The Trauma Dumpling: Schema Therapy, 棒打出头鸟 & Reckoning with Racial Wounds

Dr. Xi Liu is a queer, Chinese diaspora writer and Clinical Psychologist exploring familial guilt, queer love and identity through nonfiction, poetry and short fiction. This is the second in their first series of zines.

The first chapter of this zine is a sample chapter from a book of interviews with fellow prominent schema therapists working around the world. The focus of this chapter is the Emotional Deprivation schema*.

The second chapter is the transcript from a talk given by Dr. Xi Liu at Gaysian Stories on the 27th of March, 2024 at Marrickville Town Hall. The talk, 棒打出头鸟 (The Bird that Sticks It's Head Out Gets Hit) connects Confucian Chinese philosophy, race and queerness. Supported by Worship Queer Collective and Inner West Council, Gaysian Stories is a series of storytelling events featuring prominent LGBTQI+ Asian speakers from different walks of life.

The third is a poem about different versions of histories - geopolitical, personal and all the complicated intersections in between.

Dr. Xi Liu's work during therapy hours revolves around intersectionality, community building and doing what they can to make great psychotherapy more accessible to more people.

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* Emotional Deprivation schema: The expectation that one's needs for emotional connection will not be adequately met. This schema develops very early and is commonly caused by an absence of nurturance, empathy, guidance or protection from primary carers. Those who experience this schema often report feeling disconnected, lonely or depressed without awareness of the reason.