Racial Stress Archives | Somatic Therapist NYC - Michele L. Kong, CPC, SEP, LP

Somatic Therapy for Social Anxiety

What is Social Anxiety? Social anxiety involves persistent fear, self-consciousness, or distress in situations where you may feel observed, evaluated, or judged by others. For some, it may show up as avoiding parties, meetings, groups, public speaking, unfamiliar social situations, even dating. For others, social anxiety can be less visible. You might attend social events while internally experiencing intense worry about saying the wrong thing, feeling rejected, disappointing someone, and/or shame spiraling after the fact. Social anxiety can also overlap […]

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Shame & Trauma Recovery

What is trauma-related shame? Traumatic shame tends to focus on identity: there must be something wrong with me. An intensely painful emotion where you believe that you are the problem. Such a conclusion is common among children who did not get the appropriate support and attuned responses from caregivers as well as from their environment growing up. Then, they carry such thoughts and beliefs into adulthood. Traumatic shame may appear in statements such as: “I must be broken.” “It’s my fault.”

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Somatic therapy for nervous system regulation

How Somatic Therapy can help your nervous system

What is nervous system regulation? Your nervous system is constantly working in the background, without you having to think about it. On one hand, it supports activity whether you are anxious and preoccupied, enjoy exercising, dancing, or getting really excited! On the other, your nervous system also supports rest, recovery, digestion and healing. Fundamentally, how your nervous system shifts states—how you weather stressors, ups and downs— is based on how your nervous regulates itself. Signs your nervous system might be

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Therapy for Asian Americans in NYC

How important is it to have a therapist of the same ethnic/cultural/racial identity? Many Asian Americans living and working in NYC are eager to find an Asian American therapist offering Somatic Therapy and trauma-informed approaches. For some, shared experiences provide more ease and understanding. Trust more readily builds in forming a relationship with an Asian American therapist. However, many who have experienced childhood trauma struggle with trusting even a therapist of similar background. So then, mistrust and lack of safety

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People Pleasing and Perfectionism

People-pleasing at first glance may seem altruistic, well-meaning, kind etc. It’s likely a habit you learned a long time ago, and may be an underlying source of stress. Wishing to please others generally may not be problematic. However, if people-pleasing habits are a way to seek external validation, then you may struggle with low self-esteem. If people-pleasing behaviors are essentially the only way you seem to know how to interact with others, chronic people-pleasing may be a sign of disconnection

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Mindfulness in Therapy

Mindfulness can be an antidote to all the distractions of these times. Often associated with meditation, mindfulness can be developed as a skill to support you through daily living. Cultivating mindful awareness, attention and intention can help you reduce anxiety, fear and stress in your life.

Paying Attention, Learning from Awareness
It’s challenging during these times–due to our reliance on technology, ever updating news cycles and more–to focus. To be present. You may experience some level of anxiety, or FOMO, as if you’re “not keeping up.”

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Therapy for Childhood Trauma

Early trauma impacts many adults Anxiety, depression, difficulties metabolizing and expressing emotions, challenges in relationships and even physical health conditions are common for those who grew up in homes feeling unsafe, under chronic stress, with lack of support etc. Healing The Past: recovering from childhood trauma Often what brings the individuals I work with to therapy is the residue of childhood trauma: anxiety, depression, chronic tension and stress, difficulties trusting others, not feeling understood etc. What happened to you in

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Therapy for BIPOC

DepresBlack, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) need a space to feel our own dignity, worth and pride. In honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today, I found this speech where he suggests, “a deep belief in your own dignity, your own worth and your own somebody-ness… Don’t allow anybody to make you feel that you are nobody. Always feel that you count. Always feel that you have worth. And always feel that your life has ultimate significance.”

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Therapy for Adult Children of Immigrants

Generational and cultural differences can contribute to underlying stress for many adult children of immigrants through various phases of life. While I sometimes recommend Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents to certain individuals I work with, there are layers of complexity—perhaps not addressed in the book—specific to the experiences of adult children of immigrants. You might feel a hundred contradictory ways towards your immigrant parents. In relation to yourself. As well as with others. Conflicting feelings may keep you feeling

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Love Whole Being

Wholeness is intrinsically healing