Choose your next conversation
Culture, identity & mental health
Culture can be an important part of the questions people bring to a conversation about mental health. These interviews place Haitian and Brazilian experiences, immigration, family expectations, and BIPOC perspectives in the foreground. The guests describe their own backgrounds and professional work; no single interview represents an entire community.
Conversations hosted by Diana S. Rice, LMHC, CIMHP, QS.
Where would you like to begin?
Episode 55
Mental health in the Haitian community
Haitian-American therapist Ostin Celestin, Jr. speaks with Diana about cultural stigma, immigrant expectations, intergenerational trauma, and his path into psychotherapy. Start here for the episode specifically centered on Haitian mental health, cultural expectations, and the role of storytelling in the conversation.
Original episode: Breaking the Silence: Mental Health, Culture, and Healing in the Haitian Community with Ostin Celestin, Jr., LMHC, LMFT, EMDR Trained, QS
Episode 87
Brazilian identity and immigration stress
Lidiana Cartolano, LMHC, brings a Brazilian perspective to a discussion of immigration stress and culturally responsive therapy. This conversation broadens the collection beyond one immigrant experience and introduces questions about language, identity, and the context a therapist brings to their work.
Original episode: Brazilian Mental Health, Immigration Stress & Culturally Competent Therapy with Lidiana Cartolano, LMHC (Bilingual Portuguese Therapist in Florida)
Episode 6
BIPOC perspectives and trauma conversations
Marcken Volmy, LMHC, discusses his background, BIPOC mental wellness, trauma work, EMDR, and the Flash Technique. Diana and Marcken also explore labels and trust in the mental-health system. Choose this interview for the relationship between a clinician’s lived experience and professional perspective.
Original episode: Breaking Barriers: A Conversation with Marcken Volmy, LMHC and Trauma Stories Author. Insights on BIPOC Mental Wellness, EMDR, Flash Technique, and Healing cPTSD
Questions to take with you
- What parts of my cultural or family story would I want a counselor to understand?
- Which guest’s perspective adds something new to the way I think about belonging or asking for support?
These prompts are invitations to reflect, not a screening tool or a diagnosis.
Keep exploring the archive
- Healing Latina Health: Gut-Brain Connection, Cultural Food & Hormone Balance with Health Coach, Naihomy Jerez
- Special Edition Rise Latina Summit: Mind & Body Renovation (Oct 14–16, 2025)
- Suicide Prevention & Cultural Identity | Rest as Resistance w/ Aisha T. McDonald, LMHC, Suicidologist, CTP
- Healing Generational Trauma: EFT Tapping & Mental Health First Aid for Latina Women with Ana Martinez, LMHC