86. Breaking Cycles Without Breaking Bonds: Navigating Low Contact Relationships in Immigrant Families with Dr. Han Ren

In this deeply personal and powerful episode of Body Justice Podcast, Allyson sits down with Dr. Han Ren, licensed psychologist, author, and children of immigrants specialist, to explore one of the most complex emotional landscapes many of us are facing right now: maintaining relationships with family members whose values have fundamentally shifted, particularly within immigrant and collectivist family systems.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Dr. Han Ren's personal experience navigating a parent's radicalization and what that's meant for their relationship
• Why estrangement and low-contact decisions hit differently in immigrant and collectivist families, and why the grief is so layered
• How nervous system dysregulation, and intergenerational trauma can keep harmful family dynamics in place
• The role of political polarization and MAGA rhetoric in fracturing immigrant family bonds
• What "low contact" actually looks like in practice and how to protect yourself while still showing up
• Intergenerational trauma, breaking cycles, and raising kids with more emotional literacy than we had
• Dr. Han Ren's new book, The Hyphenated Life, and what it means to live in the in-between spaces of intersectional identity

Resources & Links:

Host: Allyson Inez Ford, LPCC📸 Instagram: @bodyjustice.therapist🌐 Website: www.eatingdisorderocdtherapy.com

Guest: Dr. Han Ren, Licensed Psychologist & Author📸 Instagram: @drhanren📖 Book: The Hyphenated Life, out now!

Body Justice is a podcast exploring the intersection of social justice and eating disorders. New episodes drop regularly. Subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone who needs to hear this. Available on all major podcasting platforms!

Disclaimer: Please note that this podcast is meant for educational purposes only- it is not a substitute for 1-1 therapy or medical advice. Listening to this podcast does not constitute a provider-patient relationship. Please seek the help of a local therapist or emergency room if you are in crisis or in need of 1-1 support!