E96: When Rest Feels Like Betrayal: How Living Between Two Cultures Shapes First-Generation Mental Health

Today I’m talking to Jessica Batres, a trilingual therapist based in Ontario, about the unique experiences of first generation Canadians, our mental health and our evolving cultural identity. 

Brief Summary: Many first-generation Canadians feel the invisible weight of living between two cultures — pulled between the sacrifices of the generation before them and the pressure to succeed in the one they were born into. In this episode, we explore how cultural guilt, hustle culture, and the struggle to belong can make rest feel impossible, and why this tension takes such a toll on first-generation mental health.

Resources for After the Show: 

• Latina Women, Marianismo, and the Pressure to Be Perfect by Jessica Batres, MSW, RSW 

• Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski, 

• Self-Care for Latinas by Raquel Reichard and 

• My Grandmothers Hand by Resmaa Menakem

About our Guest: Jessica Batres is a trilingual therapist based in Ontario and the founder of Raíces  Flourish Counseling. Jessica’s path into mental health is rooted in years of frontline work with people experiencing homelessness, followed by roles in social policy focusing on housing and immigration. Today, she brings all of that insight into her therapy practice, where she supports women, young adults, and the Latine community in navigating anxiety, depression, and the weight of cultural expectations. Find Jessica: Website/Blog | Instagram 

Find Christina (CRPO #3908):  Website | Find a Therapist | Instagram | Podcast page

A gentle reminder that this is not therapy, and Christina is not your therapist. If you would appreciate one on one support or treatment, please check out the links posted above or our Resources page on our website.

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