The Immigrant Experience in America (TIEIA)

Simone W. Johnson Smith
  • 4.9 (13)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Immigrant Experience In America Podcast amplifies and humanizes the experiences of immigrants living in The United States of America and around the world. We are building a human library of immigrant stories. Connect with us at thebridgeconcepts.org to add yours to our library. Are you an immigrant, expat, international professional, international student new to the United States (or another country) and struggling to make sense of your new environment? Culture shock and adjustment challenges impact many of approximately 218 million migrants moving across the globe (UN, 2024). Are you feeling misunderstood and out of touch because you are struggling to understand the unstated rules of the new culture? That's what we do each week on The Immigrant Experience in America. Every episode is an in-depth look at adjustment challenges, navigating the pitfalls of immigrant life, and becoming a third culture person. I was inspired to start this podcast by my own experience as an immigrant American who legally migrated to the United States but yet has frequent experiences of a love-hate relationship of America with its immigrant population and as a result of a larger vacuum surrounding the positive contributions of immigrants to American Life. We will sit down with successful immigrant Americans to discuss how they navigated the complexity of being an immigrant-American to achieve their American Dream. This is a spot for us to get real - peel back the layers, if you will, of what it means to be an immigrant living away from their birth country. Our intention is to serve as a bridge from your culture to the American (or other country) culture – giving you a roadmap of tools and language to understand the unstated rules of the new country/culture, wherever you find yourself in the world. Disclaimer: The Immigrant Experience in America podcast is produced in my personal capacity. The views and opinions shared by me and my guests are our own and do not reflect the views, policies, or positions of the U.S. government or USCIS.

  1. 2D AGO

    Mental Health of Immigrants | Neither Here Nor There (Episode 216) - Part 1

    In this powerful episode of The Immigrant Experience in America, Simone W. Johnson sits down with Dr. Leide Porcu, psychotherapist, psychoanalyst, and author of Neither Here Nor There: A Guide for Immigrants and the Therapists Who Walk With Them. Drawing from her own lived experience as an immigrant and decades of clinical practice, Dr. Porcu unpacks the emotional and psychological realities many immigrants carry but rarely name, identity fragmentation, suppressed distress, and multilayered grief. This conversation explores why immigrants often feel unseen in their mourning, how cultural dissonance and acculturation stress show up in mental health, and what culturally responsive care actually looks like in practice. Dr. Porcu also shares practical tools for managing daily stressors such as visa uncertainty, financial pressure, and caregiving burden, without pathologizing survival. This episode is for immigrants, first-generation families, third-culture people, therapists, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the inner world of migration.  "Neither Here Nor There" : A Guide for Immigrants and Those Who Walk With Them by Leide Porcu was published by Routledge in February 2026. The book draws on more than seven years of focused writing and clinical work with immigrants and multilingual families. It addresses a wide range of immigrant experiences — from trauma and hardship to the disorientation, identity conflict, loneliness, and pressure to succeed that can affect even privileged newcomers. It also speaks to the second generation. The book offers practical therapeutic tools, case vignettes, culturally adaptive exercises, and guidance for therapists and allies supporting those living between cultures. Available on Amazon and wherever books are sold. Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Neither-Here-Nor-There-Immigrants/dp/1041091184 Routledge https://www.routledge.com/Neither-Here-Nor-There-A-Guide-for-Immigrants-and-the-Therapists-Who-Walk-with-Them/Porcu/p/book/9781041091189 #immigrantmentalhealth neither here nor there immigration psychology culture shock mental health immigrant grief identity fragmentation acculturation stress imposter syndrome immigrants therapy for immigrants mental health and migration third culture identity The Immigrant Experience in America Decoding America #immigrantexperience  The Immigrant Experience in America Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@theimmigrantexperience Listen to more episodes on: 💼 Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3OK7xCN 💼 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3DKXsiE 💼 Amazon: https://amzn.to/43VG4Cn 📱Support our Patreon: https://bit.ly/3KwUiTz 📱Connect with Simone! 💼 Website: https://www.thebridgeconcepts.org 📱 Follow us on Social Media: 💼 LinkedIn: / simonewjohnson 💼 Instagram: / theimmigrantexperiencepodcast  💼 TikTok: / theimmigrantexperience 📱 Share your story with us: 💼 simone.8.johnson@gmail.com Disclaimer: The Immigrant Experience in America podcast is produced in my personal capacity. The views and opinions shared by me and my guests are our own and do not reflect the views, policies, or positions of the U.S. government or USCIS.  Please note: I do not provide immigration legal services or case-specific guidance. My work focuses on cultural adjustment, financial empowerment, and personal growth.

    31 min

  2. MAR 4

    Leaving Everything Behind | A Child's Perspective on Cuban-American Journey (Episode 215) - Part 3

    In this conversation, Dr. Sam Rodriguez Morheim, respected periodontist and author, reflects on his family's Cuban American journey through the eyes of a child. In 1962, following the rise of the Castro regime, his family was forced to leave Cuba, abandoning their professions, possessions, and sense of certainty for an unknown future. Growing up in Brooklyn, Dr. Morheim shares how displacement, resilience, and memory shaped his identity and worldview. This episode explores migration not as a political talking point, but as a deeply human experience marked by loss, adaptation, and quiet strength. From the weight of what was left behind to the values carried forward, this story speaks to immigrants, children of immigrants, and anyone shaped by movement across borders. This is a conversation about survival, family, and how early experiences echo across a lifetime. Cuban American story Cuban immigration Immigrant childhood Exile from Cuba Castro regime 1962 Cuban diaspora Immigrant family stories Brooklyn immigrant history Children of immigrants Immigration and identity Cuban American experience Migration stories Latin American diaspora Resilience and migration Immigrant voices GET YOUR FREE GUIDE - JOIN THE NEWSLETTER =https://winning-thinker-5313.kit.com/bb68d8dfce -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Immigrant Experience in America Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3OmWxJZ Official Site: https://bit.ly/3OmWAWg 📱Listen to more episodes on: 💼 Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3OK7xCN 💼 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3DKXsiE 💼 Amazon: https://amzn.to/43VG4Cn 📱Support our Patreon: https://bit.ly/3KwUiTz 📱Connect with Simone! 💼 Website: https://www.thebridgeconcepts.org 📱 Follow us on Social Media: 💼 LinkedIn: / simonewjohnson 💼 Instagram: / theimmigrantexperiencepodcast 💼 TikTok: / theimmigrantexperience 📱 Share your story with us: 💼 simone.8.johnson@gmail.com Disclaimer: The Immigrant Experience in America podcast is produced in my personal capacity. The views and opinions shared by me and my guests are our own and do not reflect the views, policies, or positions of the U.S. government or USCIS. Please note: I do not provide immigration legal services or case-specific guidance. My work focuses on cultural adjustment, financial empowerment, and personal growth.

    17 min

  3. FEB 25

    Leaving Everything Behind | A Child's Perspective on Cuban-American Journey (Episode 214) - Part 2

    In this conversation, Dr. Sam Rodriguez Morheim, respected periodontist and author, reflects on his family's Cuban American journey through the eyes of a child. In 1962, following the rise of the Castro regime, his family was forced to leave Cuba, abandoning their professions, possessions, and sense of certainty for an unknown future. Growing up in Brooklyn, Dr. Morheim shares how displacement, resilience, and memory shaped his identity and worldview. This episode explores migration not as a political talking point, but as a deeply human experience marked by loss, adaptation, and quiet strength. From the weight of what was left behind to the values carried forward, this story speaks to immigrants, children of immigrants, and anyone shaped by movement across borders. This is a conversation about survival, family, and how early experiences echo across a lifetime. Cuban American story Cuban immigration Immigrant childhood Exile from Cuba Castro regime 1962 Cuban diaspora Immigrant family stories Brooklyn immigrant history Children of immigrants Immigration and identity Cuban American experience Migration stories Latin American diaspora Resilience and migration Immigrant voices GET YOUR FREE GUIDE - JOIN THE NEWSLETTER =https://winning-thinker-5313.kit.com/bb68d8dfce -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Immigrant Experience in America Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3OmWxJZ Official Site: https://bit.ly/3OmWAWg 📱Listen to more episodes on: 💼 Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3OK7xCN 💼 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3DKXsiE 💼 Amazon: https://amzn.to/43VG4Cn 📱Support our Patreon: https://bit.ly/3KwUiTz 📱Connect with Simone! 💼 Website: https://www.thebridgeconcepts.org 📱 Follow us on Social Media: 💼 LinkedIn: / simonewjohnson 💼 Instagram: / theimmigrantexperiencepodcast 💼 TikTok: / theimmigrantexperience 📱 Share your story with us: 💼 simone.8.johnson@gmail.com Disclaimer: The Immigrant Experience in America podcast is produced in my personal capacity. The views and opinions shared by me and my guests are our own and do not reflect the views, policies, or positions of the U.S. government or USCIS. Please note: I do not provide immigration legal services or case-specific guidance. My work focuses on cultural adjustment, financial empowerment, and personal growth.

    30 min

  4. FEB 18

    Leaving Everything Behind | A Child's Perspective on Cuban-American Journey (Episode 213) - Part 1

    In this conversation, Dr. Sam Rodriguez Morheim, respected periodontist and author, reflects on his family's Cuban American journey through the eyes of a child. In 1962, following the rise of the Castro regime, his family was forced to leave Cuba, abandoning their professions, possessions, and sense of certainty for an unknown future. Growing up in Brooklyn, Dr. Morheim shares how displacement, resilience, and memory shaped his identity and worldview. This episode explores migration not as a political talking point, but as a deeply human experience marked by loss, adaptation, and quiet strength. From the weight of what was left behind to the values carried forward, this story speaks to immigrants, children of immigrants, and anyone shaped by movement across borders. This is a conversation about survival, family, and how early experiences echo across a lifetime. Cuban American story Cuban immigration Immigrant childhood Exile from Cuba Castro regime 1962 Cuban diaspora Immigrant family stories Brooklyn immigrant history Children of immigrants Immigration and identity Cuban American experience Migration stories Latin American diaspora Resilience and migration Immigrant voices GET YOUR FREE GUIDE - JOIN THE NEWSLETTER =https://winning-thinker-5313.kit.com/bb68d8dfce -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Immigrant Experience in America Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3OmWxJZ Official Site: https://bit.ly/3OmWAWg 📱Listen to more episodes on: 💼 Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3OK7xCN 💼 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3DKXsiE 💼 Amazon: https://amzn.to/43VG4Cn 📱Support our Patreon: https://bit.ly/3KwUiTz 📱Connect with Simone! 💼 Website: https://www.thebridgeconcepts.org 📱 Follow us on Social Media: 💼 LinkedIn: / simonewjohnson 💼 Instagram: / theimmigrantexperiencepodcast 💼 TikTok: / theimmigrantexperience 📱 Share your story with us: 💼 simone.8.johnson@gmail.com Disclaimer: The Immigrant Experience in America podcast is produced in my personal capacity. The views and opinions shared by me and my guests are our own and do not reflect the views, policies, or positions of the U.S. government or USCIS. Please note: I do not provide immigration legal services or case-specific guidance. My work focuses on cultural adjustment, financial empowerment, and personal growth.

    32 min

  5. FEB 11

    Antiblackness & The Stories of Authentic Allies: What True Allyship looks Like In Immigrant Journey (Episode 212) Part 3

    Dr Mazella Fuller is back to share her story. It bridges every system immigrants encounter: education, healthcare, and the daily coded rules that shape belonging. As co-editor of "Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies: Lived Experiences in the Fight Against Institutionalized Racism," she has curated voices that map the realities of navigating and confronting explicit and subtle bias in America's institutions. Her earlier book, "Treating Black Women with Eating Disorders: A Clinician's Guide," broke new ground by highlighting how race and migration intersect in mental health. Raised in an Afrocentric household in the South, Dr. Fuller's mission to break systemic barriers runs deep. She has spent 30 years advocating, mentoring, and building communities at Duke and Smith College. Whether speaking to mentorship as her daily act of reparations or describing how adjusting to America's unwritten codes can feel like hacking biased systems, Dr. Fuller offers wisdom that will resonate with everyone listening, from new arrivals to longtime Americans seeking to understand what true allyship looks like in the immigrant journey.  Booking website: https://antiracismandequity.com/antiracism-book-promo/   GET YOUR FREE GUIDE - JOIN THE NEWSLETTER =https://winning-thinker-5313.kit.com/bb68d8dfce -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Immigrant Experience in America Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3OmWxJZ Official Site: https://bit.ly/3OmWAWg 📱Listen to more episodes on: 💼 Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3OK7xCN 💼 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3DKXsiE 💼 Amazon: https://amzn.to/43VG4Cn 📱Support our Patreon: https://bit.ly/3KwUiTz 📱Connect with Simone! 💼 Website: https://www.thebridgeconcepts.org 📱 Follow us on Social Media: 💼 LinkedIn: / simonewjohnson 💼 Instagram: / theimmigrantexperiencepodcast 💼 TikTok: / theimmigrantexperience 📱 Share your story with us: 💼 simone.8.johnson@gmail.com Disclaimer: The Immigrant Experience in America podcast is produced in my personal capacity. The views and opinions shared by me and my guests are our own and do not reflect the views, policies, or positions of the U.S. government or USCIS. Please note: I do not provide immigration legal services or case-specific guidance. My work focuses on cultural adjustment, financial empowerment, and personal growth.

    25 min

  6. FEB 4

    Antiblackness & The Stories of Authentic Allies: What True Allyship looks Like In Immigrant Journey (Episode 211) Part 2

    Dr Mazella Fuller is back to share her story. It bridges every system immigrants encounter: education, healthcare, and the daily coded rules that shape belonging. As co-editor of "Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies: Lived Experiences in the Fight Against Institutionalized Racism," she has curated voices that map the realities of navigating and confronting explicit and subtle bias in America's institutions. Her earlier book, "Treating Black Women with Eating Disorders: A Clinician's Guide," broke new ground by highlighting how race and migration intersect in mental health. Raised in an Afrocentric household in the South, Dr. Fuller's mission to break systemic barriers runs deep. She has spent 30 years advocating, mentoring, and building communities at Duke and Smith College. Whether speaking to mentorship as her daily act of reparations or describing how adjusting to America's unwritten codes can feel like hacking biased systems, Dr. Fuller offers wisdom that will resonate with everyone listening, from new arrivals to longtime Americans seeking to understand what true allyship looks like in the immigrant journey.  Booking website: https://antiracismandequity.com/antiracism-book-promo/   GET YOUR FREE GUIDE - JOIN THE NEWSLETTER =https://winning-thinker-5313.kit.com/bb68d8dfce -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Immigrant Experience in America Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3OmWxJZ Official Site: https://bit.ly/3OmWAWg 📱Listen to more episodes on: 💼 Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3OK7xCN 💼 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3DKXsiE 💼 Amazon: https://amzn.to/43VG4Cn 📱Support our Patreon: https://bit.ly/3KwUiTz 📱Connect with Simone! 💼 Website: https://www.thebridgeconcepts.org 📱 Follow us on Social Media: 💼 LinkedIn: / simonewjohnson 💼 Instagram: / theimmigrantexperiencepodcast 💼 TikTok: / theimmigrantexperience 📱 Share your story with us: 💼 simone.8.johnson@gmail.com Disclaimer: The Immigrant Experience in America podcast is produced in my personal capacity. The views and opinions shared by me and my guests are our own and do not reflect the views, policies, or positions of the U.S. government or USCIS. Please note: I do not provide immigration legal services or case-specific guidance. My work focuses on cultural adjustment, financial empowerment, and personal growth.

    23 min

  7. JAN 28

    Antiblackness & The Stories of Authentic Allies: What True Allyship looks Like In Immigrant Journey (Episode 210) Part 1

    Today's episode is with Dr Mazella Fuller. Her story bridges every system immigrants encounter: education, healthcare, and the daily coded rules that shape belonging. As co-editor of "Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies: Lived Experiences in the Fight Against Institutionalized Racism," she has curated voices that map the realities of navigating and confronting explicit and subtle bias in America's institutions. Her earlier book, "Treating Black Women with Eating Disorders: A Clinician's Guide," broke new ground by highlighting how race and migration intersect in mental health. Raised in an Afrocentric household in the South, Dr. Fuller's mission to break systemic barriers runs deep. She has spent 30 years advocating, mentoring, and building communities at Duke and Smith College. Whether speaking to mentorship as her daily act of reparations or describing how adjusting to America's unwritten codes can feel like hacking biased systems, Dr. Fuller offers wisdom that will resonate with everyone listening, from new arrivals to longtime Americans seeking to understand what true allyship looks like in the immigrant journey.  Booking website: https://antiracismandequity.com/antiracism-book-promo/   GET YOUR FREE GUIDE - JOIN THE NEWSLETTER =https://winning-thinker-5313.kit.com/bb68d8dfce -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Immigrant Experience in America Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3OmWxJZ Official Site: https://bit.ly/3OmWAWg 📱Listen to more episodes on: 💼 Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3OK7xCN 💼 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3DKXsiE 💼 Amazon: https://amzn.to/43VG4Cn 📱Support our Patreon: https://bit.ly/3KwUiTz 📱Connect with Simone! 💼 Website: https://www.thebridgeconcepts.org 📱 Follow us on Social Media: 💼 LinkedIn: / simonewjohnson 💼 Instagram: / theimmigrantexperiencepodcast 💼 TikTok: / theimmigrantexperience 📱 Share your story with us: 💼 simone.8.johnson@gmail.com Disclaimer: The Immigrant Experience in America podcast is produced in my personal capacity. The views and opinions shared by me and my guests are our own and do not reflect the views, policies, or positions of the U.S. government or USCIS. Please note: I do not provide immigration legal services or case-specific guidance. My work focuses on cultural adjustment, financial empowerment, and personal growth.

    31 min

  8. JAN 22

    Discovering Your Identity: A Rebirth From Interracial Struggle (Episode 209) Part 2

    Urmi Hossain, a Bengali-Italian living in Montreal returned to share her immigration experience as well as my story of being a Third Culture Kid (TCK). Urmi is a blogger, YouTuber, self-published author, speaker, a female mentor, and advocate for women's empowerment. She is also the social media lead for Women in Leadership and campaign manager for Femme Influence. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Immigrant Experience in America Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3OmWxJZ Official Site: https://bit.ly/3OmWAWg 📱Listen to more episodes on: 💼 Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3OK7xCN 💼 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3DKXsiE 💼 Amazon: https://amzn.to/43VG4Cn 📱Support our Patreon: https://bit.ly/3KwUiTz 📱Connect with Simone! 💼 Website: https://www.thebridgeconcepts.org 📱 Follow us on Social Media: 💼 LinkedIn: / simonewjohnson 💼 Instagram: / theimmigrantexperiencepodcast 💼 TikTok: / theimmigrantexperience 📱 Share your story with us: 💼 simone.8.johnson@gmail.com Disclaimer: The Immigrant Experience in America podcast is produced in my personal capacity. The views and opinions shared by me and my guests are our own and do not reflect the views, policies, or positions of the U.S. government or USCIS. Please note: I do not provide immigration legal services or case-specific guidance. My work focuses on cultural adjustment, financial empowerment, and personal growth.

    23 min
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4.9
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

The Immigrant Experience In America Podcast amplifies and humanizes the experiences of immigrants living in The United States of America and around the world. We are building a human library of immigrant stories. Connect with us at thebridgeconcepts.org to add yours to our library. Are you an immigrant, expat, international professional, international student new to the United States (or another country) and struggling to make sense of your new environment? Culture shock and adjustment challenges impact many of approximately 218 million migrants moving across the globe (UN, 2024). Are you feeling misunderstood and out of touch because you are struggling to understand the unstated rules of the new culture? That's what we do each week on The Immigrant Experience in America. Every episode is an in-depth look at adjustment challenges, navigating the pitfalls of immigrant life, and becoming a third culture person. I was inspired to start this podcast by my own experience as an immigrant American who legally migrated to the United States but yet has frequent experiences of a love-hate relationship of America with its immigrant population and as a result of a larger vacuum surrounding the positive contributions of immigrants to American Life. We will sit down with successful immigrant Americans to discuss how they navigated the complexity of being an immigrant-American to achieve their American Dream. This is a spot for us to get real - peel back the layers, if you will, of what it means to be an immigrant living away from their birth country. Our intention is to serve as a bridge from your culture to the American (or other country) culture – giving you a roadmap of tools and language to understand the unstated rules of the new country/culture, wherever you find yourself in the world. Disclaimer: The Immigrant Experience in America podcast is produced in my personal capacity. The views and opinions shared by me and my guests are our own and do not reflect the views, policies, or positions of the U.S. government or USCIS.

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