Understanding Why You Were Given (or Took On) So Much For so many eldest daughters of immigrant families, responsibility didn’t arrive with a ceremony. It wasn’t given like a gift; it crept in quietly, folded into the corners of everyday…
Defining the Eldest Daughter Experience When we talk about the eldest daughter, we usually mean the first-born girl. But often, the realities are more complex. The mantle of “eldest-ness” may shift (or be placed on someone) not always by birth,…
Let’s talk about something uncomfortable: the fetishization of Asian women. On the surface, it can look like a compliment – being called “exotic,” being told we’re “more attractive” than other women, being the “preference.” But if you scratch beneath that…
When someone dies by suicide, it leaves behind deep pain and heavy questions. For those who were close to the person whether family, friends, classmates, or coworkers, the grief can feel overwhelming, confusing, and sometimes isolating. The way we respond…
From the outside, everything looks fine. You’re showing up to work, you’re keeping your relationships intact, and checking off milestones. Maybe you’re even excelling! But inside? There’s a quiet, heavy ache. A numbness. A thought that creeps in when you’re…
Growing up with emotionally immature (EI) parents often leaves adult children with lingering confusion, frustration, and self-doubt. EI parents may have been reactive, dismissive, self-centered, or simply emotionally unavailable. They often lacked the capacity to attune to your feelings or…
If you’re navigating recovery from disordered eating, you might find yourself stuck in a confusing in-between space—wanting to change, but also not wanting to let go. This is ambivalence, and it’s a completely normal (and often frustrating) part of the…
Aging is a natural part of life, but when it begins to affect our parents, it can feel particularly disorienting and overwhelming. For many adult children, especially within Asian communities, navigating a parent’s aging process can bring up deep emotional…
By Helen Garcia, Filipina American Therapist & Storyteller In a recent clip, director Celine Song shared something that stopped me in my tracks. Before creating her upcoming film Materialists, she worked as a professional matchmaker in New York City. Her…
Have you ever started your day with a clear plan, only to find yourself scrambling to remember what you were supposed to do next? Or struggled to juggle multiple projects without feeling completely overwhelmed? If so, you might be experiencing…
