I grew up surrounded by the language and practices of the Pennsylvania German (sometimes referred to as Pennsylvania Dutch), culture. As a child, my family left the region and I was suddenly thrust into another world. I did not understand the changes I was facing but I was keenly aware of the confusion I felt.

Later in life I lived in several other cultures. Each time I experienced the loss of acculturation and the trauma of re-entry into American culture. It was through my own traumatic healing that I came to appreciate the both the beauty and the challenges of this dynamic process.

Today, I use these experiences to support others.

Susan Rhema CV