For many adults with immigrant parents, guilt, people pleasing, and family expectations quietly shape daily life.

In this episode of Empowered with Immigrant Parents, Allison Ly shares her personal story and explores how emotional regulation, boundaries, and self-care can help reduce guilt and resentment while strengthening relationships with immigrant parents. This conversation offers a compassionate reminder that you don’t have to choose between yourself and your family and that healthier, more emotionally secure connections are possible.

Allison Ly shares a simple grounding practice she uses to manage overwhelm, overstimulation, and stress during family time. As a mom of two navigating time with her kids and parents, she explores how perfectionism, responsibility, and the need to stay in control can quietly dysregulate your nervous system. This episode offers gentle insights on emotional regulation, self-care, and stepping away without guilt so adults with immigrant parents can feel calmer, more present, and more grounded in everyday family interactions.

Allison Ly and Clinical Psychologist and Procrastination Coach Dr. Christine Li to explore what adults with immigrant parents often carry that goes far beyond responsibilities or expectations.

The conversation weaves through mental, emotional, and physical patterns many second-generation adults grow up holding onto. From scarcity mindsets and guilt to clutter, procrastination, and constant low-grade stress. Not as personal flaws, but as survival strategies that once made sense.

Dr. Li shares how procrastination, overwhelm, and clutter are often signals of emotional overload rather than a lack of discipline. Together, they unpack how cultural expectations, family dynamics, and the pressure to not disappoint can quietly shape how adults with immigrant parents relate to time, space, and themselves.

The episode also touches on what it looks like to do things differently without rejecting your parents or your culture. How letting go doesn’t have to mean abandoning connection. And how learning to tolerate discomfort, listen to your body, and start small can open up more ease, clarity, and self-trust.

As an adult with immigrant parents, you may feel lonely, overwhelmed, and like you’re failing your parents, even when you’re doing everything you can. In this episode of Empowered With Immigrant Parents, Allison Ly breaks down the invisible roles many second-generation adults carry, from being the interpreter and problem solver to holding the emotional weight of family expectations. She explains why setting boundaries with immigrant parents feels so hard and how ignoring your own needs can lead to burnout, resentment, and emotional distance. Through personal stories and real examples, Allison shares how two truths can exist at once, allowing you to honor your parents while advocating for yourself without guilt. This episode offers practical insight and support for adult children of immigrants who want healthier relationships, clearer communication, and a life that doesn’t require self-sacrifice.

How do I feel more understood by the people closest to me? If you grew up in an immigrant household where speaking up felt uncomfortable or where your needs were not the focus, it makes sense that expressing yourself today feels hard. When we never got to practice choosing, sharing, or even noticing what we want, it becomes really difficult for others to understand us. I talk about the difference between being heard and being understood, why decision making can feel stressful for adults with immigrant parents, and what it looks like to slowly build the skill of naming your needs. I also offer a few simple everyday examples to help you notice where this shows up in your daily life and how you can begin shifting it. This conversation is for anyone who wants to feel more connected, more seen, and more confident in their relationships. If you have ever wondered why it feels so hard to explain what you need, this episode will help you understand where that comes from and what you can start practicing today.

If you grew up with immigrant parents, you probably learned early on that being “good” was never enough. You had to be perfect.
You had to be grateful. You had to stay safe.
And you had to hold it all together while making everyone proud.

In this episode, we break down what perfectionism really looks like for adults with immigrant parents and why it often shows up as survival rather than ambition. I sit down with camera operator and second generation Cambodian Chinese American creative, Chris Oeurn, to talk about how she breaks through perfection, pressure, and imposter syndrome while building a career in a male dominated industry.

Chris brings a rare, behind the scenes look at what it means to navigate creative work, self doubt, cultural expectations, and inherited trauma all at the same time. Her story is powerful, relatable, and full of insights that will help you rethink how you talk to yourself when the pressure feels heavy.

Whether you struggle with feeling “not good enough,” overworking, constant self critique, or carrying your family’s sacrifices on your back, this episode is going to hit home.

I co-host this epsiode with Curtis Chinn from the Infatuasian Podcast: Author Jamie Jo Hoang explore the Vietnamese American experience through the eyes of American-born teenagers and their refugee parents. They are fictional, but history "adjacent" for many children of immigrants.

In this episode of Empowered with Immigrant Parents, Allison Ly shares how a simple mindset shift can help you feel more in control—even during frustrating or unpredictable moments. She walks through a real-life example of turning an inconvenient errand into a peaceful, fulfilling day using intentional thought work and emotional preparation. Listeners will learn how to reframe negative thinking, set boundaries with themselves, and choose how they want to show up—no matter the circumstance. This episode offers empowering strategies for adults with immigrant parents who want to reclaim their time, energy, and sense of agency.

Allison Ly shares 3 powerful mindset shifts to help adults with immigrant parents take up more space without guilt. Learn how to challenge thoughts like “I should just be grateful,” “I’m asking for too much,” and “What will people think?” so you can advocate for yourself, set boundaries, and feel more confident in your relationships and decisions.

Taking up space isn’t always easy — especially for adults with immigrant parents. In this post, Allison Ly uncovers how cultural barriers, language struggles, and generational expectations impact self-advocacy. Walk away with deeper insight and a reflection to help you take up more space in your life.

Allison Ly breaks down what boundaries really are—and why they’re not as simple (or selfish) as they might seem. From everyday moments like lending a favorite sweater to navigating deeper family dynamics, especially with immigrant parents, she explores how boundaries evolve, why they feel uncomfortable, and how you can start setting them with more clarity and compassion.

In Part 3, the final part of The Repay Cycle™ series, Allison Ly shares simple yet powerful ways to protect your energy without giving up your values or your relationships. Learn how to make mindful choices, reduce resentment, and create space to care for yourself too. Listen as Allison shares practical steps to recognizing your values, prioritizing urgent tasks, and incorporating enjoyable activities to reduce stress.

In part two of the Repay Cycle™ series, Allison Ly explores the deeper reasons behind self-sacrificing behavior—especially for adults with immigrant parents. She unpacks how early roles like parentification, dual cultural expectations, and unclear values keep us stuck in guilt and obligation. This episode offers reflection tools and a practical exercise to help listeners gain clarity, reduce resentment, and align with what they truly want.

If you're an adult with immigrant parents and feel caught between two worlds, interactions and expectations, leading you to feel a lot of guilt —you're not alone. In this episode, I break down The Repay Cycle™, a framework I created from my 10+ years working with adults with immigrant parents, and individuals with immigrant background. This is a cycle so many adults with immigrant parents, myself included, fall into without realizing it.

Allison Ly recaps six powerful affirmations designed to support adults with immigrant parents as they navigate life's unique challenges. She explains why each affirmation matters, shares personal stories to illustrate their importance, and encourages listeners to practice self-compassion, especially during difficult moments. Learn how these affirmations can shift your mindset, offer more grace to yourself and others, and strengthen your emotional resilience.

Empowered with Immigrant Parents Podcast: Allison Ly aims to provide validation, support, and community for adults with immigrant parents, featuring stories, actionable tips, and interviews with guests sharing their experiences on this show

Empowered with Immigrant Parents - a podcast dedicated to adults navigating the complexities of honoring family while building their own dreams. With relatable stories, actionable strategies, and heartfelt encouragement, Allison Ly shares why this space was created: to offer validation, community, and tools for adult children of immigrants who often carry guilt, self-sacrifice, and cultural expectations. You're not alone in your journey toward empowerment, balance, and self-worth.