Therapy for Cultural Belonging & Identity

Finding Your Place

You shouldn’t have to choose between worlds – you deserve to navigate them with clarity and compassion. Whether you grew up between cultures, migrated countries, or simply feel “out of place”, I can help you honor your roots while nurturing your growth.

You might recognize yourself in these questions:

• How do I stay true to myself when pulled in so many directions?
• Why does setting boundaries with family traditions feel so guilty?
• Who am I when no one’s watching or expecting?
• How can my partner and I blend our worlds without losing ourselves?

I specialize in helping those who:

• Grew up balancing multiple cultural frameworks
• Experience life through a multicultural lens
• Find themselves between different value systems
• Feel simultaneously connected to and distant from their heritage

Where Cultural Healing Begins

The Weight of “Invisible” Cultural Stress

The Neurobiology of Cultural Stress

What’s often described as “cultural adjustment” is rarely simple. For many, it can mean:

• Constantly shifting how you speak or show up (code-switching), which keeps your nervous system on high alert
• Carrying the mental load of figuring out unspoken rules in different spaces
• Inheriting trauma patterns from previous generations—ones your body still holds
• Grieving parts of your identity or story that aren’t always seen or validated as a consequence of “assimilating successfully”

These stressors can show up as:

• Tiredness that doesn’t go away, even with rest
• Feeling overly emotional in situations that seem minor
• Physical symptoms without a medical explanation
• Repeating the same patterns in relationships, even when you try not to

Cultural challenges often go unseen by others but weigh heavily on your daily life.

This isn’t just “how it is”—these struggles shape your relationships, self-worth, and even how you experience your body.

 Micro-Cultures: The Hidden Rules That Shape Us

In my practice, I work with the understanding that every relationship creates its own “micro-culture”, unique sets of unspoken rules and expectations that influence how we move through the every relational aspect of our lives

• Family traditions carry invisible rules (“We don’t talk about mental health”)
• Romantic partners clash over “small” things (how to argue, celebrate, navigating finances, or even how to show love)
• Workplaces demand conformity (“Act professional”—but whose definition of professional?)

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Surya Guhanand, MFT

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