Multicultural Counseling

Even though we live in a diverse and multicultural society,

You don’t always feel valued or respected for the unique beauty and culture you bring to the world. 

It’s often hard to see yourself and your family reflected in the world around you. Everything from books, to movies, to the latest trends seem to be void of any signs that you are in fact built into the fabric of our world and its expression.

You know the feeling of not quite fitting in all too well. From the explanations you must constantly give related to the way you dress, speak, or pray, to trying to deal with the all too familiar interrogation that begins with “What are you” or “Why do you people do that”? Perhaps people give you a look of surprise when they find out that yes, in fact, you are from around here.

Maybe you struggle with past experiences of bullying, harassment, or aggression because of your racial or ethnic identity. The scars and reminders of those experiences still haunt you and affect you deeply. And, maybe you’re still trying to come to terms with how you fit within the world around you.

Your cultural norms, personal preferences, and experiences have shaped you and helped you become the amazing person you are today!

It’s not always easy talking about the ways you’ve experienced racism, discrimination, or marginalization due to your beliefs, practices, or identities. In fact, not only do you often get the message that your struggles have nothing to do with those things, you also experience resistance in even discussing these issues in various spaces. There are many times when you do not feel safe in certain settings.

Even though the new millennium is proving to be one of the most diverse we’ve ever experienced, managing marginalized identities still takes a lot of work and emotional energy to deal with. You may find yourself on edge, traumatized and hopeless at the rate of aggression, violence, or death that impacts marginalized identities.

Maybe you often feel alone, misunderstood, stressed and filled with anxiety or dread when you go out into the world. You realize it often takes a ton of energy just to take part in routine day-to-day activities because you spend so much time shielding yourself from insults.  You also find yourself spending too much time and energy deciding whether or not to do something because you know you might be the only person in the room who looks like you.

Perhaps you face ongoing micro-aggressions that undermine your work, contributions, or value you bring to the world. Perhaps you’ve missed opportunities, did not receive credit for something, or faced immense pressures or workloads that you are highly suspicious might have everything to do with how others perceive you rather then the skills you possess.

It could be that you often feel like you are living in two worlds as you navigate your own values and identities and those of your culture, heritage and broader society. 

Maybe you live in a multi-generational household that is quite normal for you but may go against societal norms of individualism. Maybe you hesitate to talk about such a household arrangement because you feel people will blame you for not leaving the nest instead of understanding your cultural and/or care-giving role that is important to the ones you love.

Maybe you are navigating an inter-racial or inter-faith relationship that presents its own complexities, and you just need validation and support rather than hearing again how you should or should not have gone down that road.

Or, maybe you are raising children of another racial or ethnic identify that is different from your own and struggle with feelings of humiliation and shame because of other people’s comments, looks, questions, or hostilities.

Racial, ethnic, cultural, and/or religious hostility can come in many forms including:

• Interpersonal discrimination which is direct, personal, and stems from interactions from people you encounter
• Structural/institutional discrimination which is systemic racial and cultural inequalities that are built into the fabric of our society and the way it operates. These can often make us feel overwhelmed and hopeless because large-scale change at the highest levels of institutions are required to affect change.
• Micro-aggressions which are verbal and nonverbal insults that are demeaning, hostile, derogatory, and/or promote negative stereotypes about marginalized groups.
• Media promoted hostilities which can include the forms of hostilities mentioned above and are transmitted through various media platforms either directly to individuals, groups, or communicated through large-scale media platforms or prominent personalities.

You may experience various symptoms associated with hostilities related to racial, ethnic, religious and cultural identity including:

• Anxiety
• Sadness, depression or feelings of hopelessness
• Uncontrollable anger or fear
• Isolation
• Paranoia
• Identity challenges
• Fatigue
• Trauma
• Internalized oppression

Your cultural roots and identity are important to you.

You want a space to incorporate your unique worldview throughout your healing journey.

Areas that I can address and ways I can help you work through these challenges in an affirming, inclusive, and culturally supportive way include:

• Affirming practices for BIPOC
• First generation challenges, acculturation, assimilation, racial identity
• Addressing issues of power, privilege, and the impacts of structural oppression
• Historical trauma, racial trauma, race-related stress, racism, discrimination, micro-aggressions
• Cultural isolation, feeling othered
• Questioning your identity
• Inter-cultural, inter-faith, inter-racial parenting and relationships
• Workplace stressors related to cultural isolation, over-burdened with diversity work, lack of mentors

As a therapist who strives to respect and embody cultural humility, I will make an ongoing effort to explore and understand your cultural and subcultural values, culture-specific beliefs, and tailor interventions that are sensitive and responsive to your worldview. 

Our work together will be informed by your needs, unique experiences, background and upbringing, and the ways your intersecting identities impact your life.

Your struggles, pain, experiences and needs are worth talking about.

I am here to listen, affirm, validate, and support you.

If you live in North Carolina or Virginia and are ready to take the next step in your healing journey and talk about the things that matter to you, please contact me today to get started. Our confidential online platform will provide a safe space to begin this work together.