By Maria Rhea Estante
As a Filipino-American woman navigating the complexities of modern life, life has taught me that true confidence emerges not from conforming to others’ expectations, but from deeply embracing the self – including one’s cultural heritage, values, and lived experiences. Over the years I’ve collected intention practices in my personal toolkit for living in the now while staying close to ancestral wisdom.
Central to my journey has been the power of culturally informed narrative therapy. This approach has helped me reframe my story not as one of straddling two worlds, but as someone uniquely positioned to draw strength from both. Through therapy, I’ve learned to recognize how my cultural background shapes my perspective and to value these insights as assets rather than obstacles.
