Navigating Cultural Bereavement and Finding Belonging
What is Cultural Bereavement?
Cultural bereavement, also referred to as cultural loss or cultural grief, is the profound sense of mourning that arises when you are separated from your cultural roots, traditions, and communities. According to Bhugra & Becker (2005), cultural bereavement often affects immigrants, refugees, and expatriates who have left their homeland for a new cultural environment. Unlike the grief associated with the loss of a loved one, cultural bereavement involves the loss of a way of life, language, customs, and a sense of belonging to a familiar community. This sense of loss can occur even when the move is voluntary and seen as a positive change.
Colloquially, you might hear it described as “homesickness,” “culture shock,” or “expat blues.” It manifests in various ways, such as feeling disconnected, homesick, or struggling with identity in the new cultural context.
– You may feel disconnected from both your original culture and the new one you are trying to adapt to, resulting in loneliness and an identity crisis as you struggle to understand who you are within the new cultural context. –
What Does Cultural Bereavement Look Like?
You might feel like you are straddling two worlds, with one foot in the new culture and one in the old. This can create a sense of impermanence and being untethered, leading to feelings of isolation and alienation. You may feel disconnected from both your original culture and the new one you are trying to adapt to, resulting in loneliness and an identity crisis as you struggle to understand who you are within the new cultural context.
Cultural bereavement often manifests as deep sadness and grief, mourning the loss of traditions, language, and community ties. The stress of adapting to the “culture of settlement” while grieving your “culture of origin” can give rise to a “sense of rejection, alienation and poor self-esteem (Bhugra & Becker, 2005, p.17).” Crafting a new life in a different culture, while striving for economic stability, can be a daunting journey. The pursuit of better opportunities often brings with it the challenge of forming meaningful social connections amidst cultural barriers. The sense of isolation can leave you longing for the familiar comforts of your homeland, often bringing waves of homesickness.
Cultural bereavement often poses a challenging internal conflict–a desire to belong versus a longing to preserve your identity or individuality. This tension can create a dilemma between fully assimilating into the new culture or standing out to preserve your uniqueness. On one hand, you may feel the pressure to adapt and integrate to be accepted. On the other hand, you might feel the need to maintain your cultural identity and individuality, to remain true to who you are. This dichotomy can lead to a feeling of being torn between two worlds, making it difficult to feel fully at home in either and deepening feelings of displacement. It can feel like existing in a liminal space of “not quite,” where you feel neither fully belonging to the new world nor fitting into the old.
– It can feel like existing in a liminal space of “not quite,” where you feel neither fully belonging to the new world nor fitting into the old. –
How Do I Cope with Cultural Bereavement?
Navigating cultural bereavement requires a compassionate and multifaceted approach. Here are some strategies to help you:
- Working with Experiential and Emotion-Focused Therapists
Seeking guidance from mental health professionals experienced in cultural issues and life transitions can provide invaluable support. Therapists can help you navigate grief, identity challenges, and develop coping strategies that resonate with your unique journey. Therapists who employ experiential and emotion-focused approaches can help you explore and process your emotions, fostering self-compassion and resilience. Approaches such as Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) encourage you to delve deep into your feelings, allowing you to confront and release the grief and sadness associated with cultural loss. Approaches like Internal Family Systems (IFS) or “parts work” can help you discover and embrace different parts of yourself that may hold conflicting emotions or beliefs. This promotes self-acceptance and healing by allowing you to see and understand the various aspects of your identity and experiences. By addressing these inner conflicts, you can make sense of the feelings of aloneness and the struggle to belong.
- Support Groups and Affinity Groups
Joining support groups or affinity groups can provide a sense of belonging and understanding. While it’s comforting to connect with those who share similar cultural backgrounds, seeking support from others who might also feel displaced can be equally enriching. These groups offer a safe space to share experiences, receive validation, and build supportive connections.
- Cultural Preservation and Integration
Choosing what and how to preserve and celebrate your cultural heritage while integrating into the new culture can be empowering. This might include participating in cultural events, cooking traditional foods, or maintaining cultural practices at home.
Our Enduring Need for Connection
HumanoConnection is a fundamental need, and cultural bereavement can disrupt this sense of belonging. If you think you are experiencing cultural loss, consider embarking on a journey with our skilled therapists who specialize in cultural bereavement. This profound transition, even when chosen, can carry a sense of loss that weighs heavy on the heart. Our therapists are here to offer the support and tools you need to navigate this path and rediscover a sense of belonging and identity so you can undo your experience of “unwilled and unwanted aloneness in the face of overwhelming emotions” (Fosha, 2022, p. 5).
In the end, cultural bereavement is a testament to the depth of our connections and the enduring power of our cultural identities. As you navigate this journey, may you find the anchors that ground you, the currents that guide you, and the harbors that welcome you home.
