Asian American Mental Health
As a Taiwanese American psychiatrist and psychotherapist, I wanted to provide my experiences as a psychiatrist and psychotherapy who works with Asian American clients. My clinical approach has been informed by my upbringing as an Asian American and I try to contextualize therapy concepts with my clients with this in mind.
Many Asian Americans do not seek out formal mental health support due to fears that their experiences will not be understood by providers.
A culturally sensitive therapy approach to Asian American mental health can be the key in taking the initial steps to starting therapy and being able to appreciate the benefits of therapy.
Why this matters
In a national survey study, less than 9% of Asian Americans utilized mental health services compared to 18% of the general US population. While the causes of this are not fully known, potential barriers include issues related to cultural stigma against seeking mental health, the model minority myth, and the limited availability of culturally sensitive providers.
While the mental health concerns of Asian Americans cannot be generalized, having a culturally sensitive approach to working through therapeutic issues related to high achievement, family dynamics, intergenerational trauma, and the complexity of Asian American identity can be very helpful with individual client work.
Featured Videos
In this video I explore why many high-achieving Asian Americans find it difficult to accept praise and compliments.
Drawing on Heinz Kohut's self psychology framework, I discuss how childhood mirroring, conditional love, and self-esteem development shape this experience. I also discuss strategies of improving self-esteem.
"If you have felt uncertain about whether a provider would understand your background and experience, feel free to reach out. I offer a free 15-minute consultation. I see patients in person in Brookline, MA and via telehealth throughout Massachusetts and New York State."