Therapy for Estrangement•
San Francisco Bay Area• California• Online
Stay grounded in your roots without sacrificing your peace
You’ve heard the stories…stories of unspeakable pain and sacrifice that your parents, grandparents, and ancestors had to endure. You know your friend(s) and partner/ex-partner better than anyone else did. You know they mean/meant well even when they hurt you.
They’ve been through so much.
It seems unfathomable to ask them to offer more or any support to you.
And so…you don’t. You don’t ask them; you adjust. You adjust by handling life’s responsibilities by yourself. You adjust by trying to cope with all the stress that comes with doing so much by yourself…coping by telling yourself things like, “I like being independent!” or “I don’t need to depend on anyone!” The constant busyness of handling everything on your own allows you to get a break from feeling burnt-out because you’re running on adrenaline. Problems only arise when you slow down. It’s then that the weight of all that your body and mind has been carrying on its own comes all at once…like a pile of bricks falling down all at once.
In these moments, this need for trusted supports that you’ve longed for but never received, becomes clear. You, like any other person, need to feel supported…not just in terms of having something akin to a cheerleader to affirm your decisions/actions, but also, in terms of offering to shoulder some of the weight of these responsibilities at times.
Is this too much to ask? Is this even possible?
As a person who has become estranged from others who hurt me to the degree that other loved ones could not comprehend, I empathize with the complications of trying to clarify what to do moving forward from estrangement.
How Therapy for Estrangement May Help
Through our work together, you may:
Identify and express all the different emotions and thoughts you have, following becoming estranged/disconnected from family, friends, ex/partners.
Clarify the various options/pathways moving forward that would be most helpful for you.
Gain insight and understanding of factors leading up to estrangement.
Learn how to healthfully cope with the grief of losing unrealized relationships.
Develop healthier, more balanced relationships where you not only give, but you also receive.
Feel more confident, with greater self-esteem and greater understanding of who you are.
* Disclaimer: While I’ve given a glimpse into how therapy may help, I wholeheartedly believe in the importance of customizing the work I do with each client based on their unique needs/wants. Before we start any work together, we will discuss what your goals are and how we can work towards them.
Hi, I’m Gina. It’s an honor to meet you.
Gina Li, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)/ Therapist, California
I am a licensed mental health therapist based in the Bay Area, who specializes in helping young adults, Asian Americans, and caregivers throughout California, navigate the effects of estrangement so that they can live truly more fulfilling lives. This can look like being more gentle with ourselves and others, while also setting boundaries as needed. It can also look like gaining greater self-awareness and true confidence. In summary, this looks like learning how to stay grounded in who we genuinely are and who we genuinely want to be.
