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.
