Take a hot bath, get a massage, take a weekend trip, watch your favorite movie, indulge with a delectable treat, or unplug....whatever it may be...make sure to honor yourself. Happy Valentines Days from East Bay Area Therapy. At East Bay Area Therapy, we rejoice in the incredible diversity in the pan- African community of the San Francisco Bay Area. We recognize that there is massive variation in preference in identity, culture, level of self-acceptance, and internalized oppression through personal anecdotes, education, research, and psychological practice with our amazing clients. As a practice who welcomes and regularly works with individuals who identify as Black, African-American, Caribbean, and as African-Immigrants, we exclaim Thank You! to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his invaluable role in furthering the positive mental wellness for the pan-African community. We know that discrimination and oppression have a severely harmful effect on mental health and stand for racial justice and restitution.
According to a video by Goalcast (https://www.goalcast.com/2017/09/12/martin-luther-king-story/), Martin Luther King was a child who suffered from episodes of severe depression. He was deeply emotionally affected by racial discrimination, oppression of African-Americans and the pan-African community, and witnessed atrocities towards him, his family, and towards those who shared his African heritage. He made his first suicide attempt around the age of 12, when he jumped out of a second-story window. He made a second suicide attempt before the age of 13, as well. As with many people who suffer from mental health struggles, he was extremely intelligent, innovative, and was passionate about making a change in the world. He tirelessly fought for justice for the oppressed and stayed focused on his DREAM. He achieved academic excellence by earning his doctorate degree at a very young age (while dealing with depression, too!) and visited India to study a non-violent approach to civil disobedience. He knew that the guidance he was seeking could be found in a collaboration between cultures! East Bay Area therapy prides itself on being a practice that utilizes culturally conscious counseling, and maintains a safe environment for members of oppressed communities, not limited to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, legal status, ability & disability, and any other ways in which a beautiful human being can be wrongly and unjustly mistreated in this world. Dr. King, thank you for making it possible to serve many pan-African clients at our practice, East Bay Area Therapy. We are proud to serve African-American, black, Caribbean, and African-immigrant clients with humility, research–based evaluation and treatment strategies, and continuously reflect on our areas of privilege, powerlessness, and how we can use our given privileges to further the wellness of the pan-African community as a whole.  Trigger Warning: Strong content about sexual assault, human sexual slavery, and severe forms of human exploitation Grace Pacheco, M.A., MFT presents educational material and case examples focused on severe forms of sexual abuse for the psychology graduate students at JFK University in Pleasant Hill, California. She discusses sexual assault, human slavery, exploitation, and captivity, and how they manifest in three complex case examples. She shares about working with persons who are transgender, sex workers, sexual offenders, Christian, lesbian, and focuses on the unique experience for a black lesbian Christian client. She shares briefly about her relational style with her clients, the use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and offers valuable concepts from Christian-based book, The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse by David Allender and Karen Lee-Thorp. Grace Pacheco, M.A., MFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) in Pinoles, CA who specializes in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of severe anxiety and trauma-and-stressor disorders. She has unique training and experience with Christian queer people of color with a variety of intersecting oppressed identities. Disorders Discussed: Bulimia, Exhibitionism & Paraphilias, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) How to Take a Shower with Disabling DepressionWhen one is going through disabling depression, there isn't a whole lot of motivation to do much of anything. The most obvious and measurable basic self-care activities are things like feeding ourselves, bathing ourselves, brushing our teeth, changing our dirty clothing, hygienic toileting… you get the point. All of these things become compromised when we feel depressed at a disabling level. High functioning and moderate functioning depression are certainly valid in their own struggles and levels of functional loss. We are not, however, going to discuss moderate or high functioning depression in today's blog. There are plenty of articles throughout the internet on those levels of depression. When depression becomes disabling is when days go by in bed and we have no clue if it's Monday or Thursday. These are times when we've been wearing the same shirt for a few days — but we aren't exactly sure how many. We start to tell the time by how light it is or how dark it is through the window. Time becomes simplified to daytime or nighttime. The amount of days it has been since one showered is often measured by the amount of visible grease and sweat in our hair (glamorous, I know), comments from other people, or through whiffs of ourselves in passing moments.  MotivationIt can be very hard to even get motivated before discussing The How of taking a shower. Many people might exclaim, shower? For what? I'm not going anywhere! What's the point? I will feel the same afterwards! Those of us psychological nerds who study human behavior and psychology, and think about it all the time (AKA Me!), are aware of a couple handy principles that can be applied from an "old school" area of early psychology.... Operant Conditioning. Even though many depressed people prefer to spend most of their day in their bed and do not necessarily want to get out of bed, they will get out of bed to either directly reduce a negative stimulus (or feeling) that they feel inside of their bodies or add a positive stimulus (or feeling). See below: A. A depressed person gets out of bed to use the restroom, aiming to decrease discomfort (negative stimulus) that one experiences from holding urine or feces inside of one's body. B. A depressed person who lays in bed all day may get up out of bed to binge eat on the ice cream in the freezer, to increase positive feelings (positive stimulus) in the body. Yes, it can be very tricky when somebody claims they don't care about anything. Given that, how can one decrease or increase anything? I call BS! I know that there are always things that humans want to increase or decrease, based on our universal traits.  MethodSo, the seemingly simple method for motivating ourselves or loved ones to take a shower are to provide an incentive which may be negative or positive. Lets take two ways: 1. Increase a negative stimulus to make NOT showering intolerable 2. Increase a positive stimulus to make showering tolerable How to Make NOT Showering IntolerableChange your bed sheets to clean sheets. Getting back into them with dirty hair, body, and clothing will feel uncomfortable. Some people say that it promotes an urge to shower so that one can feel that total "fresh and new" feeling.
Make Showering Tolerable
Make it Quick and Easy
Wishing everyone suds and bubbles,
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Check out the article on CAMFT's support of keeping families together, at the link below:
www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/california-association-of-marriage-and-family-therapists-supports-keeping-families-together-300667700.html
Adios Anxiety Group will begin on March 11, 2019
at East Bay Area Therapy
Every Monday evening at 6:30PM.
Adios Anxiety Group will be starting on March 11, 2019 at East Bay Area Therapy in the city of Pinole, CA. The group will be held on Monday evenings from 6:00PM to 7:30PM. This group incorporates education & research about anxiety, mindfulness meditation training, building coping skills, and relaxation exercises. It is designed for those struggling with stress, anxiety, and panic attacks.
The therapeutic group will be facilitated by Grace Pacheco, M.A., MFT #90751, a licensed psychotherapist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and those living with moderate to severe levels of anxiety and trauma-induced mental health issues.
Please note that the office is located on the second floor of a building up a flight of stairs. Those with mobility impairments who would like to access to this Adios Anxiety Group are absolutely welcomed to coordinate with Grace Pacheco, M.A., MFT.
This is an LGBTQIA+ affirming practice.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
After payment, you will receive an e-mail containing administrative forms, office policy agreements, directions & parking information, and the door code.
Thank You,
Grace Pacheco, M.A., MFT
The therapeutic group will be facilitated by Grace Pacheco, M.A., MFT #90751, a licensed psychotherapist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and those living with moderate to severe levels of anxiety and trauma-induced mental health issues.
Please note that the office is located on the second floor of a building up a flight of stairs. Those with mobility impairments who would like to access to this Adios Anxiety Group are absolutely welcomed to coordinate with Grace Pacheco, M.A., MFT.
This is an LGBTQIA+ affirming practice.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
After payment, you will receive an e-mail containing administrative forms, office policy agreements, directions & parking information, and the door code.
Thank You,
Grace Pacheco, M.A., MFT
Oasis Legal Services is hosting a free Asylum Law Training on Saturday, February 24, 2018 from 9am to 12pm. The training will cover the basics of Asylum Law, how to represent clients in affirmative asylum interviews, and include a discussion with licensed psychotherapist Grace Pacheco, M.A., MFT, regarding the use of psychological evaluations in asylum cases. We would love for you to join us.
Oasis Legal Services proudly provides quality legal immigration services to under-represented low-income groups with a focus on LGBTQIA+ communities. We provide comprehensive legal services to assist LGBTQIA+ immigrants, including screening for immigration relief, affirmative asylum, residency, citizenship, and family petitions.
We are building our Pro Bono Attorney Program and will have information at the training about how you can participate."
Oasis Legal Services proudly provides quality legal immigration services to under-represented low-income groups with a focus on LGBTQIA+ communities. We provide comprehensive legal services to assist LGBTQIA+ immigrants, including screening for immigration relief, affirmative asylum, residency, citizenship, and family petitions.
We are building our Pro Bono Attorney Program and will have information at the training about how you can participate."
Careers in the Mental Health Field: My Visit to Making Waves Academy in Richmond, California
1/26/2018
It was a pleasure to speak at Making Waves Academy in Richmond, California to an AP Psychology class and participate in a round-table discussion, with high school students considering a career in the mental health field. Students at Making Waves Academy were interested in many elements of working in the mental health field, not limited to degree type, cost, income after graduation, working with clients, and more.
I knew I had to bring my A game because the day before my visit, I received this list of questions from the students in the AP Psychology class. Kids that come from the struggle don't want nor need any sugar-coating, and can read people like a book. I had to give it to them straight, because, well...I used to be that kid.
1. How much money do you [or people in your profession, on average] make? Is it enough to support living in the Bay Area?
2. Do you recommend getting a master’s degree?
3. What do you like most about your job?
4. Have you ever had a patient you didn’t really know how to help?
5. How long did it take to get your license?
6. What surprised you about your job?
7. What made you want to pursue this path?
8. What is the most common reason why people visit your office?
9. Have you ever questioned your career path?
10. What do you see in society that worries you?
11. What is your day to day life like?
I shared about working in community mental health clinics, providing mental health services in Spanish, working with victims of violent crime, working alongside law enforcement and first responders, collaborating with psychiatrists and psychiatric hospital staff, submitting reports and correspondence to probation officers, and starting my own practice.
It was a pleasure to share some personal anecdotes of my beginnings, growing up in a low-income household, with family members with little to no knowledge about how to apply for college, let alone have the means to pay for it.
Looking at the many faces in the crowd that appeared worried, interested, overwhelmed, stressed, and....bored....(hey, it's high school)....I saw myself in many of them, and offered my very best words of inspiration, strategies, and hope to the student body.
I was excited to be invited by school staff to return for Career Day in March 2018, to offer up more opportunities for one-on-one conversations about the vast array of career options in the mental health field...and personal experience with navigating the many existing obstacles for low-income students of color, to getting there.
I knew I had to bring my A game because the day before my visit, I received this list of questions from the students in the AP Psychology class. Kids that come from the struggle don't want nor need any sugar-coating, and can read people like a book. I had to give it to them straight, because, well...I used to be that kid.
1. How much money do you [or people in your profession, on average] make? Is it enough to support living in the Bay Area?
2. Do you recommend getting a master’s degree?
3. What do you like most about your job?
4. Have you ever had a patient you didn’t really know how to help?
5. How long did it take to get your license?
6. What surprised you about your job?
7. What made you want to pursue this path?
8. What is the most common reason why people visit your office?
9. Have you ever questioned your career path?
10. What do you see in society that worries you?
11. What is your day to day life like?
I shared about working in community mental health clinics, providing mental health services in Spanish, working with victims of violent crime, working alongside law enforcement and first responders, collaborating with psychiatrists and psychiatric hospital staff, submitting reports and correspondence to probation officers, and starting my own practice.
It was a pleasure to share some personal anecdotes of my beginnings, growing up in a low-income household, with family members with little to no knowledge about how to apply for college, let alone have the means to pay for it.
Looking at the many faces in the crowd that appeared worried, interested, overwhelmed, stressed, and....bored....(hey, it's high school)....I saw myself in many of them, and offered my very best words of inspiration, strategies, and hope to the student body.
I was excited to be invited by school staff to return for Career Day in March 2018, to offer up more opportunities for one-on-one conversations about the vast array of career options in the mental health field...and personal experience with navigating the many existing obstacles for low-income students of color, to getting there.
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Oasis Legal Services is a new non-profit immigration firm, whos staff tirelessly works to secure a safe haven in the united states for gay, lesbian, and transgender asylum seekers, fleeing violence, torture, and hateful treatment in their countries of origin. their staff members speak fluent Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, and Japanese. I was initially introduced to oasis legal services through attorney Dustin Bankston, owner of Bankston Immigration Law Office in El Cerrito, California, who worked with Oasis staff members, at the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, in Berkeley, California.
I had the pleasure to join this team of immigration attorneys, volunteers, language interpreters, board accredited representatives, executive board members, and other essential figures, vital in maintaining the success of this unique and cutting-edge specialty firm.
In my role as a licensed mental health clinician, i meet many of their clients, who undergo psychological evaluations, for whom i provide a formal written report, which is utilized for their immigration cases. more often than not, i uncover severe incidents of victimization, hate-based targeting, experiences of torture, severe abuse and neglect, and other paralyzingly traumatic experiences. i conduct a comprehensive screening for various mental disorders, of which the primary findings are Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and other trauma-based anxiety disorders, such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Oasis Legal Services held a team meeting to increase connection among their many diverse collaborators, share inspiration, plan for their exciting next steps, and champion the group for social justice. it was a pleasure to meet new team members, and reunite with some old friends.
for more information on Oasis Legal Services in Oakland, California...
www.oasislegalservices.org
I had the pleasure to join this team of immigration attorneys, volunteers, language interpreters, board accredited representatives, executive board members, and other essential figures, vital in maintaining the success of this unique and cutting-edge specialty firm.
In my role as a licensed mental health clinician, i meet many of their clients, who undergo psychological evaluations, for whom i provide a formal written report, which is utilized for their immigration cases. more often than not, i uncover severe incidents of victimization, hate-based targeting, experiences of torture, severe abuse and neglect, and other paralyzingly traumatic experiences. i conduct a comprehensive screening for various mental disorders, of which the primary findings are Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and other trauma-based anxiety disorders, such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Oasis Legal Services held a team meeting to increase connection among their many diverse collaborators, share inspiration, plan for their exciting next steps, and champion the group for social justice. it was a pleasure to meet new team members, and reunite with some old friends.
for more information on Oasis Legal Services in Oakland, California...
www.oasislegalservices.org
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Grace Pacheco, MFT speaks with high school students at Making Waves Academy in Richmond, California about career opportunities and the varying salaries in the mental health profession. A group of students received the opportunity to have a round table discussion with a licensed psychotherapist, and expressed particular concern about if salaries will be sufficient for an economically stable life in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Mujeres Reales:
Un Nuevo Grupo de Apoyo para Mujeres Transgéneras
(en español)
empezando en 2018
Reserve su espacio aquí:
squareup.com/store/EastBayAreaTherapy/item/mujeres-reales
Mujeres Reales es un nuevo grupo de apoyo emocional para mujeres transgéneras, lidiado por Graciela Pacheco, MFT, una terapeuta licenciada. Graciela trabaja frecuentemente con personas transgéneras aplicando para casos de asilo (y otros tipos de casos de inmigración que requieren un reporte psicológico), y ella desarrolló este grupo de apoyo para que las miembras de ésta comunidad vulnerable pueden tener un lugar seguro para recibir apoyo emocional. Mujeres Reales va a incluir pláticas de una variedad de temas afectando la salud mental de mujeres transgéneras latinas, ejercicios de relajación, sujetos de autocuidado y salud mental, tiempo en silencio para refleccion, y más. No es requerido hablar ni compartir nada en el grupo, y cada mujer tiene el derecho de salir del grupo, en cualquier momento.
La regla más importante del grupo es la regla de Las Vegas...lo que escucha, lo que vea, y lo que pasa en el grupo...se queda. Este es un lugar seguro y no hay tolerancia para odio, acoso, discriminación, violencia, drogas, ni personas intoxicadas. Este es un lugar seguro, y se quedará asi.
Primera reunión: 4 de abril, 2018 a las 6pm
Precio: $40
Se repite cada miércoles después de la primera reunión, a las 6:00-7:30pm.
Es imperativo inscribirse para reservar un espacio en el grupo, debido de la gran falta de servicios o grupos así en español en la área bahía. Para preguntas adicionales o para reservar su espacio, pongase en contacto con la terapeuta, Graciela Pacheco, MFT, por teléfono (510) 621-8143 (texto ok)
o por email, Grace@EastBayAreaTherapy.com.
La regla más importante del grupo es la regla de Las Vegas...lo que escucha, lo que vea, y lo que pasa en el grupo...se queda. Este es un lugar seguro y no hay tolerancia para odio, acoso, discriminación, violencia, drogas, ni personas intoxicadas. Este es un lugar seguro, y se quedará asi.
Primera reunión: 4 de abril, 2018 a las 6pm
Precio: $40
Se repite cada miércoles después de la primera reunión, a las 6:00-7:30pm.
Es imperativo inscribirse para reservar un espacio en el grupo, debido de la gran falta de servicios o grupos así en español en la área bahía. Para preguntas adicionales o para reservar su espacio, pongase en contacto con la terapeuta, Graciela Pacheco, MFT, por teléfono (510) 621-8143 (texto ok)
o por email, Grace@EastBayAreaTherapy.com.
English:
Transgender Women's Support Group (Spanish language)
Beginning in April 2018, Wednesdays at 6:00-7:30pm
Pinole, CA
Cost: $40
Facebook Event Listing
Mujeres Reales is a new emotional support group for Spanish speaking transgender women, led by Grace "Graciela" Pacheco, MFT, a licensed therapist. Graciela works frequently with transgender individuals applying for asylum (and other types of immigration cases that require a psychological report), and she developed this group so that members of this vulnerable community can have a safe place to receive emotional support.
Mujeres Reales will include discussions on a variety of topics affecting the mental health of Latina transgender women, the practice of meditation exercises, self-care and coping skills, quiet time for reflection, and more. It is not required to talk or share anything in the group, and each woman has the right to leave the group, at any time.
The most important rule of the group is the Las Vegas rule ... what we hear here, what we see here, and what happens in the group... stays here. This is a safe place and there is no tolerance for hate, harassment, discrimination, violence, drugs, or intoxicated people. This is a safe place, and it will stay that way.
For questions or to reserve a space at the first meeting on 4/04/18:
Pre-Pay Here
Tel. (510) 621-8143
email: Grace@EastBayAreaTherapy.com
Transgender Women's Support Group (Spanish language)
Beginning in April 2018, Wednesdays at 6:00-7:30pm
Pinole, CA
Cost: $40
Facebook Event Listing
Mujeres Reales is a new emotional support group for Spanish speaking transgender women, led by Grace "Graciela" Pacheco, MFT, a licensed therapist. Graciela works frequently with transgender individuals applying for asylum (and other types of immigration cases that require a psychological report), and she developed this group so that members of this vulnerable community can have a safe place to receive emotional support.
Mujeres Reales will include discussions on a variety of topics affecting the mental health of Latina transgender women, the practice of meditation exercises, self-care and coping skills, quiet time for reflection, and more. It is not required to talk or share anything in the group, and each woman has the right to leave the group, at any time.
The most important rule of the group is the Las Vegas rule ... what we hear here, what we see here, and what happens in the group... stays here. This is a safe place and there is no tolerance for hate, harassment, discrimination, violence, drugs, or intoxicated people. This is a safe place, and it will stay that way.
For questions or to reserve a space at the first meeting on 4/04/18:
Pre-Pay Here
Tel. (510) 621-8143
email: Grace@EastBayAreaTherapy.com
Categories
All
Asian Immigrant Health And HIV
Asian Immigrants With HIV
Asylum Psychological Evaluations
Bay Area Immigration Evaluations
BayAreaTransLatina
Bilingual Therapist
Casos De Asilo Por Ser Gay
Contra Costa County Spanish Counseling
Contra Costa County TransLatina
Cultural Psychology
East Bay Immigration Evaluations
Grupos LGBT En Español
HIV And AIDS In Asian Cultural Communities
HIV And AIDS Stigma Among Asian Immigrants And Asian-Americans
HIV And Cultural Stigma
Lesbian Asylum
Lgbt Asylum
LGBT Immigrants
Psychological Evaluations For Immigration
Psychological Evaluations For Trafficking Victims
QTPOC
Spanish Speaking Therapist
Spanish Transgender Mental Health
Trans Asilo
Transgender
Transgender Asylum
Transgender Womens Support
Transgénera
Trans Immigrants
Translatina
Oasis Legal Services is a nonprofit immigration firm in Oakland, California who advocates and specializes in the unique immigration needs for the LGBTQIA+ community. Most of their clients are monolingual Spanish speaking survivors of severe forms of violence, torture, hate crimes, and other experiences of cruel discrimination in their countries of origin, solely based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
To gain asylum in the United States, a psychological evaluation is helpful, and often recommended by immigration attorneys. I am proud to offer psychological evaluations to their clients in Spanish and English, and am honored to have been recognized in their November 2017 newsletter as a respected colleague.
Visit their website here: www.oasislegalservices.org
Check Out Oasis Legal Service's
November 2017 newsletter below:
Categories
All
Asylum Psychological Evaluations
Bay Area Immigration Evaluations
BayAreaTransLatina
Bilingual Therapist
Casos De Asilo Por Ser Gay
Contra Costa County Spanish Counseling
Contra Costa County TransLatina
East Bay Immigration Evaluations
Grupos LGBT En Español
Lesbian Asylum
Lgbt Asylum
LGBT Immigrants
Psychological Evaluations For Immigration
Psychological Evaluations For Trafficking Victims
QTPOC
Spanish Speaking Therapist
Spanish Transgender Mental Health
Trans Asilo
Transgender
Transgender Asylum
Transgender Womens Support
Transgénera
Trans Immigrants
Translatina
I spent the Thanksgiving weekend studying in depth...for seven hours...about HIV/AIDS, and its implications in the mental health field. I have previous experience at La Clinica de la Raza's department of mental health in Oakland, California, providing mental health treatment services and case management to Latino beneficiaries of the Ryan White Program. Although I do hold prior clinical knowledge about the existentially painful and profound complexity of grief that arises after receiving an HIV/AIDS diagnosis, I sought this opportunity to study some new information.
A little tidbit that I learned...
Six percent of those living with HIV/AIDS in the United States are of Asian cultural heritage...
This is particularly interesting to me, based on my experience working with Asian immigrants and Asian-American clients. Many times when I start psychotherapy with a client who identifies as Asian or Asian-American, I often struggle to gain complete information about whether there is a history of mental health problems in the family. I remember one Vietnamese client shared that she suspects that probably there are plenty of mental health problems, but no one ever talked about it or showed any outward behaviors, "because that's just the way it is. No one would have be caught dead having a panic attack or admitting they were depressed in front of anyone. It's all about looking good." Some Asian immigrants and Asian-Americans have shared in therapy sessions about the nearly impossible expectations and standards there are within their unique cultural community. Honor, wealth, achievement, the display of happiness, and success are values that have been shared with me as culturally important....which also, are often anxiety provoking.
Considering that six percent of at least 168,000 people in the United States living with HIV or AIDS are of Asian cultural identity, I surmise that members of this particular cultural group may experience a uniquely difficult and distressing response to a new HIV/AIDS diagnosis. Receiving this diagnosis as someone with the aforementioned cultural values and norms could certainly lead to profound and severe levels of depression, death-related anticipatory anxiety, isolation from other people, and intense internal self-shaming.
Of course, one cannot generalize about members of a culture or ethnicity, given the high amount of diversity within cultures, countries, families, and individuals. Since I practice psychotherapy from a cultural lense, I always like to expand my knowledge of other cultures, and openly invite conversation regarding the cultural implications of one's mental health, physical health, or situational problems, on one's unique identity and experience.
A little tidbit that I learned...
Six percent of those living with HIV/AIDS in the United States are of Asian cultural heritage...
This is particularly interesting to me, based on my experience working with Asian immigrants and Asian-American clients. Many times when I start psychotherapy with a client who identifies as Asian or Asian-American, I often struggle to gain complete information about whether there is a history of mental health problems in the family. I remember one Vietnamese client shared that she suspects that probably there are plenty of mental health problems, but no one ever talked about it or showed any outward behaviors, "because that's just the way it is. No one would have be caught dead having a panic attack or admitting they were depressed in front of anyone. It's all about looking good." Some Asian immigrants and Asian-Americans have shared in therapy sessions about the nearly impossible expectations and standards there are within their unique cultural community. Honor, wealth, achievement, the display of happiness, and success are values that have been shared with me as culturally important....which also, are often anxiety provoking.
Considering that six percent of at least 168,000 people in the United States living with HIV or AIDS are of Asian cultural identity, I surmise that members of this particular cultural group may experience a uniquely difficult and distressing response to a new HIV/AIDS diagnosis. Receiving this diagnosis as someone with the aforementioned cultural values and norms could certainly lead to profound and severe levels of depression, death-related anticipatory anxiety, isolation from other people, and intense internal self-shaming.
Of course, one cannot generalize about members of a culture or ethnicity, given the high amount of diversity within cultures, countries, families, and individuals. Since I practice psychotherapy from a cultural lense, I always like to expand my knowledge of other cultures, and openly invite conversation regarding the cultural implications of one's mental health, physical health, or situational problems, on one's unique identity and experience.
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