Have you ever felt like you're carrying burdens that don't quite belong to you? You might be experiencing the effects of generational trauma. It's the emotional or psychological stress that can be passed down through families, sometimes for generations. It can be a heavy weight to bear, but the good news is, you don't have to carry it alone. Here at LifeSpring Counseling, we understand the complexities of generational trauma. We want to assure you that it's absolutely normal to feel its effects, and there are healthy ways to manage them.

Growing up, it was very difficult for me to speak to my parents about mental health. Everytime, they saw me sad, upset or depressed. They would default to “Oh you will be fine.  Let's go out for dinner. It will make you feel better.” But in reality I wasn't really “ok.” As a therapist, it has been my job to help them understand the importance of mental health. Here, I will talk about 3 tips on how you can speak with your South Asian parents about mental health. 

Mental health is an essential aspect of our overall well-being, but for many people, seeking therapy is still stigmatized. Seeking therapy should be seen as a normal and proactive step towards taking control of one's mental health, just as going to a doctor for a physical ailment is seen as a necessary part of healthcare. In this blog, we will discuss ways to normalize seeking therapy and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.

Encouraging family members to seek therapy can be challenging, especially if they are resistant to the idea. However, therapy can be a valuable tool for helping individuals address mental health conditions, emotional struggles, and personal challenges. If your family members won't seek therapy, here are some steps you can take.

Many of us have never been taught that therapy was an option for preventative care or times of emotional distress. In fact, many of us have received harmful messages that dissuade people from seeking services that have the potential to help them. Here are a few of the most common reasons we hear for why people don’t seek mental health therapy. We’ve thrown in our own thoughts on these reasons for good measure!

The out transgender and gender non-binary (TGNB) populations are among the fastest-growing populations in the United States. What this means is that you are likely to know someone who identifies as TGNB. They could be your neighbor, a family friend, they could even be your child.  So now what? How do you treat them with dignity, respect, and worth as human beings? How do you learn to respect their individuality and be a supportive person in their life?

According to the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics, we are responsible to respect the dignity and promote the wellness of our clients. What does this mean for therapists when working with TGNB clients? This means that we must make it a priority to have at least a baseline understanding of what it means to be TGNB and an understanding of how we can support their well-being.  As with most marginalized communities, the TGNB community is often discriminated against, mistreated, misunderstood, and faces psychological trauma as a result. In light of this, what can we do to be trans-inclusive and gender-affirming therapists?

“你对这个诊断怎么看？”我几乎每接待一位新来访者，都要问他们这个问题。尽管心理健康服务者早已对心理障碍的诊断习以为常，但每一位来访者经过初步咨询，得知自己所得的心理障碍是什么的时候，每个人的反应都是不同的，这背后是不同的想法、感受和经历。

“How do you feel about receiving a diagnosis?” That is a question I almost always ask when doing an intake with a new client. Although diagnoses are something therapists deal with on a daily basis, everyone may have different feelings, thoughts, and experiences around diagnoses, especially when they receive one from a professional during the intake meeting.

This is an honest talk about stigmas about mental health. Everyone has mental health so the understanding of stigma and its effects are very important! Stigma can make people feel ashamed about something that is not their fault. Stigmas about mental health can create unhelpful beliefs about treatment and prevent people from seeking the professional mental health services they need. All of us can help fight against stigma. The question is: How can you help fight against mental health stigma?

As a Chinese therapist, I understand how it can be difficult to share our emotions with our family or to be emotionally vulnerable with our therapist. When we start therapy, we talk about what has been going on in life, what we have experienced, and ways to manage our feelings. When I introduce Brainspotting to my Asian American clients, many seem interested in the modality.  However when these individuals try to utilize the technique, many find it hard to connect with their own body or to feel their emotions…

Sometimes, the people we care about are struggling with their mental health and are not willing to seek help. If you have already tried talking to them and the conversation did not go well, you may be left feeling frustrated, confused, and unsure of how to proceed. Unfortunately, there are times when other people’s unwillingness to seek counseling causes distress in our own lives. This article will talk about how you can look after yourself when you are feeling the burden or ramifications of someone close to you not seeking therapy.

Sometimes the people closest to you struggle with their mental health, and it can be difficult to see them struggle. It can be equally difficult to initiate a conversation about what you’re observing. If you really want your friend or family member to get the help they need, however, this conversation is an important step.

It’s not uncommon for people in the Chinese community to experience doubt or uncertainty about the idea of receiving counseling services. People may feel uncomfortable seeking help for their mental health issues when they are experiencing something difficult in their lives. While counseling can be helpful for addressing stressors and mental health concerns, there are a number of reasons why people may not be seeking out the counseling services that can help them. In this blog, I’ll be talking about 5 barriers to seeking mental health therapy in the Chinese community, and 5 reasons why people should consider counseling services.

In a previous blog I talk about blindspots being comparable to having broccoli in your teeth. Everyone but you can see the broccoli in your teeth. The broccoli can be thought of as our off-putting behaviors, the things we do that rub people the wrong way, without our realizing it. Like the broccoli, everyone else but us realizes that the behavior is unattractive. In cases with actual broccoli or off-putting behaviors, there’s a decision to be made. Do I point out “the broccoli” or say nothing at all?

The church can be an important place for supporting people’s spiritual and social needs.  Whether or not the church is a positive place for supporting mental health just depends on the church you’re attending and the messages they’re conveying, verbally or nonverbally.  There are church communities that send messages that discourage people from seeking the mental health treatment they need, and there are others who actively support it. 

I’m including two lists for you to review.  One highlights the unhealthy messages often received about mental health in the church, and the other shows a more positive approach to addressing mental health in the church. These lists have been compiled through my own experiences and those of my clients. 

Growing up in the church, I heard people talk about “the old days,” when people thought it was a lack of faith if you went to see the doctor. Today, many of us would find a statement like that odd and outdated. Unfortunately, I have come to believe that we have not come so far after all. Although we no longer hear people describe seeing a primary care doctor as showing lack of faith, this message does persist when it comes to mental health care.

If you haven’t been feeling great, but aren’t sure when it’s time to seek counseling, we hope this article will clarify that question. Firstly, counseling is for everyone, and if you’re questioning if counseling might be beneficial for you, then that’s probably your first indicator that it’s worth looking into.  Before you continue reading, please remember that seeking counseling is a sign of strength and insight. It’s a sign that you care about yourself and want to make sure that you feel better.