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Healing Starts with Breaking the Silence

Published on: Published in: Asian American Mental Health

For many immigrant families, silence can feel like safety. Avoiding tough conversations about loss, identity, or expectations often feels like a way to protect ourselves and others. But Susan’s story reminds us that silence often deepens the wounds it aims to cover.

Through her journey of confronting her family’s unspoken trauma and cultural expectations, Susan highlights how:

  • Generational pain can manifest in mental health struggles, from body image issues to identity crises.
  • The act of acknowledging and speaking about these struggles is a crucial first step toward healing.
  • Silence doesn’t just delay healing—it creates cycles of pain that future generations may inherit.

By stepping into the discomfort and speaking her truth, Susan opened doors for both her personal growth and her family’s understanding.

Take Action: Steps Toward Healing Generational Wounds

  1. Name the Pain
    • Journal or reflect on what has gone unspoken in your family.
    • Share your observations with a trusted therapist or close friend to build clarity and courage.
  2. Seek Support
    • Whether through therapy or community spaces like Yellow Chair Collective, connecting with someone who understands the intersection of culture and mental health can offer guidance.
  3. Practice Compassionate Conversations
    • Start small. Address topics with curiosity and empathy rather than blame.
    • Use “I” statements to express how experiences have impacted you personally.

Why This Matters

Healing generational trauma is not just an act of self-care—it’s a gift to your family and future generations. As Susan shares, the courage to confront silence can lead to greater self-understanding, healthier relationships, and a legacy of emotional resilience.

Mental Health is Essential

If you’ve been carrying the weight of silence or generational pain, remember that help is available. A culturally sensitive therapist can offer tools and perspectives that honor both your heritage and your mental well-being.

Take that first step:

  • Connect with a therapist at Yellow Chair Collective.
  • Attend a community event or listen to empowering stories like Susan’s.
  • Commit to prioritizing your mental health and breaking cycles of silence.

Key Lesson: Healing Family Trauma Requires Courage to Face the Silence

In this powerful episode, Helen Garcia sits down with Susan Lieu to explore the lasting impact of generational family trauma and how to begin the healing journey. One of the most profound lessons from Susan’s story is the courage it takes to confront silence—the unspoken narratives, cultural expectations, and inherited pain that shape our lives.

Susan’s Courage, Your Courage

Susan Lieu’s journey reminds us that while breaking silence can feel like an insurmountable task, it’s also the most liberating. Healing starts with courage, but it leads to freedom—freedom to embrace your whole self and shape a future not bound by the past.

Resources

Seek An Individual Therapist at Yellow Chair Collective in Los Angeles or New York

If you are seeking therapy specifically tailored to your needs, consider reaching out to the therapists at Yellow Chair Collective. We understand that there may be unique contextual factors that may influence your experiences.

At our Los Angeles, CA, and New York City, NY-based therapy practice, we have many skilled, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive therapists who can provide an empowering therapeutic experience. For your added convenience and simplicity, we offer online therapy for anyone in the state of California or New York. We know that beginning your healing journey can be challenging, and we want to support you along the way. Follow the steps below to begin.

Other Services at Yellow Chair Collective

There are many options for treatment using online therapy in California and New York, it just depends on what you’re needing. And while we certainly service Asian American folks, we also work with individuals from other cultures, too. So, whether you’re needing support in overcoming anxiety, burnout, trauma, or PTSD, we can help. Likewise, we serve teens and couples in need of support, too. So when you start online therapy with us, you can bring your whole self, including past struggles, cultural impacts, and more.

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