Mar 20, 20213 min read

Mental Health Resources for Asian Americans

From mental health funds to support groups to podcasts, a list of organizations that want to help bring mental health resources for Asian Americans.

( Dragon Pan / Unsplash )

We at Rowdy Magazine are deeply saddened by the senseless murders that took place in Atlanta last Tuesday evening. We stand with the Asian community, and recognize that we must confront the anti-Asian violence that is running rampant in our society.

In an effort to help members of the Asian community who are struggling during this time, Rowdy has compiled a list of mental health and wellness resources. According to Mental Health America, Asians are the least likely minority group to reach out to a mental health professional. In many Asian cultures, there’s a stigma against seeking for help, that’s often associated with shame. However, it’s important to preserve your mental health now more than ever.

If you know of another organization that can help Asian Americans, please contact Rowdy at rowdymagazine.submissions@gmail.com to help expand our list.

Asian Mental Health Collective (AMHC)

AMHC strives to make mental health services easily and readily accessible to Asian communities across the globe, as well as to destigmatize mental health within the Asian community.

Aside from offering an APISSA Therapist Directory, it also has a Facebook group for Asian mental health professionals, a mental health mukbang podcast and a virtual conference available on YouTube that aims to promote mindfulness.

In an effort to connect the Asian community with resources during this difficult time, it has encouraged therapists, coaches and healers who are willing to work for a reduced fee to comment on its social media posts. You can view its posts here.

National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA)

NAAPIMHA promotes the mental health and wellbeing of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders through providing resources and raising awareness about the importance of understanding one’s mental health.

It has totaled up organizations that offer mental health services for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in all 50 states. To view its collection of resources, click here.

Viet-C.A.R.E.

Geared towards Vietnamese community members, Viet-C.A.R.E. works to reduce mental health disparities and increase the quality of mental health services available through empowerment, advocacy, and education.

It offers support groups for mental health service providers on the last friday of every month, a support group for grief and loss, and another for those in the LGBTQ+ community. To view VIet-C.A.R.E.’s full list of resources, click here.

Asians Do Therapy

Founded by Yin J. Li, a licensed marriage and family therapist, AsiansDoTherapy hopes that by sharing Asian peoples’ experiences in therapy, more Asians and Asian Americans will seek therapy without feeling stigmatized.

Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI)

AAHI works to address the “unique and neglected health needs of Asian Americans.” While AAHI intends to directly serve Montgomery County in Maryland, there are ample mental health resources on their website.

Chinese-American Sunshine House

The Chinese-American Sunshine House is a non-profit organization that “provides a culturally-sensitive environment for the New York City Chinese community by empowering those battling with mental illness through their personal recovery and educating the community about mental health.”

It offers a variety of wellness classes, ranging from weekly mental health classes to anger management classes and elderly care educational workshops.

AAPI Journalists Therapy Relief Fund

The Asian American Journalists Association is raising funds for AAPI journalists who have to process the trauma resulting from Asian hate crimes that they may witness within their profession as well as their daily lives. The money will be distributed to AAPI journalists to start receiving therapy, to help continue to pay for their therapy or to help pay for their medication.

To apply to receive funds, click here. To donate to help AAPI receive funds, click here.

South Asian Therapists

South Asian Therapists aims to connect South Asian people to therapists who understand their culture. It offers the largest community of South Asian therapists in the world.

To view their directory of therapists, click here.