Considerations for Working with South Asian Therapy Clients

MHA Admin

Wed, 07/17/2024 – 15:13

by Rosaleen “Rose” Dhaliwal, PsyD, Chair, Division on South Asian Americans, Asian American Psychological Association

When we think of mental health treatment, phrases that often come up include “boundary-setting;” “culturally informed care;” “self-care;” and “individuation.” However, these interventions can look very different when working with South Asians from a diverse array of cultural backgrounds and generational lines.

Western vs. Eastern approaches to therapy

Western approaches to mental health therapy often see the client as an individual and do not always consider the context of family and environment. They often focus on helping the client identify and fix personal issues without incorporating how personal and cultural factors influence both the capacity to discuss these personal issues and to change them. For South Asians specifically, boundary-setting may look different for someone when considering a collectivist perspective. And self-care may involve the whole family or community–including neighbors, family friends, religious leaders, and extended family members.

Generational lines

First-generation immigrants likely have different viewpoints on mental health and therapy than do their second-generation counterparts. The former may believe the latter are “too Westernized” if they attempt to bring up therapy. And, even when in therapy, concepts of mental illness and emotional distress may look and sound different. Many South Asians often experience and even report somatic symptoms (e.g., digestive issues, body aches, headaches, fatigue) that could signal that some emotional distress is occurring. But these symptoms, particularly among women, are often overlooked by healthcare professionals.

Seeking out therapy

Ideas of shame and rejection can also influence if and how one seeks out help. Individuals may first rely on local communities who may not have the knowledge to support them and may respond with comments or suggestions that can only exacerbate the problem. It can be difficult to realize that this is unhelpful if one is not willing to reach out to a mental health professional or is unaware of the resources available. The ability to express oneself in the language they feel most comfortable and authentic can also play a significant role in deciding whether they seek out mental health services and/or continue with them.

Marginalized voices within South Asian communities

These problems can become further exacerbated as often the voices of the marginalized are kept even more quiet. Many South Asian communities today highlight a patriarchal viewpoint in which the voices of women, queer individuals, and young and/or unmarried children are silenced. Stereotypical norms may also influence one’s ability to feel comfortable in their own skin and express themselves in a way that is not considered acceptable in their communities. This is why understanding the particular needs of the person in front of you, with their varied history, cultural influences, and perspectives, is vital to providing mental health care.

Suggested approaches

When working with South Asian clients, consider the following questions:

What is my client coming to me for? What are they hoping to get out therapy? Consider that it might not be a reason with a clear end goal or timeline. For some, the opportunity to vent, express, and be in community with someone who will hear them is the goal.

What kinds of experiences has this client had in their country and/or family of origin that influence who they are today and what they may be willing to share?

How does my outward presentation (e.g., how I look, speak, express myself) influence their perception of my ability to help them and understand them? Do they feel that I can understand their perspectives?

DID YOU KNOW?

The Capital City Emergency “Level II” Trauma & Wellness Center will house a “state of the art” Outreach Community Resource Center, that will provide case management, mental health community advocacy, and oversight from the M.I. Mother’s Keeper mental health advocates. 
 
The Capital City Emergency “Level II” Trauma & Wellness Center will offer patrons access to immediate coverage by general surgeons as well as coverage by the specialties of orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology and critical care.
 
Our goal is to help people in the best way possible in an effort to preserve and to save more lives in the Nation’s Capital and beyond.

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Emergency

Code Red
Gunshot Victim
Life Threatening Wounds
Physical Assault Victim
Severely Injured Auto Accident Victim
Burn Victim
Epilepsy/Seizures
Cardiovascular
Choking & Breathing Obstructions
and more…

trauma

Child Sex Assault Victim
Domestic Violence Victim
Drug Overdose
Rape/Sex Crime Victim
Suicide Watch
Trafficking Victim
Nervous Breakdown
and more…

Mental Health

At Capital City Emergency Trauma & Wellness Center patrons with mental health emergencies that include life threatening situations in which an individual is imminently threatening harm to self or others, severely disoriented or out of touch with reality, has a severe inability to function or is otherwise distraught and out of control, will have access to quality and psychiatric emergency services and referrals.

Physical Health

Whether your life threatening medical emergency involves excessive or uncontrollable bleeding, head injury. difficulty with breathing, severe pain, heart attack, vision impairments, stroke, physically collapsing, or seizure related, rest assured that our professionals will properly assess and evaluate the level of response that will be most needed to help provide stabilized care solutions and minimize complications as well as reduce early mortality.

Holistic Healthcare

We offer healthcare solutions that will support the whole person which includes their physical, psychological, emotional, social, & spiritual wellbeing. Research supports that because your mental state can affect your overall health we support and offer the inclusion of complimentary and alternative medicine(CAM) practitioners and naturopathic doctor recommendations and referrals as a part of our Outreach Community Resource Center’s care regimen and support.

Rehabilitative

Emergency care can typically result in traumatic injuries for which rehabilitation becomes an essential component of care in trying to achieve the best long-term outcomes for the patient. In addition to speeding up recovery times and helping to prevent further complications, rehabilitative care also helps to support a patient’s self-managed recovery once discharged from our facility. Our Outreach Community Resource Center works closely with our trauma center’s discharge department to assure that patrons requiring these services are linked with qualified professionals who will be accountable to the standard of care required to help the patron be successful in their recovery.

Social Services

Our “state of the art” Outreach Community Resource Center intends to promote “expansive” beneficial community enriching services, programs, case management, & linkage to “approved” partner resources and supports in all of the following intended areas and more:

Social Services

  • Clothing
  • Food Pantry
  • Housing/Shelter
  • I.D. Credentials
  • Senior Wellness Check
  • Toiletries
  • Transportation
  • Etc.

Extended Family Services

  • Child Care
  • Credit Counseling
  • Family Court Services
  • Legal Aide

Career Training

  • Apprenticeship programs
  • Computer/Graphics Training
  • Culinary Program  
  • GED Courses
  • Hospitality Training
  • Job Etiquette & Grooming
  • Resume’ Prep
  • Sales Training
  • Software/Technology workshops
  • Small Business Training

Return Citizen
Program Partner
(Bridging the Gap)

  • Case Management
  • Temporary Boarding/Housing
  • Transitional Program Registration

Prevention/Intervention Outreach,
Workshops, & Programs

  • After-school Behavioral Health Program
  • Civic Engagement / Volunteer Sign-up
  • Fatherhood Rites of Passage
  • Gun Violence Town Hall Forum
  • Life Coaching & Coping Strategies
  • Marriage Counseling Workshops
  • Medicare Informational Workshops
  • Mentorship Training
  • Parental Classes
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  • Violence De-Escalation Training
  • Voter Registration

Nutritional Outreach

  • Cooking Demonstrations
  • Dietary Programs
  • Exercise Classes
  • Recipe Sharing Workshops
  • Meal Prep

Community Outreach

The Healthy DC & Me Leadership Coalition is partnering with the M.I. Mother’s Keeper Mental Health advocacy organization to provide outreach services on the community level as an aid in reducing the existent health inequities that many District citizens are facing as a direct result of the presence of debilitating social determinants and the lack of culturally appropriate care choices and realities for community members residing in marginalized and lower-income communities.

It is the vision and intentions of the M.I. Mother’s Keeper Mental Health Advocates organization to help improve the quality of living for citizens living in our Nation’s Capital and beyond by overseeing the delicate linkage to services and by maintaining higher standards of care accountability for deserving citizens of the Nation’s Capital.

For more information or to enroll as one of our service providers, please email us at:
info@healthydcandme.org