S3 Ep5: Cultural Chameleons and the Long Road to Knowing Yourself

In this episode, Chesed sits down with her high school friend, Liz, an adult TCK and licensed therapist, to talk about the idea of being a “cultural chameleon.” For many TCKs, the ability to adjust to different people, places, and cultures can be a tremendous strength. But when adaptability goes too far, it can leave you wondering who you really are beneath all the adjustments.

Liz shares her own story of entering emerging adulthood and realizing that, despite years of successfully navigating different environments, she did not actually know herself as well as she thought. Through a journey that began with hopes of returning overseas long-term with her family, God brought her face-to-face with questions about identity, belonging, and what it means to live from a secure sense of self.

Looking back years later, Liz reflects on what she learned through that season and offers insights for TCKs, emerging adults, and anyone who has ever felt caught between fitting in and knowing who they truly are. For her, learning not to see her struggles as a deficit, but instead as something that deepened her dependence on the Lord, has transformed the way she now understands her childhood overseas and her identity today.

https://charistraumacounseling.com/

This episode was produced by Chesed Anne Dent Fitzsimons.

Podcast editing: Chesed Anne Dent Fitzsimons, Noah Wilkes, Emily Alvarado

Music: Endless Bliss - written by Sander Kalmeijer, performed and produced by Sounds Like Sander.

Podcast cover image: Photography and design by Jonathan Brown.

Please note that guests of this podcast may use pseudonyms