Stop code switching and start showing up: that's what I'm learning to do as a first gen, Dominican, high-achieving woman who's spent years adjusting my voice for every room I walk into. In this episode, I open up about the bridge generation, what code-switching actually costs, and what changed the moment I decided to show up as my authentic self instead.
What You'll Learn
✅ Why the switching started long before she had a word for it, and why it never actually stops, it just changes rooms
✅ What it costs to spend years adjusting yourself so everyone else stays comfortable
✅ Why the timing of feeling "othered" looks different depending on where and how you grew up
✅ The unwritten professional and entrepreneurial rules nobody can hand you when your parents were never in those rooms
✅ What it looks like day to day to stop code-switching and let your full self show up instead
✅ One reflection to use this week to notice where you're still switching out of habit
Chapters
00:00 Code Switching At Home
00:45 Hispanic Heritage Month Theme
01:38 First Gen Bridge Skills
04:04 College And Othering
05:19 Entrepreneurship And Loneliness
06:52 Dropping The Switch
07:58 Authentic In Every Room
10:20 Guided Reflection
11:23 Share And Closing
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ABOUT ME
I'm Vanessa, the therapist who helps high-achieving adults become the best version of themselves, not just at work, but in the rooms that matter most. I host the Free to Be Mindful Podcast, named the #1 Latino Mental Health Podcast in 2026 by Feedspot.
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DISCLAIMER
Free to Be Mindful Podcast episodes are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as or substituted for therapy or professional help from a licensed clinician.
