Asian Australian Mental Health.

About 6 years ago, I walked into a psychology session and was reminded that “I know that people like you can be very high achievers so it’s important to relax”... and it was such an oppressive experience that I didn’t return to therapy until a couple of months ago. And that’s me, a therapist who really understands the value of going to therapy.

I know so many people who do a quick Google search for a psychologist, see a whole bunch of faces that look like they’d never understand their experience of living between two cultures, and swiftly push that consideration to the side.

Asian Australians as a collective, have very low engagement with mental health services, but when they do engage, they’re presenting in acute services often through involuntary admission.

Therefore,

1. I think that Asian Australians are seriously falling through the cracks in our current mental health system,

and,

2. I think that Asian Australians need to reclaim the Eastern philosophies and practices that are being adopted by others, to promote their own wellness.

I’m currently creating a database of Asian Australian mental health practitioners. I’m starting in Melbourne (that’s where I am) but I want this to be an Australia wide thing. If you are an Asian Australian mental health practitioner, or if you know of someone that may be interested in this project, please email me HERE.