Making Space for All Your Feelings in a Transition

During a life transition, you may expect to feel only the “right” emotions. In reality, transitions are often messy and full of contradictions.

You can feel joy and sadness, relief and fear, confidence and uncertainty at the same time. These emotions do not cancel each other out. They are part of the human experience.

Why Mixed Emotions Are Normal

For first generation adults and BIPOC professionals, transitions often bring layered emotions. You may feel proud of breaking new ground while also wishing you had more guidance. You may celebrate your achievements while secretly feeling guilty about outgrowing certain roles or expectations.

For new or expecting parents, transitions often hold both joy and grief. You may feel love for your baby while grieving the independence or identity you once had. These emotions are normal and do not mean anything is wrong. They are signs of growth and change.

How Complex Feelings Show Up

You might notice:
• Feeling proud of yourself and wishing things could stay the same
• Wanting to move forward but resisting the change
• Struggling to explain your emotions to others

When you allow space for these feelings, you give yourself the compassion needed to navigate the change.

Strategies to Make Space for Every Feeling

• Journal without judgment. Let your words flow without editing or self criticism.
• Share openly with someone who can listen. Choose a person who will hold space without trying to fix you.
• Name your emotions in the moment. Simply saying “This is sadness” or “This is relief” can bring clarity and validation.

Affirmations for Emotional Acceptance

Every emotion I feel is a valid part of my transition process.
I am allowed to be complex and layered in my feelings.
My emotions deserve acknowledgment, not dismissal.

A Helpful Dialectical Statement

“I can be both confident and scared, both ready and unready.”

Holding two truths at once makes space for compassion. It means you do not have to choose only one feeling to be valid.

Therapy Can Support You Through the Full Range of Emotions

If you live in New York and are navigating a big life change, you do not have to figure it out alone. Therapy can give you a supportive space to honor all your feelings without judgment and to build tools for moving through transitions with compassion.

I offer trauma informed, culturally responsive therapy for first generation adults, BIPOC professionals, and new or expecting parents. Together, we can create room for every emotion that comes with change.

📞 Schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation today by emailing me at ashleyrodriguezphd@gmail.com to see if we are a good fit.

When Worry Takes the Driver’s Seat During a Big Life Change

When you are in the middle of a major life change, worry can feel like it is running the show. You might think through every possible outcome, imagining how things could go wrong.

Some worry is protective. It helps you plan, prepare, and make thoughtful choices. But too much worry can keep you from moving forward.

How Worry Shows Up During Transitions

Worry can look and feel different depending on your life stage and context.

For first generation adults and BIPOC professionals, worry often shows up as pressure to not make mistakes or as a fear of letting others down. For new or expecting parents, worry may sound like, “Will I be a good parent? What if something goes wrong?” These thoughts are common and do not mean you are failing.

You might notice:
• Going over the same “what if” scenarios
• Having trouble sleeping because your mind will not turn off
• Feeling tense in your body from constant mental rehearsal

This is your nervous system working overtime. You do not need to eliminate all worry, but you can learn how to give it a smaller role.

Ways to Keep Worry in Check

• Limit problem solving time. Set aside a specific time each day for practical planning, then let yourself step back.
• Use grounding techniques. Simple practices like deep breathing, noticing your surroundings, or placing your feet firmly on the ground can return you to the present.
• Sort through your worries. Ask yourself which concerns are worth action and which ones are simply noise.

Affirmations for Calming Worry

I can prepare for challenges without letting fear control my decisions.
Worry does not get to decide the direction of my life.
I can return to the present moment when I choose.

A Helpful Dialectical Statement

“I want to be prepared, and I cannot predict or control everything.”

This statement allows both truths to exist together. Preparation matters, and so does acceptance of what cannot be controlled.

Therapy Can Help You Find Balance

If you live in New York and are navigating a big life change, you do not have to figure it out alone. Therapy can provide a space to explore your worries, understand how they connect to your story, and learn new tools for balance.

I offer trauma informed, culturally responsive therapy for first generation adults, BIPOC professionals, and new or expecting parents. Together, we can help worry move into the passenger seat, so it no longer drives your decisions.

📞 Schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation today by emailing me at ashleyrodriguezphd@gmail.com to see if we are a good fit.

Why Self Doubt Often Shows Up When You Are Growing

When you are navigating a life transition, whether stepping into parenthood, starting a new career, or redefining your identity, self doubt often shows up uninvited. Many people think doubt means they are unprepared or incapable. In reality, doubt is a natural response to change.

Your mind is wired to seek safety, so it sends warning signals when you move into unknown territory. This is not a flaw. It is your brain trying to protect you.

Why Self Doubt is Normal in Life Transitions

For first generation adults and BIPOC professionals, self doubt is often shaped by cultural expectations and the pressure to succeed without a clear roadmap. You may have been the first in your family to graduate, start a career, or hold a leadership role, which can make every new step feel uncertain.

For new and expecting parents, self doubt may sound like, “Am I doing this right? Am I good enough to care for this baby?” These questions are common and do not mean you are failing. They reflect the weight of stepping into one of the most important transitions of your life.

Self doubt is not proof that you cannot succeed. It is evidence that you are stretching into something meaningful.

How Self Doubt Shows Up

You might notice:
• Wondering if you are truly ready for this next step
• Comparing yourself to others and feeling behind
• A fear of making mistakes or failing

If these thoughts sound familiar, know that you are not alone. Many clients I work with in therapy share these same worries when moving into new chapters.

Strategies to Move Through Self Doubt

The goal is not to silence doubt completely but to learn how to keep moving even when it shows up. Here are some tools that can help:

• Notice the voice of doubt without letting it control you. Naming it as “doubt” creates distance.
• Ground yourself in the present. Ask, “What do I know to be true right now?” rather than getting lost in what fear predicts.
• Remember your track record. Reflect on past times you succeeded despite uncertainty. Evidence of your resilience is already there.

Affirmations to Carry With You

I can feel unsure and still move forward.
Doubt means I am stepping into something meaningful.
My readiness is not defined by my fear.

A Helpful Dialectical Statement

“I can feel unsure and still trust myself to take the next step.”

This statement allows two truths to exist together: uncertainty and courage. Holding both makes space for compassion and forward movement.

Therapy Can Help You Feel Less Alone

If you live in New York and are navigating a big life change, you do not have to figure it out alone. Therapy can provide a supportive space to explore self doubt, understand where it comes from, and learn how to move through it with confidence and clarity.

I offer trauma informed, culturally responsive therapy for first generation adults, BIPOC professionals, and new or expecting parents. Together, we can explore the stories that shape your self doubt and build new ways of approaching growth.

📞 Schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation today by emailing me at ashleyrodriguezphd@gmail.com to see if we are a good fit.

Guesting on Multicultural Family Hub: A Conversation About Life, Healing, and Perinatal Journeys

I recently had the privilege of being a guest on the Multicultural Family Hub podcast, and it was an experience I will carry with me for a long time. The conversation felt meaningful and energizing, and I left deeply grateful for the chance to share the heart of my work. We talked about the themes that matter most in my practice: life transitions, first generation mental health, and perinatal mental health.

The hosts created space that felt affirming and thoughtful, which made it easy to open up about the stories I see unfold in my work and the values that guide my approach.

Highlights from Our Conversation

1. Self Validation as a Radical Act

We explored how first generation and multicultural individuals often grow up learning to rely on external approval. Self validation, the ability to tell yourself, “Yes, I see you, I am enough,” can feel radical when you have been conditioned to minimize your needs. It is a powerful practice that helps people stand on steady ground when the world does not always mirror back their worth.

Affirmation: I am enough as I am, without needing anyone else’s approval.
Dialectical Statement: I can long for validation from others and still learn to validate myself.

2. Mapping the Stories We Inherit

I shared how creating a family tree or genogram can help people see the values, coping strategies, and beliefs passed down through generations. Some of these stories carry wisdom and resilience, while others may no longer serve. Noticing what you have inherited is the first step in deciding what you want to continue and what you want to change.

Affirmation: I have the power to choose which stories I carry forward.
Dialectical Statement: I can honor my family’s sacrifices and also release the patterns that do not serve me.

3. Embracing the Gray During Transitions

Whether it is becoming a parent, moving through a career shift, or navigating an identity change, transitions are rarely simple. They often hold both joy and grief, hope and uncertainty. Sitting with the gray, instead of forcing ourselves to choose between positive and negative, can create compassion and honesty during change.

Affirmation: My mixed emotions are valid and welcome in my healing process.
Dialectical Statement: I can feel both excited and scared about what comes next.

4. Naming the Undigested Feelings

Many people carry emotions that feel tangled or contradictory. You might feel gratitude mixed with guilt, or relief layered with sadness. On the podcast, I shared how important it is to name these undigested feelings without judgment. Naming makes space for processing, and processing creates clarity.

Affirmation: All of my emotions deserve to be acknowledged.
Dialectical Statement: I can feel thankful for what I have and still grieve what I have lost.

5. Reconnecting With Your Parenting Why

I encouraged listeners to reflect on their “why” in parenting. Getting clear on your values can help you feel steadier when parenting feels overwhelming. It is not about following anyone else’s script, but about anchoring in what matters to you and your family.

Affirmation: My parenting choices can reflect my values, not just my fears.
Dialectical Statement: I can feel uncertain about parenting and still stay grounded in my values.

What This Experience Meant to Me

Being part of this conversation was meaningful because it allowed me to bring my professional expertise together with my personal values. As a first generation Latina and as a psychologist, I know how important it is to have spaces where we can talk openly about identity, transition, and healing. Sharing that with the Multicultural Family Hub audience felt like a gift.

It reminded me of why I do this work: to help people feel less alone in the hardest parts of change, and to remind them that healing is possible even when the path feels complicated.

🎧 Want to hear the full conversation?

You can listen to my episode of the Multicultural Family Hub podcast here: Listen to Episode 26.

A Warm Invitation

If you are navigating a life transition, stepping into parenthood, or working through the complexities of being first generation, you do not have to figure it out by yourself. Therapy can be a space to slow down, to sort through the mix of emotions, and to build tools that support healing.

If you live in New York and are curious about working together, I invite you to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation. It is a chance to connect, ask questions, and see if we are a good fit for this part of your journey. Email me at ashleyrodriguezphd@gmail.com to find a time to speak.

✨ Affirmation to Carry With You: I can feel uncertain about change and still trust myself to move forward.

The Healing Parent: Why Your Wellness Is Your Child’s Superpower

If you have ever worried you are not doing enough for your child or that you might be “messing up,” you are not alone. These worries are especially common in pregnancy and the postpartum period.

The truth is that your wellness is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child. When you tend to your own mental and emotional health, you are not taking away from your child. You are giving them something invaluable: a regulated, present, and loving guide through life.

Kids Feel What You Don’t Say

Even if you try to hide it, children sense stress, sadness, or disconnection. They read your energy before they understand your words. When you work on your healing, you are not just helping yourself. You are creating an emotional climate where your child feels safe to grow.

Affirmation: My healing creates a safe and steady foundation for my child.
Dialectical statement: I can hold my struggles and still be a loving, capable parent.

Your Boundaries Become Their Blueprint

Children learn how to protect their peace by watching you protect yours. Each time you say “no” with love, you show them that it is okay to honor their needs without guilt.

Affirmation: My boundaries teach my child that they can value themselves too.
Dialectical statement: I can care for others and also care for myself.

Modeling Recovery Matters

Healing is not only something you talk about. It is something you live. When you pause to regulate your body, ask for help, or celebrate rest, your child learns that caring for their well being is strength, not weakness.

Affirmation: Taking care of myself is a powerful lesson I pass on to my child.
Dialectical statement: I can struggle and still model resilience.

Healing Expands Your Patience

It is hard to stay grounded when your cup is empty. Meeting your own needs allows you to meet your child’s needs with more patience and compassion, especially during their big feelings.

Affirmation: The more I care for myself, the more present I can be with my child.
Dialectical statement: I can feel I can feel stretched thin and still offer my child warmth and care.

You Show Them They Are Worth It

When you invest in yourself, you show your child that they are worthy of the same care. Your healing becomes their mirror, reflecting their value back to them.

Affirmation: My self care reflects my child’s worth.
Dialectical statement: I can invest in myself and invest in my child at the same time.

You cannot control every challenge your child will face, but you can shape the foundation they stand on. And the strongest foundation is built on your healing.

Are you an expectant or new parent in New York who wants to nurture your own wellness while caring for your child?

Schedule a consultation today to explore how perinatal therapy can help you heal, regulate, and grow alongside your little one. Email me at ashleyrodriguezphd@gmail.com.

The Grief We Don’t Talk About During Life Changes

When we think about life transitions such as starting a new job, becoming a parent, or moving to a new place, we often picture excitement, fresh possibilities, and a sense of moving forward.

What is less often discussed is that every new chapter also means leaving something behind. Leaving things behind, even when it is by choice, can bring grief.

Why Grief Shows Up in “Good” Changes

Grief is not reserved for the loss of people. We grieve roles, routines, places, versions of ourselves, and relationships to our old life.
Even a long awaited positive change can stir sadness because a part of you is saying goodbye to what was.

For example:
• The parent who is thrilled to welcome their first child and quietly misses the freedom they once had.
• The first generation graduate who is proud of their new career and feels the distance growing between themselves and their family’s experiences.
• The person who moves to a new city for a dream job and still aches for the familiarity of home.

The Emotional Mix Is Normal

It is normal to feel both joy and sadness, excitement and fear, gratitude and longing at the same time. These are not contradictions. They are a sign you are human.

When you are navigating a big shift, you might notice:
• Waves of nostalgia for your old life
• Unexpected tears that do not seem to match the occasion
• A quiet sense of loss that others might not understand

This does not mean you are ungrateful or making the wrong choice. It means you are feeling the full truth of the change.

How to Honor the Grief in a Transition

• Name it. Say to yourself, “I am grieving this part of my life,” and give it legitimacy.
• Make space for memories. Look at old photos, write in a journal, or create a ritual to mark the transition.
• Give yourself grace. Change is a lot for your nervous system. Rest, slow down, and accept that feelings will ebb and flow.

Affirmations for Navigating This Grief

I can hold gratitude for what is ahead and grief for what I have left behind at the same time.
I am allowed to miss the past while embracing my future.
My feelings do not have to be neat or tidy to be valid.

A Helpful Dialectical Statement

“I am excited for this new chapter, and I am allowed to mourn the old one.”

Holding both truths creates space for compassion toward yourself. You do not have to rush to get over the past to be ready for what is next.

If you live in New York and are navigating a big life change, you do not have to figure it out alone.
I offer trauma informed, culturally responsive therapy to support you through transitions.
📞 Schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation today by emailing me at ashleyrodriguezphd@gmail.com to see if we are a good fit.

When Parenting Awakens Your Past: Reflections on the Healing Heridas Podcast

I was recently invited to speak on the Healing Heridas podcast to explore conscious parenting and breaking generational cycles in Latinx families.

🎧 Listen to the episode here

As I reflected on my journey during the episode, I felt deep gratitude for the families I’ve had the privilege to support in my clinical work. My experience in child welfare, pediatric settings, and perinatal mental health has shown me how deeply parenting can awaken emotional patterns, especially for those trying to raise differently than they were raised.

If Parenting Has Stirred Old Feelings, You’re Not Alone

You might find that moments of parenting unexpectedly open emotional wounds.
This doesn’t mean something is wrong.
It means something in you is rising up to be witnessed, understood, and healed.

Therapy offers a space to do just that with gentleness, cultural awareness, and care.

Therapy Support for New York Parents

If you're a parent in New York and something in this conversation resonates with you, I’d love to offer support. Together, we can explore how your past is showing up in your parenting—and how to meet it with clarity and compassion.

👉 Schedule a free 15-minute consultation. Email me at ashleyrodriguezphd@gmail.com

When Parenting Feels Triggering: It’s Not a Setback — It’s a Sign You’re Healing

Sometimes, your child’s crying wakes up the parts of you that were never comforted.

If you’ve ever felt unexpectedly overwhelmed while parenting — by sadness, frustration, shame, or even a sense of numbness — you’re not alone.

Maybe a meltdown leaves you spiraling with guilt.
Maybe setting a boundary makes your chest tighten.
Maybe a small moment cracks something wide open inside.

These reactions aren’t just about the moment itself.
They’re often echoes from the past — tied to the parts of you that weren’t seen, soothed, or supported when you were growing up.

This doesn’t mean you’re broken.
It means you’re healing. And noticing these moments is a powerful form of awareness.

Ghosts & Angels in the Nursery

There’s a concept in psychology called “Ghosts and Angels in the Nursery.”

• Ghosts are the memories, patterns, and emotional imprints from your own childhood — especially the ones that resurface in high-stress parenting moments.

• Angels are the moments of grace, support, or intuition — whether from your past or from within — that guide you toward doing things differently.

When you’re raising a child while also tending to your own emotional wounds, the past and present can blur.
And sometimes, that can feel like too much.

But the truth is — this isn’t a sign of failure. It’s a sign of transformation.

You’re not just parenting.
You’re reclaiming.
You’re reconnecting — with your child and with yourself.
You’re becoming someone more aware, more present, and more rooted.

Start Where You Are

If any of this feels familiar, I want to acknowledge your courage.
Noticing these patterns — and naming them — is not easy work. It requires strength, honesty, and care.

It’s okay if it feels tender.
It’s okay if it brings up grief.
You’re already doing something brave by being aware.

Therapy Can Support This Process

If you’re a parent or caregiver living in New York, and this post resonates with your experience, you don’t have to navigate this alone.

As a licensed psychologist with expertise in perinatal mental health and intergenerational trauma, I offer a compassionate, culturally responsive space to explore the emotional layers of parenting and healing.

✨ Let’s connect in a free 15-minute consultation to see if therapy might be a good fit.Email me at ashleyrodriguezphd@gmail.com

You deserve care that honors your story — not just as a parent, but as a whole person.

You're not failing.
You're becoming.
And that is sacred work.

Is this Baby Blues or Something Deeper? Understanding PMADs

It’s often said that having a baby changes everything—but few people talk about how it changes you.

The postpartum period is a time of deep emotional, physical, and identity transformation. It’s common to feel overwhelmed, teary, and tired in the first couple of weeks after birth. This is often referred to as the "baby blues" and affects up to 80% of new parents.

But when the sadness lingers, the anxiety sharpens, or the joy disappears completely—you may be experiencing something more serious.

What Are PMADs?

Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) include a spectrum of emotional disorders that occur during pregnancy or within the first year postpartum. They include:

• Postpartum depression

• Postpartum anxiety

• Postpartum OCD

• Postpartum PTSD

• Postpartum psychosis

These are not character flaws or personal failures—they are treatable conditions that affect 1 in 5 birthing people. And they can also affect fathers and non-birthing partners.

Signs It Might Be More Than Baby Blues

• Intense irritability, sadness, or numbness lasting beyond 2 weeks

• Difficulty bonding with your baby

• Constant worry, racing thoughts, or fear of harming yourself or your baby

• Feeling overwhelmed by daily tasks or unable to sleep when the baby sleeps

Culturally Responsive Care Matters

If you're a BIPOC parent, you may be carrying additional layers of stigma, cultural pressure, or silence around emotional struggle. You may feel like you have to be strong, grateful, or perfect.

You don't. You deserve care, too.

A culturally responsive, trauma-informed therapist can hold space for your healing without judgment, and without asking you to explain your culture.

You Are Not Alone

PMADs are common. They are treatable. And seeking support is not weakness—it's love in action.

If you're unsure what you're feeling, therapy can help you sort through the noise and return to yourself. You're not a bad parent. You're a human being in transition.

You deserve support that honors your whole story.

🗓️ Support Is Available

If you’re a new or expecting parent in New York and this post resonates with you, I invite you to schedule a free 15-minute consultation. Together, we can explore what compassionate, culturally responsive care might look like for you. Email me at ashleyrodriguezphd@gmail.com to schedule.

When You’ve Outgrown the Role You Were Raised to Play

Do you ever feel like you’re doing everything "right" on the outside but feel lost on the inside? You may have a steady job, a growing family, or a community you care for deeply—and still wonder, Who am I now?

This is common for many first-generation and BIPOC adults navigating adulthood. We often step into adult roles still carrying the expectations and identities we were handed as children: the fixer, the caretaker, the achiever, the peacemaker.

But as we grow—especially during life transitions like becoming a parent, starting a new relationship, or shifting careers—those roles may no longer fit.

Signs You've Outgrown an Old Role

• You feel resentment doing things you used to take pride in

• You experience burnout from always being the one others depend on

• You struggle to say no or set boundaries, even when you're exhausted

• You find yourself asking, "What do I actually want?"

Why This Feels So Hard

Letting go of old roles can feel like disloyalty. Many of us were conditioned to believe our worth comes from how much we give. Shifting out of these identities may be met with guilt, pushback, or grief.

But here's the truth: growth requires grief. When we outgrow roles, we create space for more authentic self-definition.

Therapy Can Help You Reclaim Your Identity

In therapy, you can:

• Explore who you are beyond the roles you've played

• Grieve the parts of you that were never allowed to rest

• Build language around your needs, not just your responsibilities

• Learn to hold boundaries without shame

Outgrowing a role doesn’t mean you’re abandoning your family. It means you’re finally choosing yourself.

Ready to Reclaim Your Identity?

If you're based in New York and this post resonates with you, I invite you to schedule a free 15-minute consultation. Therapy can help you reconnect with who you truly are—and who you’re becoming.

Email me at ashleyrodriguezphd@gmail.com to schedule a consultation

Why First-Gen Mental Health Is Unique — and Why You’re Not Broken

Being the first in your family to attend college, pursue a professional career, or navigate parenting with emotional awareness is a powerful achievement—and often a lonely one. If you're a first-generation adult, you may feel caught between cultures, roles, and expectations. You may carry pride and pressure in equal measure. This emotional complexity is what makes first-gen mental health both unique and often misunderstood.

What Is a First-Gen Adult?

A "first-generation adult" typically refers to someone who is the first in their family to grow up or come of age in a new country, or the first to access significant milestones such as higher education, professional careers, or therapy. Many first-gen individuals are the U.S.-born children of immigrants, or the first in their family to graduate college, enter white-collar professions, or engage in mental health support. This role often comes with high expectations, uncharted territory, and deep emotional layers.

As a first-gen Latina and psychologist, I see how deeply this duality shapes emotional wellbeing. Many of us were raised in households where emotional awareness wasn’t always accessible—not because our families didn’t care, but because they were navigating economic hardship, cultural displacement, and structural barriers. In these environments, survival often required focus on practical needs rather than emotional reflection. Gratitude was expected. Struggle was normalized. Seeking help was sometimes stigmatized.

The Beauty and Difficulty of Being Bicultural

Living between two cultures is both enriching and disorienting. Gloria Anzaldúa's concept of the "Borderlands" speaks to this experience—the psychological and emotional space where multiple identities intersect, clash, and evolve. First-gen individuals often live in this in-between: translating one world while trying to thrive in another.

You may feel too much or not enough for either culture. You might speak fluent English and still carry shame for not speaking your family's native language fluently. You may feel the need to excel in professional settings while holding onto cultural values of humility, collectivism, and caretaking.

There is beauty in this adaptability AND it comes with grief. Grief for what your parents couldn’t teach you about college applications, financial aid, or setting boundaries. Grief for the parts of yourself that had to grow up too quickly just to make it.

The Strengths of Being First-Gen

Let’s begin by honoring your strengths. First-gen individuals are:

• Resourceful: You've learned to navigate systems your family may not have had access to.

• Resilient: You've carried emotional and logistical burdens with little support.

• Responsible: You've often taken on adult roles early in life—translating, caregiving, advocating.

• Deeply Connected to Family: Even when boundaries are hard, you value your roots.

These traits are incredible and they often come with invisible costs.

The Emotional Weight You Carry

Being "the first" often means:

• Feeling guilt for having opportunities your family didn’t

• Struggling with boundaries and code-switching between home and professional environments

• Minimizing your needs because you were taught not to complain

• Suppressing emotions that don’t feel "productive" or "grateful"

This can lead to anxiety, burnout, identity confusion, and a persistent sense that you are "too much" or "not enough."

You're Not Broken—You're Carrying Too Much

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or disconnected, it doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’re human.

Therapy can be a space where you stop performing strength and start exploring what it means to be held. You don’t have to shrink to honor your family. You don’t have to abandon your values to heal. In fact, culturally responsive therapy integrates your identity and your healing.

You are not broken. You are breaking new ground. And that deserves care.

🗓️ Ready to Start Therapy?

If you live in New York and are looking for a culturally responsive therapist who understands the complexities of first-gen identity, I invite you to schedule a free 15-minute consultation. Let’s explore how therapy can support your healing, growth, and legacy.

👉 Schedule a Consultation: Email me at ashleyrodriguezphd@gmail.com

Welcome to Therapy That Honors Your Culture & Story

✨ Welcome: A Space for Your Healing, Not Your Performance

If you’re here, something inside you is asking for more — more ease, more connection, more clarity.
And maybe, just maybe, you’re tired of holding it all together alone.

I want to begin this blog by saying what often goes unsaid:
Starting therapy is an act of courage.
Whether you're still considering it or already in the process, it’s okay if you feel overwhelmed, unsure, guarded, hopeful, or all of the above.

There is no one “right” way to begin healing.

🧡 All of You Is Welcome Here

If you’re a first-generation adult who’s always been the strong one...
If you're a new parent grieving the version of yourself you once knew...
If you’re navigating life transitions that no one prepared you for…
If you're trying to make peace with a childhood that still shows up in your present…

You are not alone.

Therapy doesn't require you to have all the answers — it invites you to ask different questions.
Questions like:

• “What would it mean to choose myself without guilt?”

• “How do I break the cycle without breaking down?”

• “Who am I outside of the roles I’ve always played?”
  

This blog will be a space where those questions are honored, and where the complexity of your lived experience — as a BIPOC, first-gen, cycle-breaking human — is not only understood, but centered.

🌟 What You Can Expect From This Blog

Here, I’ll share reflections, resources, and clinical insights related to:

• First-generation mental health

• Life transitions and identity exploration

• Perinatal and postpartum emotional wellness

• Boundaries, burnout, and emotional regulation

• Healing from intergenerational trauma

My intention is not to give you quick fixes or rigid checklists.
Instead, I’ll offer grounded guidance rooted in my values as a clinician:

• Trauma-informed care that honors the nervous system and the whole person

• Culturally responsive practice that doesn’t ask you to explain or dilute who you are

• Deep compassion for the stuck, scared, or self-critical parts of you

• Commitment to relational healing, not just surface-level symptom relief

Whether you're here to gather insight, find resonance, or begin your therapy journey, I’m glad you’ve landed here.

💫 A Final Reminder

It’s okay to have doubts.
It’s okay to feel like therapy might be “too much” or “too tender.”
It’s okay if past experiences made you question whether healing is even possible.

And still — you are worthy of care.
You don’t have to carry the weight of your story in silence.
You don’t have to hold your healing alone.

When you're ready, I’m here to walk with you.

In care,
Dr. Ashley Rodriguez
NY Licensed Psychologist | Perinatal Mental Health Certified
Email ashleyrodriguezphd@gmail.com to schedule a consult