For many children of immigrants, growing up involved an unspoken contract: our parents sacrificed everything—their homeland, their comfort, their language—so that we could succeed. Our role in this contract is to be grateful, hardworking, and, above all, okay. To struggle with mental health, to experience
The start of a new year often comes with expectations to improve, achieve, or correct something about ourselves. For many Asian Americans, these expectations can feel especially heavy. Cultural messages about discipline, success, family obligation, and perseverance may make New Year’s resolutions feel less like
Many adults who grew up with emotionally immature parents carry a persistent feeling that something about them is “wrong.” They might describe themselves as too sensitive, too needy, too emotional, or, on the other hand, as not emotional enough, too independent, or difficult to connect
Support for Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents For many adult children of emotionally immature parents, the holiday season brings up a mix of anticipation, anxiety, hope, and dread. You may find yourself slipping into old roles, bracing for criticism or volatility, or preparing to
Somewhere along the way, you became more than a sibling. You became a stand-in parent. You learned to tie shoes and braid hair before you learned what it meant to rest. You fed, bathed, soothed, corrected — all while still trying to grow up yourself.
Emotionally immature parents have become somewhat of a hot topic in the mental health space as Lindsay Gibson published her book. As we are discussing the impact of their upbringing with emotionally immature parents, at some point many clients pause and wonder: “Am I emotionally
We often talk about heartbreak after a breakup, but what about the heartbreak of never having had that kind of relationship at all? More and more, people are taking to social media to talk about the pain of being “chronically single” – the one who
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 responses, cultural expectations, and sometimes,
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 job? Helping people find love.
There’s a moment in every anxious spiral that feels like a trapdoor opening beneath your feet. Sometimes it comes out of nowhere. A text that feels off. A meeting that didn’t go how you hoped. A wave of dread that hits while you’re brushing your
