Where I Belong: Healing Trauma and Embracing Asian American Identity - Hardcover

by Soo Jin Lee (Author), Linda Yoon (Author)

An essential resource that addresses the unique experiences of trauma, healing, and mental health in Asian and Asian American communities.

Coauthors Soo Jin Lee and Linda Yoon are professional therapists who witnessed firsthand how mental health issues often went unaddressed not only in their own immigrant families, but in Asian and Asian American communities. Where I Belong shows us how the cycle of trauma can play out in our relationships, placing Asian American experiences front and center to help us process and heal from racial and intergenerational trauma.
This book validates our experiences and helps us understand how they fit into the broader context of our family history and the trauma experienced by previous generations. Lee and Yoon draw on their own stories, as well as those of a diverse segment of the Asian diaspora, to help us feel seen and connected to our wider community. They provide essential therapeutic tools, reflection questions, journal prompts, and grounding exercises to empower readers to identify their strengths and resilience across generations and to embrace the beauty and fullness of their own identity and culture.

Author Biography

Soo Jin Lee, LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist, executive director of Yellow Chair Collective, and cofounder of Entwine Community. As a previously undocumented Asian immigrant who struggled to access mental healthcare, she brings a unique perspective to her work. Lee has a degree in fine arts, and creativity plays an essential role in her personal and therapeutic process. When she's not spending quality time with her family, she can often be found exploring nature on a hiking trail or offering expert guidance in psychotherapy to individuals and groups alike.

Linda Yoon, LCSW, is a licensed therapist and social worker who has dedicated her career to helping people along their healing journey find a sense of belonging. As a survivor of C-PTSD and having received a late adult diagnosis of ADHD, Linda is passionate about serving Asian American communities, survivors of violence, and those who are neurodivergent. Growing up, Linda was drawn to the color yellow, which symbolizes resilience, joy, and hope. This deep personal connection inspired her to name her founding practice Yellow Chair Collective. She is also a cofounder of Entwine Community, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting Asian and Asian American mental health. Linda currently resides in Los Angeles with her spouse, Mathew, and her furry companion, Mini, who has been by her side for eighteen years.