*Content warning: Contains disclosure of behaviors of self-harm.  “You are too much! And you talk too much!” was what I was told as a child when I expressed my feelings. My parents emigrated from the Philippines and wanted the best for their six children: rigorous education, fine clothing, and a spacious home. They were advised by the pediatrician not to teach us their native language, warning it would cause confusion. I pinpoint this advice as the cause for our home’s emotional deficiency. It created a dynamic of tense silences, suspicion, and rivalries about everything from chores to college choices. My siblings were not my allies or advocates. I was intimidated, ruled over, and ridiculed.  It was a priority to maintain [...]