Between Two Worlds with Dr. Phebe
If you’ve ever had to explain therapy to your immigrant parent…
defend why you don’t want to be a doctor…
or survive an auntie asking “Where is your husband?” before saying hello…
Welcome. You’re among family.
Hosted by Dr. Phebe Brako — therapist, immigrant daughter, and professional translator of “what your parents meant when they said you’re acting too Western” — Between Two Worlds is the podcast where immigrant parents and their children come to laugh, reflect, and finally understand each other a little better.
Each week, we unpack the real conversations immigrant families have behind closed doors… and the ones they usually avoid entirely.
From church and career pressure to dating, therapy, identity, emotional expression, and generational expectations, this show explores the tension between:
- parents who sacrificed everything
- and children trying to build lives that honor that sacrifice without losing themselves
Dr. Phebe breaks down both sides of the generational divide, with humor, honesty, cultural nuance, and therapist-level insight, often joined by her very own immigrant mother for real-time perspective, wisdom, and the occasional loving accountability.
Because this isn’t about choosing sides.
It’s about building understanding.
So whether you’re the child in therapy, the parent trying your best, or the family mediator in the group chat…
Pull up a chair.
We’re bridging the gap, one awkward conversation at a time.
Episodes
15 episodes
Between Seasons: Things Immigrant Parents Think Are Self-Care
Season One may be officially over but Dr. Phebe is not leaving you hanging! Enjoy these notes as she prepares for the upcoming season of the podcast. Have a topic you’d like covered in the upcoming season? Send an email to consult@phebebrakolmf...
Between Seasons: The Family Group Chat Is My Villain Origin Story
Season One may be officially over but Dr. Phebe is not leaving you hanging! Enjoy these notes as she prepares for the upcoming season of the podcast. Have a topic you’d like covered in the upcoming season? Send an email to consult@phebebrakolmf...
Between Seasons: Why Are Immigrant Daughters So Tired?
Between Seasons: Notes From an Immigrant Daughter.Season One may be officially over but Dr. Phebe is not leaving you hanging! Enjoy these notes as she prepares for the upcoming season of the podcast. Have a topic you’d like covere...
Bringing It All Together
What can a 7-year-old teach us about identity, culture, and belonging? More than you might think.In this special episode of Between Two Worlds with Dr. Phebe, I’m joined by my youngest and most honest guest yet…my oldest ...
Fluent in Three Languages and Emotional Suppression
What if you’ve become so good at adapting to everyone else’s expectations… that you’ve forgotten who you are?In this episode, Dr. Phebe Brako sits down with author, finance professional, and Stories Beyond Borders host ...
You Sent Money Home Again? | The Financial Guilt Many Immigrant Children Carry
Have you ever felt guilty spending money on yourself?Do you panic when your savings account drops below a certain number?Do you secretly feel responsible for making your parents’ sacrifices “worth it”?If you’re an immigrant...
Immigrant Daughter Q&A Part 2
Who Takes Care of the Daughter?She’s the translator.The caretaker.The peacekeeper.The responsible one.The cultural bridge.But who takes care of her?In Part 2 of this powerful Immigrant Dau...
Immigrant Daughter Q&A Part 1
Part 1:Immigrant Daughter Q&A: Why Does Choosing Myself Feel Like Betrayal?Have you ever felt guilty for setting a boundary?For moving away?For choosing a life your parents didn’t envision for you?<...
I just want you to have better - but at what cost?
"I Sacrificed Everything So You Wouldn't Have To. So Why Are We Still Missing Each Other?""I gave up everything for you."If you grew up in an immigrant household, you've probably heard some version of that sentence. But what happens...
I’m Not Too American, You Raised Me Here (with Dorinda Mensah)
Have you ever been told you’re “too American”… by the very people who raised you in America?In this episode of Between Two worlds with Dr. Phebe, she sits down with Dorinda (Follow her on IG: nurturinggnature) for an honest, funny,...
Where is your Husband?
You walk into a function, minding your business… and suddenly your love life is under community review.In this episode, Dr. Phebe Brako explores the infamous question many immigrant daughters know too well — “Where is your husband?” — an...
Doctor, Engineer...or Disappointment?
Every immigrant child knows the list: doctor, engineer… maybe lawyer if your parents were feeling flexible.So what happens when your dreams don’t match the plan?In this episode, Dr. Phebe Brako breaks down the tension between pass...
Therapy is Not a Betrayal
You said you’re going to therapy… and suddenly your parents are acting like you’ve filed a complaint against the entire family.In this episode, Dr. Phebe Brako answers the question so many immigrant children wrestle with: “Am I ungra...
Love, But Make it Silent
They never said “I love you”… but your plate was always full, your ride was secured, and your phone was definitely being checked.In this episode, we explore how immigrant parents express love — without always saying the words. From sacri...
Church Trauma and Ankara Choir Robes
Why did so many immigrant kids grow up in church every Sunday… only to disappear the second they got adult freedom and their own car?In this episode, Dr. Phebe Brako unpacks why your immigrant child may not want to go to church anymore, ...