Cultural Identity & Experiences

Struggles related to cultural identity or experiences of marginalisation can lead to mental health challenges such as:

• Anxiety, depression, or emotional fatigue
  
• Grief or trauma from forced migration or war
  
• Disconnection from one’s heritage or family
  
• Culture shock or difficulty adapting to a new country
  
• Intergenerational conflict or pressure
  
• Identity confusion or internalised racism
  
• Feeling unseen, stereotyped, or excluded
  
• Fear of judgement in healthcare or community settings
  
• Experiences of racial trauma or microaggressions

These challenges are not personal weaknesses — they are often the result of systemic, historical, and interpersonal pressures.

Mental health struggles in culturally diverse communities may be shaped by:

• Racism, discrimination, or xenophobia
  
• Intergenerational trauma (e.g., from colonisation, war, displacement)
  
• Language barriers or communication gaps
  
• Family expectations around achievement, identity, or gender roles
  
• Cultural stigma around mental health
  
• Isolation from extended family or community
  
• Pressure to assimilate or mask cultural identity
  
• Conflicts between personal and cultural values
  

For migrants, refugees, First Nations people, or bicultural individuals, holding more than one cultural reality can be both enriching and complex.

We support people across a wide range of cultural experiences, including:

• Children of migrants or refugees
  
• First Nations and Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander clients
  
• People from CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) backgrounds
  
• People living between multiple cultures or with mixed heritage
  
• Individuals impacted by intergenerational or racial trauma
  
• International students and recent migrants
  
• People navigating faith, tradition, or cultural expectations
  

Whatever your story, your identity and lived experience matter — and deserve care.

Caring for your mental health while honouring your cultural identity may involve:

• Connecting with cultural community or spaces that affirm your background
  
• Naming and processing racial trauma in safe settings
  
• Finding a therapist who is culturally responsive and respectful
  
• Practising self-acceptance, especially if you feel “between” cultures
  
• Exploring your story — including language, ancestry, or place
  
• Setting boundaries around discrimination or harmful expectations
  
• Reclaiming cultural practices that bring you peace and connection

Healing can include pride, reconnection, and self-discovery — not just recovery.

At Seed, we offer culturally responsive therapy that honours your full identity. We know there’s no single way to be from a culture — and no right way to belong. Our Psychologists approach your story with cultural humility, curiosity, and care.

Our team comes from a range of diverse cultural backgrounds and speaks a variety of languages, allowing us to better understand and support the rich complexity of our clients’ lives.

We can support you to:

• Navigate cultural identity, belonging, or bicultural stress
  
• Process intergenerational or migration-related trauma
  
• Work through family or community expectations
  
• Manage anxiety, depression, or adjustment difficulties
  
• Build confidence and self-advocacy
  
• Heal from racism, microaggressions, or exclusion
  
• Strengthen your connection to culture, values, and meaning

We aim to create a space where your voice is heard, your identity is affirmed, and your wellbeing comes first.

You deserve care that sees you — fully.

Our client care team will help connect you with a Psychologist who understands the importance of cultural identity and brings sensitivity, respect, and cultural awareness to your care. We offer in-person sessions in Brunswick and online therapy across Australia.