The life of a Third Culture Kid therapist

A sense of inadequacy pervades for so many TCKs, and this week I'm reflecting (having had my own bruises triggered) on what pieces of our story make us sensitive to this - and how a sense of "good enough" matters...

Have you ever found yourself having finally achieved a goal or sitting in a chapter of life that you've been longing for... only to feel a sudden slump of mood, even a sense of dread? I have, and in this episode I ponder how it makes sense to me in the context of my TCK story...

Powerlessness is a theme that shows up a lot in TCK stories. In this episode I'm exploring why this is and the difficulty of owning the power we gain as adults.

I was reminded recently of the nuance between doing things that we feel are good for us because we 'should' or because we want to treat ourselves well. It is not uncommon for me to hear TCKs (myself included!) preoccupied with trying to crack the 'right way' to do our lives, and how this can bring a lot of anxiety. In this episode I explore what would shift if we were more preoccupied with treating ourselves well, than getting it right - and why that can be so hard for us.

This week, I'm observing my behaviour around my garden - how I seem to get lost in how to keep showing up to it after the big push of landscaping... and how this is mirrored in many ways as I navigate settledness as a TCK.

This is a bit of processing moment today! I'm reflecting on those familiar sticking places we come back to - the same sinking feelings - and how we can disrupt the cycle by finding and naming the beliefs about ourselves that underpin them. And then change our stories - fundamentally! Walk with me as I ponder!

Today I'm reflecting on how hard it can feel to tell our story in a way that fully reflects our experiences, and the pain of seeing our attempts to share misunderstood. These reflections took me to Rousseau's 'Surprised' piece - where he depicts a tiger in a jungle, frightened in a storm. There is a connection, I promise!

This episode tracks a little conversation with the biggest welcome - to Lindsay Linder, Life Story's Communications Associate! Lindsay has been working with me for a number of years now, but thanks to a recent grant, is now coming on board to help me even more - listen for more details! Also do check out my new 'My Team' page for more of her story - https://explorelifestory.com/my-team/