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.
The Lonely Marathon: A Poem About Loneliness, Connection, and Emotional Survival
A reflective poem exploring loneliness, emotional endurance, and the quiet shared experience of human suffering. It moves through isolation and self perception toward the realization that emotional pain is often shared rather than solitary.
Everything Everywhere All at Once and the Immigrant Parent Child Relationship: Exploring Cultural Expectations and Family Dynamics
Everything Everywhere All at Once highlights many themes familiar to children of immigrants, including family expectations, cultural differences, sacrifice, and identity. I was featured in this VeryWell Mind article, where I share my perspective on immigrant parent-child relationships and the mental health experiences that shape Asian families.
Asian Immigrant Mental Health: Understanding Shame, Filial Piety, and Intergenerational Trauma
Asian immigrant mental health is shaped by more than individual experiences. In this panel discussion, Harry Au explores intergenerational trauma, shame, filial piety, family expectations, and the experiences that influence mental health in Asian communities
Asian Mental Health: Understanding the Experiences of Asian Canadians in Therapy
Asian Canadians often navigate unique experiences related to culture, family expectations, identity, and emotional wellbeing. In this podcast conversation, Harry Au discusses Asian mental health, therapy, and the challenges many Asians in the diaspora face when seeking support
Therapy for Asian Canadians: Understanding Identity, Family, and Emotional Wellbeing
Many Asian Canadians struggle to find a therapist who understands the cultural experiences that shape their mental health. In this podcast conversation, I discuss therapy for Asian diaspora communities, including identity, family expectations, emotional expression, and the challenges many Asian Canadians face when seeking support.
Identity, Activism, and Asian Mental Health: Navigating Culture, Expectations, and Finding Your Own Path
Many Asian Canadians navigate the tension between cultural expectations, community responsibility, and the desire to live an authentic life. In this podcast conversation, I explore Asian identity, activism, the model minority myth, and how these experiences shape mental health, belonging, and personal freedom
Dating as an Asian Man: Racism, Stereotypes, and the Pressure to Prove Yourself
Many Asian men navigate dating while carrying stereotypes, racial biases, and cultural expectations that can affect confidence, identity, and relationships. In this podcast conversation, I explore the Asian male dating experience, the impact of social conditioning, and how we can examine the biases that shape attraction and connection.
Fighting Anti Asian Racism in Toronto Chinatown: Storytelling, Community, and Belonging
Chinatown in Toronto is undergoing cultural and economic change shaped by anti Asian racism, gentrification, and community displacement. This post explores a storytelling project that highlights lived experiences, collective memory, and the importance of preserving community identity and belonging.
What It Means to Be Asian Canadian: Identity, Belonging, and Self-Acceptance
Exploring what it means to navigate identity as an Asian Canadian, and how culture, belonging, and self-acceptance shape the way we see ourselves.
Anti-Asian Racism During COVID-19: A Message to Asian Canadians
A message to Asian Canadians navigating fear, grief, and racism during COVID-19—and a reminder that you are not alone.
Welcome to Therapy with harry: Mental Health for Asian Canadians
Welcome to Harry Au Therapy—supporting Asian Canadians navigating anxiety, trauma, and identity.