In this session, Dr. Alisa Miller, together with Cultural Broker Dorys Lemus work with Maria, a 15-year-old who travelled to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic by herself over a year ago to be reunited with her mother. After a two-year separation, Maria had longed to reconnect with Mom, whose goal in coming to the U.S. was to begin a better life for her entire family. Maria hopes one day it will bring her younger siblings here as well; they presently live with her grandmother back in the Dominican. Since arriving here, Maria lives with her mother and her Mom’s boyfriend, but she is concerned about her Mom’s relationship with Jorge, who contributes little to the household, and until recently, was out of work. In today’s session, Maria shares her frustration and anger after just learning that Jorge has already quit his newest job, and she isn’t sure she wants to remain in therapy.

In this session, we meet Anna and Nick, a young couple who recently immigrated to the U.S. from war torn Ukraine. Originally from Kyiv, Anna fell in love with Nick, who’s from Chicago, while he was traveling abroad the summer before enrolling in college. Anna is now six months pregnant, and the couple lives in Nick’s hometown, where he attends the University of Chicago. However, Anna’s deep relationship with her mother, who is back in Ukraine, has her seriously considering a return home, despite the war. Struggling with this decision, Anna has been feeling guilty about having left her mom behind. This is Dr. Hydon’s sixth session with Nick and Anna, and it begins with obvious tension from the couple, something he hasn’t seen previously.

In this session we meet 16-year-old Marcela who came to the U.S. from Colombia at age 8. She’s been in foster care since, and there’s history of her being triggered around the time of her birthday—this time, she ran away but was later found at the train station. Marcela has also learned her father will soon be released from prison, and she’s had difficulties sleeping, focusing at school, and there have been nightmares about her childhood in Colombia. With her therapist Dr. Velez, Marcela opens up by sharing her most recent journal entry.

In this teletherapy session, we meet 17-year-old Liz, who recently disclosed to her mother that her father sexually abused her. As a result, Liz’s mom confronts her husband, who flees the country to avoid authorities. In Dr. Grame’s work with Liz, she’s encouraged her to complete three artworks — about her past, present, and future. They’ve become key tools in Liz’s treatment and recovery, and she’s recently been feeling more positive and hopeful. But just days ago, Liz overheard her grandmother talking with a relative, seeming to take her father’s side over hers, by refusing to defend Liz’s disclosure about the abuse. She now feels betrayed by her grandmother — and so Dr. Grame turns to the powerful symbols within the drawings as a way to help Liz explore those feelings and move forward.

In this session, we meet 15-year-old Jaime, who came with his family to the U.S. from Mexico at age 9. After recently disclosing past sexual abuse by a family friend, he learns that his perpetrator has also sexually abused his younger brother, “Ro.” Dr. Gomez meets with Jaime, who feels he deserves to die for not disclosing sooner; letting down his brother and parents. Dr. G explores the implications of “a world without Jaime.”