54 | Connecting + Healing with Racial Identity Development with Lillian Farzan

Author: Aimée Suen, NTP
Published: Wed 25 Sep 2019
Episode Link: https://smallsteps.libsyn.com/54-connecting-healing-with-racial-identity-development-with-lillian-farzan

It can feel normal to feel very out of place and confused as a person of color navigating how you fit in it, especially if you grew up or have been in the minority in your environments for a long time. Today’s guest, Lillian Farzan, AMFT, talks about how there are stages to rejecting, connecting with and integrating our races, heritages and cultures as we move through life.

About Lillian Farzan

Lillian Farzan is a pre-licensed therapist focused on racial identity development and working with marginalized communities. She works with populations including first-generation individuals, survivors of sexual trauma, and members of the LGBTQ community in Los Angeles. Lillian is a first-generation Iranian Jewish American passionate about supporting her clients through coaching, therapy, and advocating for social justice by engaging in broader dialogue.

Small Steps in the Show:

Journal on different parts, aspects and feelings on your identities, how others have seen you, the expectations you’ve been told to live up to.
If journaling isn’t your style, talk it out into a voice memo, app, or to a listening friend (who will just listen to what you’re expressing).
Meditating to create time to connect with yourself.
Gather with like-minded people in your community to talk about these shared aspects of your identities more.
Interview people in your family or people in your community to understand more about your heritage and culture.
Look more into your heritage and culture to connect more with it in ways that resonate with you (museums, restaurants, books, shows and movies, music, other events or community gatherings)
Lean into the discomfort that may arise as you look more at your racial identity development
Intentionally let go of binary thinking.
Practicing radical acceptance of the things you don’t agree with or like about your culture and also embracing the meaningful things about your culture.
Keep an open mind as you learn more and connect more with your culture.
Take your time moving through this, go at your own pace.