Multicultural CBT DBT

10/07/2025

11/06/2025

“The Art of Self-Validation: My Friendship with Radical Acceptance”

I no longer wait for applause.
I no longer crave the nod of approval
from voices that don’t know my full story.
I have learned to sit in the stillness of my own truth,
where self-validation rises not from perfection,
but from presence.

Radical acceptance has become my most faithful friend—
not loud, not demanding,
but steady, patient, and unshaken.
It sits with me when my body aches.
It whispers to me when my mind spirals.
It gently places its hand on my shoulder
when the world feels too loud,
when expectations feel too heavy.

Together, we practice.

Every single day.

I practice accepting the pain that pulses in my spine.
I practice accepting the fatigue that steals my mornings.
I practice accepting the uncertainty that shadows my future.
Not because I have given up,
but because I have given in—to what is real,
to what I cannot control,
to the truth of my body’s beautiful complexity.

Radical acceptance reminds me:
“You are not broken for feeling broken.”
“You are not failing because your body protests.”
“You are not weak for needing to rest.”

I no longer measure my worth by the smoothness of my skin
or the lightness of my days.
I measure it by the gentleness I offer myself in the storm,
by the grace I extend to my imperfections,
by the courage it takes to love a body
that doesn’t always love me back.

This is the art of self-validation:
to wake up and say, “Today, I will honor where I am.”
To sit beside my pain, not fight it.
To soothe my mind like a child who simply needs comfort.
To release the need for answers,
and hold space for what simply is.

Radical acceptance and I—we walk this path together.
Hand in hand.
Breath by breath.
Choosing not to wait for life to be easy to live it fully.
Choosing not to wait for the pain to leave before I feel joy.
Choosing not to demand certainty to feel safe.

I am the keeper of my own worth.
I am the witness to my own resilience.
And every day, I remind myself:
“You are enough, exactly as you are, even here.”

This is my practice.
This is my power.
This is how I soar,
even when I cannot fly.

Su

Photographer: Jason Guzman

06/06/2025

🛫 How to Decrease Stress and Anxiety Before, During, and After Flying: Summer Travel Tips from The Flying Psychotherapist

Summer is the season of wanderlust — the skies call, airports bustle, and our calendars fill with long-awaited getaways. But for many, flying doesn’t just bring excitement — it brings anxiety.

As a former flight attendant turned licensed psychotherapist, I understand both the emotional turbulence and the mechanics of air travel. Whether you’re a nervous flyer, someone prone to travel fatigue, or just hoping to make your next flight feel more peaceful, here are evidence-based, heart-centered tips to reduce stress before, during, and after your flight.

⸻

✈️ Before Your Flight: Preparing Mind, Body & Itinerary

1. Prepare with a Plan — and Flexibility
Anxiety thrives in uncertainty. Ease it by checking into your flight early, downloading your airline’s app, and mapping out your airport journey (TSA, gates, lounges). Allow extra time, but also accept that some things (like delays) are out of your control. Flexibility is your co-pilot.

2. Set a Calming Intention
Before heading to the airport, pause. Take a deep breath. Ask yourself: How do I want to feel on this journey? Safe? Grounded? Open to adventure? Use this intention as your emotional compass.

3. Create a Soothing Travel Kit
Bring headphones, a playlist or podcast that calms you, essential oils (lavender or peppermint), gum or mints, and a small comfort item (like a stress ball or scarf). Download mindfulness apps like Calm or Insight Timer for in-flight meditations.

4. Nourish, Hydrate, Sleep
Flying dehydrates and disrupts your rhythm. The night before, prioritize sleep and eat something nutritious. Avoid excess caffeine or alcohol, which can increase anxiety. Pack a refillable water bottle and snacks with protein and fiber to avoid blood sugar dips.

01/05/2025

May is EDS Awareness Month — a time to raise awareness for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a group of connective tissue disorders that often go unseen and undiagnosed.

As someone diagnosed with hypermobile EDS at 40 after years of struggle, I know firsthand how important it is to bring these stories into the light. Together, we can break the silence, offer validation, and advocate for better understanding — in medicine, mental health, and everyday life.

08/04/2025

Invisible Illness Group

Wednesday Evenings 8pm EST- 5pm PST
NY, NJ, CT, MA, PA, FL, CA

Chronic Illness Supportive Group, primarily focusing on people with "invisible" chronic illnesses. Looking to offer skills, support, guidance and community as well as helping them develop coping skills. A chronic invisible illness group can provide many benefits to those living with such conditions:

* Emotional Support
* Information and Resources
* Practical Advice
* Social Connection
* Empowerment
* Validation

Overall, such groups play a crucial role in providing comprehensive support that addresses both the emotional and practical aspects of living with a chronic invisible illness.

Starting Wednesday
5:00pm PST via Zoom,
8 weekly sessions, open to adults (18+);
$110 per session (open to sliding scale).

To schedule a consultation and intake for the group:
https://guidepostdbt.squarespace.com/chronic-illness-pain-dbt-group

Suhadee (Su) Henriquez, LCSW
(she, her, ella)
Active: NY, NJ, CA, CT, MA, PA, FL

Multicultural CBT-DBT
www.multiculturalcbt.com
(C) 774-722-8328
(F) 866-443-6781

Schedule a consult before the group: https://calendly.com/suhadee
Register by leaving a message on contact page at Subject Group https://www.multiculturalcbt.com/contact

15/01/2025

Any Therpist out there who can help please sign-up. I just added my one name. Let’s support our first responders in Los Ángeles. Here is the original post in the LA Therpist group I belong to:
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Please share or add your name to the list of you have capacity:

In the powerlessness I feel and that I know we collectively feel, here is a way we can help first responders after this part of this crisis is over. Mental health providers who can provide therapy in California, if you have capacity to provide pro bono sessions to first responders and those who have lost homes, etc. please feel free to add your contact info to this form. Please also feel free to share both the form and the responses so we can circulate support and reach those with capacity to offer it.

Link for mental health professionals to complete form: [https://forms.gle/pf8QRiPLyX5xTAid9](https://forms.gle/pf8QRiPLyX5xTAid9)

Available pro bono support for those with financial need: [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18ZaBCmuC0vVZ6OjLCHfZeOJ_8B-exIF7QyP8WjbcOGE/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18ZaBCmuC0vVZ6OjLCHfZeOJ_8B-exIF7QyP8WjbcOGE/edit?usp=sharing)

31/05/2024

Throughout the entire journey from infancy through childhood, adolescence, and into adulthood, we undergo significant transformations, not just physically but also emotionally and intellectually.

However, amidst these changes, there exists a constant element: the eternal spark within.
Initially, it might manifest as a subtle, almost indiscernible intuition.

Yet, when we focus our attention fully on this sense of continuity throughout our lives, this divine essence can gradually reveal itself, illuminating our existence with increasing brilliance.

✍️ Lilianna Heitmann
Artist: unknown