How to Talk to [Mamí & Papí] about Anything

Nathalie’s parents moved her and her siblings to Mexico as children and back to the U.S. later on. Those decisions had huge consequences for their emotional lives, which the family is now trying to understand. And, family therapist Catalina Fortich returns to help us reshape our "dominant narratives" to reconnect with loved ones—and ourselves. Our expert this week is Catalina Fortich, a marriage a...

Carmella believes her mother's drinking is a serious concern, but getting her and her Cuban family to acknowledge it––and the impact on her mom's health––has been a challenge. And, substance-abuse specialist Liliana Calle helps us destigmatize addiction. Featured Expert:   Liliana M. Calle, is a mental health counselor who has been working in the field of addictions since 2006. She also works with...

Carmen identifies as a feminist, but the term has negative connotations for her Cuban parents. And, migration and gender scholar Berta Hernández-Truyol helps us deconstruct the label and reclaim the word feminism. Featured Expert:  Professor Berta Hernández-Truyol is an internationally renowned human rights scholar who utilizes an interdisciplinary and international framework to promote human well...

Nelson's Colombian mom always looked down on salespeople and scoffed at his father's business ambitions. Now an entrepreneur, he still struggles with her misperceptions. And, psychotherapist Stevon Lewis helps us talk about our ambitions with our loved ones and reconcile different definitions of success. Featured Expert: Stevon Lewis is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice specializing i...

Veda talks about deciding not to speak with their Indian parents about their gender identity. And, Sree Sinha, co-founder of  the South Asian Sexual and Mental Health Alliance, helps us figure out when, if, and how to talk about identity and sexuality with loved ones. Featured Expert:   Sree Sinha is co-founder of the South Asian Sexual & Mental Health Alliance (SASMHA). Sree is a doctoral candida...

Kristie just received her doctorate, a milestone that's impacting her father-daughter relationship and revealing tensions in her Mexican-American family around gender roles and expectations. And, psychologist Gabriela Livas Stein comes back to walk us through "selective acculturation" and how to align our family roles with our values. Featured Expert:   Our expert this week is Gabriela Livas Stein...

Diane's Korean mother and grandmother live in New Jersey, and would like her to visit more often. But Diane has a full life in NYC, and feels guilty and torn. Hatty Lee, a marriage and family therapist who works with Asian-Americans, shares tips on how to speak with loved ones about honoring our individual and family needs. Featured Expert:  Hatty Lee is a licensed, marriage and family therapist i...

Liz and her Mexican mom have always had a difficult mother-daughter relationship. Now that Liz is thinking of having children, she worries that because of her strict Catholic upbringing, and her emotionally-detached mother, she may not have become the type of parent she wants to be. We’d love to hear your stories of triumph and frustration so send us a detailed voice memo to hello@talktomamipapi.c...

Spiritual life coach Michelle Gomez speaks with Juleyka about what he calls the Latina Mother Wound, and shares strategies to recognize and begin to heal childhood traumas that impact mother-daughter relationships. Then, she offers advice on how to incorporate it all into conscious parenting practices. Featured Expert:  Michelle Gomez, is a spiritual life coach, author, and sacred space holder wit...

When Oriana opened an online bookstore focused on BIPOC authors, her Venezuelan parents didn't understand why it was necessary to highlight the identity and work of writers of color. And, facilitator Liza Talusan offers advice on how to discuss anti-racism and inclusion with our parents. You can visit Xolo Books, here .  Featured Expert: Dr. Liza Talusan is an educator, facilitator, and strategic...

When Gina was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder—the cause of her insomnia, panic attacks, and night teeth-grinding—she decided not to tell her Latino parents. Dr. Ana Ribas, an anxiety specialist, shares strategies for discussing our mental health and treatment options with our parents. Featured Expert:  Dr Ana Ribas is a licensed clinical psychologist that maintains a private practice i...

Ray's father passed away last year. A few years earlier Ray and his parents discussed the kind of care his dad would want at the end of his life. Professor of Law María Mercedes Pabón returns with advice on how to broach this difficult subject with loved ones. Featured Expert:  María M. Pabón is Professor of Law at Loyola University New Orleans. She is an expert in immigrants’ rights (including th...

Fryda grew up in a Cuban-American family, and easily sees how her mother's life in Cuba influenced how she raised her. As a result, sometimes their relationship feels strained. And, Juleyka speaks with an immigration and acculturation scholar who helps us uphold boundaries with parents. Fryda is the cohost of the Teikirisi podcast.  Featured Expert:   Rose Perez is Associate Professor, Graduate Sc...

Jor grew up in a very religious Indian family. Coming out to himself and to his parents took years. And, Aruna Rao, who guides South Asian LGBTQ+ individuals and their families, helps us accept and affirm our loved ones' identities. Jor Gonsalves is the host of   Unshaming , a podcast about representation and storytelling. You can listen wherever you get your podcast.  Featured Expert:  Aruna Rao...

Rafe was sexually assaulted as a teen, and only began to open up to his family about it and his sexual identity as an adult. He now feels very much loved but bears the scars of the incident and the silence around it. And, Juleyka speaks with Rosalia Rivera, an abuse prevention expert who works with survivor parents, about how to teach consent and body autonomy in our families. Featured Expert:  Ro...

Amalia grew up watching her Cuban mom work hard to make ends meet. As an adult, Amalia is her mom’s safety net, but talking with her about finances and planning for the future makes her very nervous. Then, Juleyka speaks with certified financial advisor Anna N’Jie-Konte about how to talk to our parents about their money. Featured Expert: Anna N'Jie-Konte is the founder of Dare to Dream Financial P...

Ele's parents have always been really supportive. When she and her husband lost their home during the recession, her parents took them and their kids in. Ele was grateful, but at times overwhelmed by their eagerness to help. Then, Dr. Maritza Mikolich, a family therapist, shares strategies for talking to parents about how best to really help us. Featured Expert:  Dr. Maritza Mikolich is a Licensed...

Mental health professional Blanca Amaya, who specializes in culturally competent, trauma-informed therapy, helps us talk about suicide, depression, and mental illness with our loved ones.  Featured Expert:  Blanca E. Amaya, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker providing psychotherapy in Englisn and Spanish. She owns her own practice, Amaya Counseling in Pasadena, Californial. She has extensive exp...

Meet Sasha, who grew up in an Iranian and Chilean family. Her youngest sister, Suedi, died by suicide, and her family still doesn't talk much about it. The silence makes it harder for Sasha to open up about her own mental health struggles. We’d love to hear your stories of triumph and frustration so send us a detailed voice memo to hello@talktomamipapi.com. You might be on a future episode! Let’s...

She's a friend of the show, so when musician and writer Dessa told us about her new podcast, Deeply Human, we had to invite her on. In a convo that almost got out of hand, Dessa and Juleyka talk about why she created the show, how she's the show's real-life test dummy, and why she loves "science in street clothes." We’d love to hear your stories of triumph and frustration so send us a detailed voi...

Juleyka welcomes Dr. Eva Galvez, a family physician working primarily with immigrant communities, to get advice on how to talk with parents and loved ones about the need to get vaccinated. Dr. Galvez offers strategies for addressing concerns, building trust, and navigating barriers to access for certain populations. Featured Expert:  Dr. Eva Galvez is a board certified family physician at Virginia...

Last summer, Tatianna and her dad were in a really bad spot, to the point she felt every conversation turned into an argument. She reflects on the strategies she’s been using and what they’ve helped her understand about her dad—and herself. If you loved this episode, listen to Tatianna's original episode, Papí and I Don't Talk, We Argue. We’d love to hear your stories of triumph and frustration so...

Last year, TK told us how hard it was to get her parents to understand her passion for her work, and accept her career change from nursing to audio. In this episode, she shares how her family now understands, supports and celebrates her work and one another. If you loved this episode, listen to TK's original episode, She Loves Her Work, Her Parents Don't Get It. We’d love to hear your stories of t...

We check in with our first guest ever. When we spoke with Sandra, she told us she can't say no to her mother. Living through the pandemic in NYC gave her plenty of opportunities to practice. If you loved this episode, listen to Sandra's original episode, Mom Drove into NYC Amid the COVID-19 Crisis. We’d love to hear your stories of triumph and frustration so send us a detailed voice memo to hello...

When we spoke last year, Adela told us she had a hard time understanding her dad,  one-issue-voter, who supported Trump in 2016. She's pretty sure he voted for Trump again in 2020, but she is beginning to notice a shift in him. If you loved this episode, listen to Adela's original episode, Dad Voted for Trump.  We’d love to hear your stories of triumph and frustration so send us a detailed voice m...