Heart In Mind Blog• San Francisco Bay Area• California• Online
“Fake it till ya make it”?
When we “fake it till we make it,” we have to minimize or silence our more vulnerable parts. This mimics a core attribute of trauma responses— forced abandonment of certain parts of ourselves in order to survive.
Things Happen for A Reason?
“Things happen for a reason.”
Oftentimes, we might have been told this after something terrible happens to us or the people/world around us. And sometimes, it can offer some relief from the pain that we and others are experiencing because…if we can say that something happened for a reason, then we can justify why it happened and thereafter, regain control to prevent it from happening again.
Reflections on recent and recurrent news regarding the Palestinian genocide and Hamas Attack: Part 2- Survivor’s Guilt
If you come from an immigrant family, you may be especially vulnerable to survivor’s guilt as you may have been taught to grit your teeth and bear any emotional (and physical distress) as a way— the only way, to cope with emotions that become overwhelming. To spend any time “being with” or “processing” your emotions not only sounds out of reach, but it can also sound selfish.
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, break the cycles of intergenerational and relational trauma 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.
