Dana Goldenberg Counseling

Systemic And Generational Trauma Can Create Further Distress

It seems that our world is becoming increasingly both more diverse and more intolerant. On the one hand, the rates of people who identify as biracial or multiracial are on the rise. At the same time, racism, xenophobia, and white supremacy seem to be spreading into nearly every corner of our communities. Interracial marriage had not been legalized in the country until 1967, which is relatively recent in the grand scheme of things. Simply put, it still feels unsafe to exist as a minority in today’s America.

Different families have different responses to minority trauma. Generations before us may not have had access to a vocabulary about mental health, and the stigma surrounding therapy is still prevalent throughout society. This can be particularly complicated if we have family members who don’t agree with our identity or don’t identify the same way we do. Not to mention, given the lack of representation of biracial and multiracial women in the media, we don’t get many opportunities to see ourselves.

Without meaningful structural support, burnout, overwhelm, and other mental health hurdles are likely to occur. Yet as a counselor from a multicultural background myself, I can relate to your experience and offer tools for coping with minority stress. Together in counseling, we will explore your identity and enhance your self-worth.

You May Be Experiencing Minority Stress Or Racial Trauma

Furthermore, your racial, religious, or cultural background may be a source of pain or wounding for you. Cultural biases are incredibly prevalent in our society. If we identify or appear as anything but white, male, and Christian, we are likely to be confronted with systemic prejudices or traumas that cause us to feel even more alone and unworthy. And while our families or insular communities may be well-meaning, they might inadvertently perpetuate low self-esteem or a negative self-perception due to limiting cultural and religious norms.

In order to connect with your community, you must first connect with yourself. By working with a culturally competent counselor who specializes in multicultural women’s issues, you can sort through emotions and experiences. Therapy allows you to better understand your unique multicultural or religious perspectives as you learn strategies for fostering more self-acceptance and self-love in your life.

Are You Having Trouble Reconciling Your Racial, Cultural, Or Religious Identity?

Do you identify as a biracial, multiracial, or a minority woman?

Are certain familial or cultural expectations keeping you from living according to your authentic values and goals?

Or do you struggle with confusion as you attempt to navigate multiple identities?

For those of us that come from diverse backgrounds, it can be difficult to establish a sense of community and belonging. Unsure of where we fit in, we can develop feelings of insecurity, confusion, and “otherness.” Instead of being confident in our identities, we may feel the need to conform to the expectations created by our families or a society that makes assumptions based on the way we look and is constantly trying to classify us.

If you’re straddling the line between multiple identities, you may find it difficult to identify or assert what you want. You may come from a strict or conservative background that has placed certain limitations on you—especially as a woman. Perhaps there have been expectations surrounding your career, where you live, who you partner with, and how you parent. Instead of feeling free to make your own decisions, you may feel pressured to adhere to a set of cultural beliefs that feel inauthentic to who you are.

Counseling Can Improve Your Experience Of Being Multicultural In This Country

Many therapists lack sufficient training and experience working with multicultural populations, but as a multiracial counselor myself, I create a nonjudgmental, culturally competent counseling atmosphere where you can feel safe and supported. Whether you struggle to navigate your racial or cultural identity or are reconciling religious beliefs and values, therapy is a gateway to authentic self-actualization so that you can learn to feel comfortable—and worthy—in your own skin.

What To Expect

Counseling for multicultural clients is designed to be person-centered and emotion-focused. That means I will individualize the therapeutic process to your unique needs and identity while peeling back the layers of your emotions to identify the core experiences driving a negative self-perception.

However, the most beneficial tool we will have in therapy is the client-counselor relationship itself. In a powerful article about biracial identities entitled “So what are you anyway?”, the American Psychological Association (APA) supports the idea that culturally aware counseling can offer meaningful relief to those struggling with seemingly conflicting cultural and religious backgrounds. The author Mahogany Swanson states, “Because much of self-development appears to involve interactions with caring others, the therapeutic relationship can be a powerful source of stimuli and support for the client’s growing sense of self.”[1]

Because I can identify with both multiracial and minority religious perspectives, my aim as a counselor is to model a safe, healthy connection that will ultimately empower you to self-identify in a way that honors your values. Working together, we can foster a sense of acceptance and worthiness in your life.

[1] https://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/newsletter/2013/08/biracial-identity

Perhaps You’re Unsure If Therapy Is Right For You…

I don’t feel comfortable discussing my multiracial or religious identity with a counselor.

I understand that matters of racial, cultural, and religious identity can be sensitive, so I take a gradual, gentle approach to counseling. Meeting you wherever you are on your journey, I will help you reconcile conflicting aspects of your value system, learn to verbalize your identity, and feel more comfortable discussing your unique perspective. The counseling process will never be rushed, and I will check in with you throughout to make sure you feel safe and comfortable.

Counseling sounds like an opportunity to criticize my parents/caregivers.

Counseling is about your experience coming from a multicultural, biracial, or minority religious background—not anyone else’s. While we will certainly explore your upbringing and the beliefs you were raised with, therapy is an opportunity to develop your own sense of self (as opposed to conforming to the expectations of others).

I understand that demonstrating frustration about your identity could potentially feel like a betrayal to your parent/caregiver, but that worry likely stems, at least in part, from the mental health stigma. Therapy is meant to be a compassionate experience that can ultimately strengthen the relationships in your life.

I don’t need a counselor—I can just explore my multicultural/religious identity with a family member

While it’s great to have support from a trusted person who can relate to your identity, friends and family members are not mental health professionals. They are not trained to be objective, nonjudgmental, and in verified therapeutic techniques.

As a counselor who is specially trained to be culturally competent, I have expertise in remaining both sensitive and highly effective when it comes to matters of racial, cultural, or religious identity.