Where I Belong

Healing Trauma and Embracing Asian American Identity

By: Soo Jin Lee, Linda Yoon

Narrated by: Jeena Yi, Catherine Ho, Will Dao

An essential resource that addresses the unique experiences of trauma, healing, and mental health in Asian and Asian American communities.

Coauthors Soo Jin Lee and Linda Yoon are professional therapists who witnessed firsthand how mental health issues often went unaddressed not only in their own immigrant families, but in Asian and Asian American communities. Where I Belong shows us how the cycle of trauma can play out in our relationships, placing Asian American experiences front and center to help us process and heal from racial and intergenerational trauma.

This book validates our experiences and helps us understand how they fit into the broader context of our family history and the trauma experienced by previous generations. Lee and Yoon draw on their own stories, as well as those of a diverse segment of the Asian diaspora, to help us feel seen and connected to our wider community. They provide essential therapeutic tools, reflection questions, journal prompts, and grounding exercises to empower readers to identify their strengths and resilience across generations and to embrace the beauty and fullness of their own identity and culture.

©2024 Soo Jin Lee and Linda Yoon (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Filled with relatable anecdotes and tangible exercises for self exploration, Where I Belong is a loving exploration of Asian American identity that is rooted in community and compassion. This book allows us all to feel less alone as we redefine who we are as Asians and Americans.” — Jenny T. Wang, founder of Asians for Mental Health and author of Permission to Come Home

“Where I Belong by Soo Jin Lee and Linda Yoon is a much-needed book for our AAPI communities during this moment of racial reckoning. Although capturing our communities' diversity and addressing our racial trauma are difficult tasks, they have done so with amazing sensitivity, insight, and expertise. The book highlights the ethnic particularities of our mental health issues well, especially by sharing the voices of individuals. Even more significantly, the authors detail the unique AAPI cultural wealth and community assets that can bring health and wholeness. Where I Belong has contributed to my own journey of healing and hope, and I know it can assist others just as deeply.” — Russell M Jeung, Professor of Asian American Studies, San Francisco State University and cofounder of Stop AAPI Hate

“This book explores what it means to be Asian American, and Lee and Yoon break down complex histories and precise experiences with so much care and compassion. With stories, journal prompts, and grounding exercises, you know you are in good hands while you go on this journey to understand, heal from, and even celebrate the fullness of your lived experience. I’m certain this book will be a returning resource for many.” —Sahaj Kaur Kohli, Founder of Brown Girl Therapy and author of But What Will People Say?

Great performances!

All the narrators were great and easy to listen to. Overall, the story and narrators they all worked out well. A lot of stories and educational pieces in this book. Learned a lot about diverse Asian American identity and trauma healing.

exellent

As a sansei neurodivergent female who grew up in a rich white neighborhood (my parents bought a foreclosure) and a mother who definitely met the criteria for bipolar and borderline I have worked on and through my trauma since I was 19 years old. I have been on this planet for 67 years and have gotten my Self back from most of it. This book has been a healing balm to the racial trauma I have still been working through due to my continued exposure to racism and the horrible exacerbation of racism by the previous political agenda.
I love the healing power of this book. I practice mental health counseling in WA and OR with about 85% of my clients being AAPI and first or 1.5 generation and I will be recommending this book to them. Thank you thank you thank you!