How to Offer Kindness To Ourselves During Tough Times
January can be a powerful month for many of us. It's a time of reflection, action, and creativity. Sometimes though that reflective process can get out of hand! We might notice all the ways things did not go according to plan or the ways we didn't show up the way we wished. We might even then start criticizing ourselves which can zap our self-worth and [...]
Why We Don’t Listen to Ourselves and What to Do About It
Margarita Tartakovsky, an associate editor at PsychCentral reached out to me with these thought provoking questions about the barriers to listening to ourselves, and how we can shift this pattern. Here are her questions with my responses, which I hope help you in your journey in reconnecting with yourself! Q1: Why do so many of us not listen to ourselves? It was at least [...]
Shifting The Perfectionism Pattern: South Asian edition
How perfectionism holds the South Asian diaspora back, and what we can do to break free Perfectionism in the South Asian diaspora is a real thing. As a community, we value survival and stability so much that we place a lot of pressure to make sure we do our best to get ahead. Sometimes the mindsets we develop and teach down generations can have drawbacks [...]
Burnout Recovery & Prevention
Burnout is usually a slow and gradual process – one that tends to rob people of their passion, their motivation, and energy, leaving them instead with feelings of exhaustion, disillusionment, and frustration. But as overwhelming as burnout can feel, recovering is possible. Here are tips to help you recover if you’re experiencing burnout. These tips can also be really helpful to implement to prevent burnout. 1. Strengthen [...]
Finding a Culturally Competent Therapist
FAQs and Tips As you search for the right therapist, you might realize you want to work with someone who gets you. You might want to find a therapist who is familiar with your cultural background and experiences. Here are some FAQs and tips on how to look for a therapist who can provide culturally competent care. Does my therapist need to look like or [...]
Culturally Competent Care: What It Is and What It Isn’t
Many minorities, when faced with systemic oppression, feel pressured to present themselves in a way that they feel is expected of them. They might avoid certain topics because they expect others will not "get it." Sometimes these patterns may come up in therapy as well, particularly if clients are concerned their therapists may not understand. Therapists who provide culturally competent care are particularly aware of [...]