Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians & Pacific Islanders

 AANHPI stands for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. AANHPI encompasses diverse groups of people with origins from various countries in Asia, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. The AANHPI community includes folks with diverse cultural, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds. There are never-ending distinctions between groups and subgroups within the AANHPI community.

However, there is one particular similarity that we share: the stigma associated with seeking mental health services. I have worked with Asian Americans who have felt a tremendous amount of shame for seeking mental health services. Our parents may not even believe anxiety, ADHD, and depression are real issues! They may compare their experiences to ours. We don’t want to invalidate their struggles as immigrants or refugees but our experiences are totally different.

Since our parents made serious sacrifices to give us a better life here in America, we weren’t able to make mistakes. It felt like everything was always at stake. Our obligation was to get good grades to help our families gain upward socioeconomic mobility. That’s a lot of pressure for a child.

Now that were grown, we’ve realized that our high-pressure anxiety is not healthy. We don’t want continue living as if everything depended on us. We certainly don’t want to teach our children to live like that. So how does life without a ton of anxiety look like?

To be honest, there could be less drastic fluctuations with your mood. There could be a decrease in indecisiveness and confusion. You may even be much more present in your life. You might have more time to engage in hobbies or take a nap. You’ll be able to honor your parents and their sacrifices while tending to your emotional needs. If you’re ready to give therapy a try, please contact us with questions or concerns. If you prefer to speak with Mariel directly, please schedule a free no-pressure 15-minute consultation phone call.