relational framework in my practice. This means we explore what’s bringing you to therapy through the lens of your social and cultural context. This allows us to better understand the patterns underlying your relationships or emotional well-being. We also stay grounded in the present. We pay close attention to what’s happening in your body — the sensations, tensions, or emotions that surface in the moment — because they often hold the truth your words haven’t yet found.

My practice is deeply trauma-informed. If you've experienced adversity or trauma, we’ll move at a pace that supports your safety and capacity. I offer psychoeducation when helpful, and I work to co-regulate with you if you become overwhelmed.

I’m also comfortable taking a more active, guiding role when needed. This becomes especially valuable in trauma work. I will gently explain when and why I may redirect certain content to protect your nervous system and support your well-being.

Therapy for Immigrant Parents, Adult Children of Immigrants, and Second-Generation Immigrants in Brooklyn and Queens, New York

You don't have to choose between honoring your culture and being true to yourself. In therapy, we will explore the values and experiences that have shaped you with curiosity and compassion. This can help you build a more integrated sense of self, one that reflects who you are and who you're becoming.

We offer in-person therapy in Brooklyn, NY, and telehealth sessions for adults across New York State. If you feel ready to navigate the cultural layers of your identity and reconnect with your true self, we’d be honored to work with you.

Please reach out today to schedule an initial consultation.