Immigrant parents and their mental health are scarcely represented in existing research. Inman, et. al (2007), outline in their research that navigating personal ethnic identity and values within a vastly different host culture, whilst parenting bicultural children, proves many stressors and obstacles for this diverse community. However, existing research has yet to explore the mental health implications of these experiences, as well as how these trickle down into familial relations as a result.
Heavily drawn from the popular card game We’re Not Really Strangers, I’d like to introduce We’re All Living For The First Time: A Conversation Deck for Immigrant Parents & Children, a card deck of discussion prompts that fosters conversation between intergenerational families. The primary goal of this card deck is to allow first-generation immigrant parents to reflect on their immigration experiences in conversation with their children, vocalize their mental health struggles and needs, and ultimately to foster discussion between them and their children. The general aim of this card deck would be to cultivate healing, understanding, and empathy from both sides of the discussion. “The use of narratives can be a beneficial tool for families negotiating intergenerational conflicts and challenges...This kind of intervention allows immigrant parents to acknowledge losses that might have occurred in their own immigration experience and also explore their expectations in their relationships with their children” (Inman, et al. 2007: Tewari et al., 2003).
We’re All Living for the First Time can be used in various settings, but the ideal usage would be in-session with a counselor, in a group-therapy environment. Otherwise, the cards can be used like the traditional card game, with 2–6 players alternating turns answering prompts.
To interact with the cards, you can scroll through each of the image carousels that are separated by levels, or scroll through the viewing link here.
Inman, A. G., Howard, E. E., & Beaumont, R. L. (2007). Cultural Transmission: Influence of Contextual Factors in Asian Indian Immigrant Parents’ Experiences. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 54(1), 93–100.
Tewari, N., Inman, A. G., & Sandhu, D. S. (2003). South Asian Americans: Culture, concerns and therapeutic strategies. In J. Mio & G. Iwamasa (Eds.), Culturally diverse mental health: The challenges of research and resistance (pp. 191–209). New York: Brunner-Routledge.
Created by Danielle Garcia (2025)