Anxiety & Trauma Therapist in Richmond, VA

As a first generation, South Asian woman, I know that the things we are taught growing up or what we have seen our loved ones go through can feel inevitable at times. It might be second nature to prioritize everyone else's needs that it even feels wrong to think about yourself. Walking on eggshells and making yourself small have now become special skills.  Making a mistake doesn't feel like an option. Because of this, you have also learned not to take your parents' sacrifice for granted. You know how to succeed and you do it well. You have achieved things they were not given the opportunity to do so, and you are grateful for their help.

However, that all comes with a price. At the end of the day, your body is exhausted. Your mind is tired of running a mile a minute. You're thinking about when the next shoe could drop. Your achievements don't feel like enough. And your emotions need an outlet before they burst. You're finding yourself dreading social interactions, whether with family, friends, or coworkers. You want to stop having everything together for a change, but you worry about what that actually looks like or how it will be perceived.

It may sound difficult, impossible, or just not allowed. But you CAN interrupt these inherited cycles and create new patterns that work better for you and the person you want to be. I invite you to finally give yourself the permission to rest, reset, and choose yourself.