Meet Jillian Cruzet

We recently connected with Jillian Cruzet and have shared our conversation below.

Jillian, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

Have you ever thought about what it’s like to be a kid who just discovered that walking on fresh snow leaves footprints behind them? The wonder they must feel! They keep trotting along, glancing back every so often to check if their footprints are still there—proof that they were here, that they made a mark.

When I first stepped into the mental health field, I felt like that kid. I was stepping onto untouched snow, unsure if I belonged, marveling at the footprints I was leaving, but often wondering if they would hold up against the test of time. As a therapist representing the 11% of Asian-American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in the field—and an even smaller percentage as a Filipina—I wasn’t just navigating new terrain; I was carving out a path where few had walked before.

Success growing up was an expectation—not necessarily a personal journey, but a roadmap already drawn for me. I come from a culture that often swept mental health under the rug, where resilience meant enduring rather than processing. The pressure of excelling in school while balancing the weight I felt to uphold my parents’ and my culture’s expectations was heavy. Every decision seemed to pass through a silent screening: Will my parents approve of this? Will they still accept me if I choose a different path? Am I being selfish for even considering what I want?

For a long time, I measured my success by how well I fit into the mold expected of me. This looked like adopting a more neutral or “Americanized” way of speaking, striving for academic perfection to prove I belonged, or downplaying microaggressions instead of addressing them. Over time though, I realized that what makes me different is also what makes me effective. Reclaiming my own unique identity has helped me connect with clients who have had similar cultural experiences, which fills my heart so much!

So here I am, learning to lean into my authenticity instead of shrinking it. I speak up when something doesn’t align with my values and I remind myself that taking up space isn’t just for me–it’s for those I love, for the clients who finally feel seen, for the community I hope to build and contribute to, and for future generations in my family. Success, for me, isn’t about assimilation; it’s about showing up fully as myself and trusting that my presence is valuable–because it is.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Hi, I’m Jillian! If I had the option to live in a world created in a movie, I would choose Ratatouille so I could try that soup Remy makes. In the real world, I’m a mental health therapist who adds ingredients in a different soup–a psychodynamic one! My work is all about taking the raw ingredients of your past experiences, relational dynamics, and emotions, and slowly simmering them over time to reveal deeper insights and connections. Just like how each ingredient in a soup adds depth to its flavor, every part of your story brings something important to the table too. Together, we explore what ingredients are working for you and which ones we can throw out that no longer serve you.

I’m passionate about helping folks reclaim their voice after experiencing relational trauma, sexual trauma, and the heavy weight of shame and guilt. Beyond the therapy room, social media has become an unexpected yet essential part of my journey. Growing up, I rarely saw content that spoke to my experiences as a Filipina first-gen immigrant navigating mental health, identity, and cultural expectations. Now, I create the kind of content I wish younger me had access to–content that resonates, validates, and reminds people they aren’t alone. Whether it’s through words, visuals, or sound, I’m constantly experimenting with new ways to connect, weaving together my love for creativity and healing. Collages, storytelling, and humor are pivotal for my own healing, so it’s awesome getting to express this on a larger scale.

This year is an exciting one! I’ll be fully licensed (cue confetti and chocolate cake), continuing to write for Asian-American and Filipino-American platforms to share about mental health, and hosting workshops that blend self-expression and healing. Finding new ways to bring me into my work has truly been an adventure!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, the three qualities that have been most impactful on my journey are openness to growth, passion and meaning, and patience.

Openness to growth – As a therapist, one of the most important qualities I’ve learned to embrace is openness to growth. The way I feel challenged–pretty much–everyday is wild to me! I notice how easy it is to fall into the comfort of staying the same, especially when I’m navigating tough conversations or reflecting on my own limitations. But I’ve realized that growth is constant, whether it’s refining my therapy techniques or learning how to show up for clients in new ways. Every client offers me an opportunity to reflect and understand, because each client opens up a whole new pocket of the world to learn from!

Passion and meaning – This. THIS ONE. Passion and meaning are driving forces for me. A quote from one of my favorite movies, A Star is Born, pops into my mind frequently: “If you don’t dig deep into your f*ckin’ soul, you won’t have legs”. This quote shares that to truly live a life filled with purpose, we have to connect with the deepest parts of ourselves. Passion isn’t something that just appears–it’s something we have to dig for and unearth. When I’m aligned with my soul’s purpose, everything I do–whether it’s creating content or working with clients–feels connected to something bigger than me. Finding and nurturing that passion is what gives me the legs to keep moving forward, even when the road is rough.

Patience – I used to be incredibly rigid with my goals, always feeling like I had to achieve everything as quickly as possible—whether in school, life, or my career as a therapist. I thought hitting the next milestone would finally make me feel confident. And while I still feel eager to move forward at times, I’ve learned that growth isn’t about racing to an imaginary finish line.

When I step back, I realize I’ve never been someone who could just take advice at face value and run with it—I need to figure things out in my own way, on my own time. That same truth applies to my creative passions, my career, and my personal growth. Just like my artistic interests shift between different mediums depending on where I am in life, I’ve come to accept that my journey as a therapist will ebb and flow too. Growth isn’t about rigid timelines; it’s about trusting that my energy and focus will evolve alongside me.

If I could give advice to anyone on a similar journey, it would be to hold on tightly to your purpose. Meaning isn’t something we’re born with–it’s something we have to fight for. The world is full of distractions pulling us in a million different directions, but staying true to what makes your heart sing can help guide you through changes in your life.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

I think both are important—there’s value in niching down and becoming an expert in something, but it’s just as important to stay a student, always open to learning. As a therapist, I’ve seen how specializing allows me to go deep in the work I do, especially when supporting clients through trauma, shame, and identity struggles. At the same time, I have to recognize that I don’t—and can’t—know everything.

That’s where the student mindset comes in. I make it a point to learn about identities and experiences that I’m not personally familiar with, to challenge my own biases, and to find deeper empathy for people whose realities are different from mine. This balance keeps me grounded—it allows me to offer expertise while staying open to growth. The moment I assume I know it all is the moment I stop being an effective therapist (and human, honestly). So, I embrace both: leaning into my strengths while always making space to learn, unlearn, and grow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aletheiatherapy.com/team-members/jillian-cruzet
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapywithjillian_?igsh=ZHBrNjZ1dG8xbjF3&utm_source=qr
• Other: Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/user/317pzba4ormpyta54z5766ivkbjy?si=p_Dz28b8QyiGEN08oHdsqQ