Realno sa Dritom Haziraj
The Pain We Don't Talk About: Imigrant Trauma & Mental Health - Dr. Sonila Sejdaras: Realno 021
In this episode Albanian-American clinical psychologist, speaker, and founder of Care for Albania, Dr. Sonila Sejdaras shares her journey of leaving Albania as a teenager under a communist government, navigating immigrant trauma and loneliness in the United States, and eventually building two psychology clinics and a non-profit organization. We discuss why mental health and therapy remain taboo in Balkan communities, the science of generational trauma, practical grounding techniques like diaphragmatic breathing, and the necessity of self-compassion. https://www.chicagopsych.org/sonila https://www.careforalbania.org Special Campaign: For every new subscriber to the Realno Podcast YouTube channel within 7 days of this episode airing, $1 will be donated directly to Care for Albania to support non-profit initiatives for children and families in need. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee https://buymeacoffee.com/realnopodcast PayPal https://paypal.me/realnopodcast Spotify https://open.spotify.com/search/Realno%20sa%20Dritom%20Haziraj 00:00 – Teaser: Struggling with Depression & The Immigrant Experience 01:12 – Guest Introduction: Dr. Sonila Sedarasi 01:52 – Why Do Balkan Communities Avoid Therapy? 03:22 – "Is Coffee with Friends Enough?" Therapy vs. Social Outlets 05:14 – Understanding Generational Trauma and DNA Heritage 07:05 – Practical Advice: A Simple Breathing Exercise for Stress 09:50 – Naps, Rest, and Corporate Burnout 11:13 – Immigrant Trauma, Identity Loss, and Saying Goodbye 13:00 – The 5 Stages of Grief & Processing Parent Loss 15:35 – Dr. Sedarasi's 27-Year Journey: Arrival in the U.S. and Survival Mode 19:15 – Breaking the Cycle of Trauma for the Next Generation 21:05 – Growing Up in Albania Under Communism 25:20 – Shared Childhood Intuitions and America Dreams 29:10 – The Origin and Mission of Care for Albania 32:15 – The 7-Day Subscriber Challenge for Charity ($1 per Subscriber) 35:05 – Why Self-Compassion is a Necessity, Not a Luxury 38:50 – Managing Boundaries and Empathy as a Therapist and Boss 41:40 – Nostalgia, Culture, and What She Misses About Albania 44:20 – Why the Primitive Brain is Attracted to Bad News 47:15 – Authenticity, Soul, and Algorithms in Modern Media 49:30 – When Should You Seek Professional Help? 52:20 – Final Thoughts & How to Support Care for Albania
