ASIAN MENTAL HEALTH BLOG
Writing on Asian identity, family dynamics, and the work of becoming yourself.
Honest, specific, and written for 1.5 and 2nd generation Asian immigrants who are done with generic advice.
I write about the things my clients bring into sessions. The guilt that surfaces when you try to want something different. The anger that has been building for years without a name. The family dynamics that shaped you before you knew they were shaping you.
The topics are specific because the experiences are specific. If you have ever felt like mainstream mental health content was not really written for you, you are probably right. This is.
Why Asking for Help Feels So Hard (Especially If You’re Used to Being Strong)
If you are used to handling everything on your own, asking for help can feel uncomfortable or even shameful. This post explores why that happens and what changes when you finally let yourself receive support.
Why Men Suppress Emotions (and Why Emotions Are Actually Rational)
Many men are taught to suppress their emotions—but emotions are not irrational. This article explores the evolutionary roots of emotions and why learning to understand them is key to better mental health and relationships.
Why Good Therapists Do Their Own Healing Work: What Clients Should Know About Therapy
Many people worry about whether their therapist is “qualified enough” or emotionally stable enough to help them. This post explores why good therapists actively engage in their own healing work, how this supports client care, and why therapy is ultimately a human relational process rather than a one sided expert dynamic.
Rebel vs Explorer Identity: How to Move Beyond Fight Mode Into Authentic Living
Many people build identity around resistance and fighting injustice, but this can quietly keep them stuck in tension and burnout. This explores the difference between a “rebel” identity and an “explorer” identity, and how shifting toward curiosity and self discovery creates more freedom, authenticity, and emotional balance.
Why Therapists Don’t Always Call Out Harmful Language (And What Actually Helps)
Exploring why therapists don’t always challenge harmful language right away, and how trust, trauma, and timing play a deeper role in real healing.
What Sports Reveal About Your Psychology: Ego, Codependency, and Fear of Failure in Performance
Sports often reveal psychological patterns we do not notice in daily life. This article explores how fear of being selfish, codependent tendencies, and avoidance of failure can show up in competitive play and reflect deeper relational patterns.
People Pleasing and Anger: Why Suppressed Needs Turn Into Explosive Emotional Reactions
People pleasing often looks calm on the surface, but it can build into intense emotional pressure over time. This article explores how suppressed needs, insecure attachment, and fear of rejection can lead to anger, and how boundaries help regulate emotional intensity.
Asian Men, Racism, and Incel Culture: How Racism has Distorted Asian Masculinity
This article explores how racism, historical exclusion, and the model minority narrative shape Asian male identity and contribute to struggles with masculinity, self-worth, and belonging. It examines how systemic forces intersect with online subcultures like incel communities, and why these experiences cannot be understood through individual psychology alone. The post also critiques simplistic explanations of gender dynamics and highlights how broader social and historical structures influence emotional development and relational patterns.
Welcome to Therapy with harry: Mental Health for Asian Canadians
Welcome to Harry Au Therapy—supporting Asian Canadians navigating anxiety, trauma, and identity.