Meet Asian Australian accredited mental health social worker, Will Vuong

Our Asian Australian mental health practitioner list continues to be a highly utilised resource for many Asian Australians seeking therapeutic support, so we're now trying to bring a bit more life to the list through these short interviews.

We know that it's not always easy trying to work out which therapist we might like to work with. Because the decision is not just about where they're located and when they're available, but there's a bit more of a human, relational element to the decision too.

So here at Shapes and Sounds, we want to help make that process just a little easier.

Every month, we'll be introducing a therapist from the Asian Australian Mental Health Practitioner List to help you gain a bit more insight into who you feel might be a good fit for you or someone that you know.

This month we're excited to connect you with Will Vuong who is an accredited mental health social worker, based in Adelaide. Will has an interest in working with Asian Australians whose parents were migrants to Australia.

We hope you enjoy reading more about Will below!

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1. What led you to choose mental health social work as a career?

I grew up watching my parents helping others. They always seemed active with things like driving people around, having them over for meals, going to their houses to do some handy-man jobs. I also remember seeing them offer a listening ear on many occasions too. I think this left a deep impression on me as a young lad.

After graduating from high school I went straight into an engineering degree and flunked the first semester spectacularly. I had never failed at anything in my life and it was a very angsty and confusing time. I started to give some thought about what I was good at and what I wanted to do, rather than obeying the should's and must's from others. Still, at 18 years old I really had no clue about my wants and needs and took a chance at social work.

The choice to become a social worker was very unexpected and came at a surprise to most people that knew me. As I got into the degree something inside of me felt right about the choice. My career in social work has led to child protection, public health, community mental health and now private practice. I've come to discover that I love working with individuals because this is where I feel the most alive and energetic.

2. What is your unique cultural heritage?

The best way to describe my heritage is to tell you about my family's signature dish- Hainanese Chicken Rice.

My grandfather grew up in Hainan, China, and at 22 years old he left home and started a new life in Vietnam. On the streets of Saigon he plied his trade selling Hainanese Chicken Rice in a food cart. My dad was born in Saigon and grew up learning the family recipe from my grandfather. Life in Saigon was turbulent because of the Vietnam War, and also like my grandfather in his 20s, he escaped and found his way to Australia. Eventually his whole family were reunited in Australia.

I was born a few years later, and one of my earliest memories was seeing my grandfather cook Hainanese Chicken Rice over wok and fire. The dish remains alive in my family today and usually eaten on special occasions when we gather together. My family's Hainanese Chicken Rice has travelled across land and sea, and a couple of continents. Its original flavour has been shaped and transformed by various local ingredients along the way. This is what makes my cultural heritage unique and dynamic.

3. What are your areas of specialty and what kind of frameworks do you work from?

The thing that grounds what I do and also propels me forward is to see our society functioning at its optimum level. My belief is that psychologically healthy individuals have a better chance at forming healthy relationships and from there this can permeate all areas of life. The journey of recovery and healing helps us function better which then opens the doorway towards living into our deepest and truest selves.

I'm trained in traditional CBT and ACT, and have also undergone further training in Schema Psychological Therapy, Narrative Therapy and Trauma Informed Care. I will be completing formal training in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing later this year so watch this space! My areas of treatment include Axis I & II mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, stress, adjustment disorders and PTSD.

4. What kind of clients are you best able to support?

I work with adults 18 years old and over. I support people dealing with interpersonal and relationship difficulties, stress related to work or vocation, or having situational trouble navigating through change, transition or uncertainties. Right now, I have a special interest in working with Asian Australians whose parents were migrants to Australia.

Bonus question: If you could be your own therapist right now, what do you think you would say to yourself?

I would say, "You're allowed to slow down and take care of yourself. Remember to do something fun and breathe." At other times it would be, "What do you need right now; what does this moment require?"

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Connect with Will via our Asian Australian Mental Health Practitioner List HERE.

Alternatively, if you feel like Will may be a good fit for someone that you know, be sure to forward this page on to them too. Let us continue to not only support ourselves but all those around us too!

If you require urgent assistance, please do not contact Will or any of the psychologists on this list. Instead, please call emergency services on 000 or call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Shapes and Sounds does not recommend or endorse Will or any of the practitioners listed on the Asian Australian Mental Health Practitioner List.

Please always consult your GP before making changes to your mental health care plan.