April 2023 Newsletter: "Identifying" vs "being" Asian. (There's a difference!)

April: The nuances in language always matter (Read on!)

Hello there,

We've made it to April and in amongst continuing political, environmental and systemic turmoil... we're doing pretty well.

We hope that you're doing okay too.

~

If there was a word to describe the last month at Shapes and Sounds, I would say, "swift".

March saw the fruition of our new offerings:

1. our Practitioner Development series, Connect and Grow,

2. as well as our alumni program, the Shapes and Sounds Community Leads.

We also rejigged our team structures within Shapes and Sounds and I, for the first time in 8 months, started a new part-time role to support me as I continue to lead Shapes and Sounds' growth.

A lot's happened over the past 31 days, now that I think about it!

In amongst these changes, we're excited to bring you April's newsletter - scroll down for more!

❤️ Asami

🦉 Some interesting mental health info:

📚 Academia: When we talk about mental health, we often consider the function of the prefrontal cortex, OR, we have discussions around the role that cultural values like individualism vs collectivism play. This article brings these two conversations together under the umbrella of Cultural Neuroscience.

🎨 The arts: We're celebrating the legendary Michelle Yeoh for winning best actress last month at the Oscars, however her win also highlights that there were nominees before her that were Asian, but didn't "identify" as Asian due to the discrimination they knew they'd face in the industry. This story highlights these key nuances in language.

📺 The news: It's no secret that mental health services are becoming increasingly difficult to access especially in this cost-of-living crisis that many are facing. What can be done? (Hint, it's systemic!)

🔎 Searching for a therapist?

Connect with our new practitioners HERE, or forward this email on to someone who may need this!

🎤 Therapist spotlight.

Get to know clinical psychologist, Daniela Ho Tan via our interview HERE:

"Coming from an Asian background, mental health and emotional well-being is not something that is openly discussed and I think that drove me to want to understand it even more."

✨Thank you for reading up to this point!

We rely heavily on your generous support to provide ongoing and free mental health resources to Asian communities in Australia. Please support us via THIS LINK.

🌱A mental health tip for April:

I never lose, I either win or learn. - Nelson Mandela.

How does this quote feel for you?

For me, I've been shifting my relationship with "challenges" and discomfort over these past few years.

When I find myself in new or challenging circumstances, or when I feel that wave of panic starting to rise in moments of uncertainty, I actively remind myself that if I'm feeling uncomfortable, there's no doubt that I'm going through a period of growth... and this knowledge allows me to ease into the experience a little more. 

✍️Are there ways in which you might shift your relationship with challenges or discomfort?

🐌 And last but not least:

Recently in social media land,

We connected with the nuances of language behind "Harmony" Day through this post.

The theme for this month: language is important!

Click HERE to connect back in with our instagram this year!