Two adjoining windows overlooking eucalyptus and sunlit California hills

Identity and Belonging

Living Between Cultures

You may know how to belong in several places and still feel out of place in each. I work with immigrants, expats, and children of immigrants who are tired of translating themselves, explaining their choices, or deciding which version fits.

What It Feels Like

Two Sets of Rules

At home, speaking directly might sound disrespectful. At work, the same hesitation may be read as uncertainty. Switching between these rules can take effort that other people rarely see.

You might miss a place you no longer want to live, or feel protective of customs you also question. I welcome these mixed feelings without asking you to choose a side. Belonging does not have to be a single answer.

Underneath

The History Behind a Choice

Questions about identity often carry family history. A career choice, relationship, or language preference may touch sacrifices made before you had much say. Gratitude and frustration can sit together.

I moved from Germany to the US at 16. That experience informs my curiosity, not an assumption that our experiences match. I want to hear what crossing cultures means for you, including differences you rarely get to explain.

Our Work

Whose Story Are You Living?

Narrative therapy gives us a way to examine stories about who you should be. We can ask whose expectations shape those stories and which descriptions feel more like your own.

I may use psychodynamic work to explore belonging and family roles. With IFS, we can listen to parts of you that adapt, resist, miss home, or want something different. None has to speak for your whole identity.

In Session

Everyday Moments Belong Here

A session might begin with an awkward introduction, a family comment, or the exhaustion of explaining your name again. I take everyday moments seriously rather than looking only for major events.
We can talk about language, migration circumstances, and relationships where they matter to you. I will ask rather than treat nationality as an explanation for everything you experience. Your own account matters more than a cultural shortcut.

First Steps

No Single Place Called Home Required

You can use a free consultation to tell me what feels difficult about living between cultures. There is no requirement to have a clear identity question or a single place called home.

I offer 45-minute individual sessions online for clients in California, Arizona, and Missouri and in person in Manhattan Beach. Sessions are private pay. Visit the Rates page for details; I can provide superbills.

Questions