Therapy 101 for Women of Color (WOC)
Author’s Note: This is my personal experience of talk therapy and psychiatry. Please listen to your best judgement and seek out professional support as needed.
The Stigma Against Talk Therapy
As a first generation daughter of Mexican & Filipino immigrants, I get it. You’ve probably heard things that make therapy seem out of reach such as “therapy is for rich people”, “why pay someone to tell your problems? that’s what friends are for”, “you don’t need therapy, it’s for crazy people”, etc. Along with the potential shame that you’ve sought help or are spending money on what can be considered a luxury.
So how do you overcome this potential discomfort of a) going against cultural and/or familiar norms b) spending money when you have more “important'“ things
What therapy can help with (and has helped me with!): understanding my emotions and working on emotional regulation, working through difficult emotions and situations, learning to set boundaries, developing the skills to truly own my feelings and heal from ‘complex’ PTSD and trauma
Talk Therapy vs Psychiatric
Affordable Therapy is Possible
Where to find affordable therapists
Sliding scale
If you are a trauma-informed therapist especially if you work with women of color, C/PTSD please reach out, I’d love to include you in a directory to refer the women I support.