Asian Immigrant Mental Health: Understanding Shame, Filial Piety, and Intergenerational Trauma
Mental health is complex, and connected to many arenas of our life.
Our emotions, relationships, and sense of self are shaped by our families, cultures, communities, and the experiences passed down through generations.
For many Asian Canadians, understanding our mental health also means exploring the experiences of immigration, sacrifice, family expectations, and the cultural messages we inherited about emotions, success, and responsibility.
I was invited by the Asian Community AIDS Services to participate in a panel discussion exploring mental health in an Asian cultural context alongside Dr. Josephine Wong.
In this conversation, we explore intergenerational trauma, Asian immigrant mental health, and the ways that culture and family experiences can shape how we relate to ourselves and others.
Watch the panel discussion
YouTube: Watch on YouTube
Topics discussed include:
Intergenerational trauma and the Asian immigrant experience
How filial piety and family expectations influence mental health
The experience of parentified children and taking on adult responsibilities early in life
Emotionally immature parents and their impact on adult children
How parental migration experiences can shape the next generation
Navigating our own needs while staying connected to our families and communities
Understanding Asian Immigrant Mental Health
Many Asian Canadians grow up with complex messages about what it means to be a good child, a successful person, and a responsible family member (filial piety).
We may learn the importance of sacrifice, respect, and achievement. These values can provide strength and connection, but they can also create pressure when our own needs feel incompatible with family expectations.
Many people struggle with questions like:
“How do I care for myself without feeling selfish?”
“How do I honour my family while creating my own life?”
“Why do I feel responsible for everyone else’s emotions?”
Understanding these patterns can help us develop more compassion for ourselves and the experiences that shaped us.
Related Resources
Why You Are Stuck In The Burnout Cycle and How To Fix It
Why You Can’t Stop Overthinking Even When Life Feels Fine
Emotional Neglect in Asian Immigrant Families
If you recognize yourself in some of these patterns, I created a free interactive guide called Why Do I React Like This? to help you understand your emotional reactions and explore what they might be trying to protect you from.
Hi, I’m Harry, a psychotherapist in Toronto. I work with 1.5 and second generation Asian Canadians who are trying to understand patterns around anxiety, perfectionism, people-pleasing, relationships, family, and self-worth.
