The Asian Mental Health Podcast

"It seems like a lot of mental health messaging seems to be a rejection of Asian values..." 👋Welcome back to the Asian Mental Health podcast, and to the midway point of season1! Time flies! And in this episode, it’s just your hosts Asami, Marcus and Oscar, trying to answer this question that was submitted by someone from the Shapes and Sounds community: “It seems like a lot of mental health messaging seems to be a rejection of Asian values. For many of us, our parents worked hard and ran their own business, and valued our education, essentially focusing on the things we can control. As a result, intergenerational mobility is higher for Asians than for white people. But modern grievance culture tells us that capitalism is evil, maths is racist, and Asians are white adjacent. The prosperity of our parents is considered to be the result of privilege, rather than their hard work and delayed gratification. How do we balance this type of mental health messaging with the values we have been taught by our parents? Is there a better type of mental health messaging that empowers people to work towards their goals without burning out, and without getting caught up in status contests?” It’s such a layered and juicy question, did we answer it okay? Through our discussion, you’ll also learn about: 💡How positive stereotypes (like, “all Asians are smart”), can be really harmful for our mental health and wellbeing 💡The way in which Asami would exploit this positive stereotype (she’s not proud of it) 💡How Marcus defined and connected in with his values, which you can follow to find your values 💡One really surprising way in which social media might be impacting your mental health, as outlined by Oscar, who manages our social media! You can read the transcript over on our website ⁠here⁠. ~ This episode includes journaling prompts both for the person who submitted this question and, for you! ✍️Scribble your answers down to these prompts: where in your life do you feel like you're not gaining the recognition and celebration that you deserve and why? how have you come to define success in the past, and does that still align with your values today? ~ As we’re a brand new podcast, we’d love for you to help us in three ways: Download this episode so you can refer back to it when you need! Join us in our mission of destigmatising mental health conversations in Asian communities by sharing this episode with your friends and family Connect with us on instagram ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ 🌱You can learn more about Shapes and Sounds at our website: ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠ ~ This podcast is proudly supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program however all the thoughts and ideas you hear are independently ours and our guests.  This podcast talks about mental health and answers questions directly from our community. However, all information provided is shared as general information only and does not replace individualised mental health care. Please always consult with your trusted GP when making changes to your mental health care plan.  Lastly, as we’re discussing mental health, some of the conversations might be difficult or painful to listen to. If so, we encourage you to press pause on the episode and if it feels right, return to it at another point in time. ~ PS. Keen to submit a question for future episodes of the Asian Mental Health podcast? Share your question with us here.

Asami and Marcus invite their beloved teammate Stef Kam onto the show to discuss their work as an art therapist and an artist. Stef explains how creating art in art therapy plays a role in helping people to deal with feelings and emotions that words cannot express. And don't worry, our third host Oscar reunites with the group at the end to wrap up the season.The transcript is available here.Help us destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode on your favourite app and sharing it with your friends and family.We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

In a very special travel documentary episode, Oscar explores the intersection of work, honing a craft and mental health in Japanese craft. The team discuss the way Japanese culture, crafts and "Zen" are romanticised and appropriated by the Western gaze.The transcript is available here.Help us destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode on your favourite app and sharing it with your friends and family.We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠English voiceovers provided by Kim Brockett, Vivan Vo, Junxin Peng and Yeo Choong.This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

Dom Thattil, influencer and advocate for BIPOC and queer communities, drops into the studio for a chat with Asami about balancing safety with visibility, his relationship with his family and the inner work we need to do to keep ourselves mentally healthy.The transcript is available here.Help us destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode on your favourite app and sharing it with your friends and family.We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

The Shapes and Sounds team share workplace survival stories, how would you deal with these situations? Asami investigates an insulting rumour, Oscar confronts his racist manager and Marcus duels his harshest critic–himself.The transcript is available here.Help us destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode on your favourite app and sharing it with your friends and family.We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

Asami sits down with clinical psychologist and relationships expert Sanduni Silva. They discuss the emotional baggage we carry into the workplace and how to effectively communicate while staying true to your values. Listen to learn how to navigate workplace challenges and maintain your sense of self.The transcript is available here.Help destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode on your favourite app and sharing it with your friends and family.We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.comThis podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

A Shapes and Sounds community member shares her inspiring story of living and working with ADHD and autism.The transcript is available here.Help destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode on your favourite app and sharing it with your friends and family.We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

Marcus and Asami are joined by Rachel Lim, psychologist and clinical lead from Headspace Syndal. With a strong passion for youth mental health, Rachel tells us about the evolution of her own career goals and how a false start at uni actually led her to doing the work she wanted to do.The transcript is available here.Help destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode on your favourite app and sharing it with your friends and family.We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠For more info about Rachel’s work and mental health support for young people, visit headspace.org.auThis podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

The Asian Mental Health is back! To kick things off, Asami, Marcus and Oscar define the theme they’ve chosen for our third season and talk about the impact that work has on our mental health. The transcript is available here.Help destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode on your favourite app and sharing it with your friends and family.We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

For our season 2 finale, Oscar and Marcus interrogate our technical producer Yeo about his copyright beef with Kanye West (!) and find out how community, cooking and creativity all play a part in keeping him mentally healthy. The transcript is available here. Help us destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode and sharing it with your friends and family. We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠ This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

Marcus and Asami gain invaluable insight from Beverley Wang (ABC’s National Culture Correspondent and host of Stop Everything! and Life Matters) as she talks about the benefits of sleeping well, not replying in the heat of the moment and her general approach to self-care when under pressure. The transcript is available here. 🌱Help us to destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode and sharing it with your friends and family. We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health: find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠ This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

Our fearless leader Asami finally takes the hot seat and tells all about the link between physical and mental wellness, building a good relationship with your limits, and how she persevered with Shapes and Sounds through financial hardship and uncertainty. The transcript is available here. Help us destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode sharing it with your friends and family. 🌱We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠ This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

Asami describes the alarming findings of the latest youth mental health research, Marcus explains how the pandemic has changed the brains of young people, and Oscar contemplates the effects of social media on our identities and values. The transcript is available here.  All the support services mentioned in this episode can be found here. Help destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode and sharing it with your friends and family. 🌱We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠ This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

Jagesh Panchal, founder of Shakti Mental Health, speaks about comfortable spaces for conversations between men about their mental health, the diversity within Asian and South Asian culture and how compartmentalising your thoughts can actually help you through difficult moments. The transcript is available here. Help us to destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode on your favourite app and sharing it with your friends and family. Connect with Jagesh on instagram at @shaktimhmelbourne or shaktimentalhealth.com  🌱We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠ This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

We nudge Oscar into the hot-seat and try to convince him that he’s creative. As our co-host and community engagement lead, he explains why bathing, constant learning and social connection are necessary for his well-being. The transcript is available here. Help destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode on your favourite app and sharing it with your friends and family. We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠ This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

Our co-host and resident psychology student Marcus shares ideas on combating stressful workload paralysis while leading an academically-driven lifestyle, and why pulling an all-nighter is never a good choice. The transcript is available here. Help destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode on your favourite app and sharing it with your friends and family. We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠ This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

To kick off our second season, the Shapes and Sounds team discuss the harmful misconceptions and serious consequences of poor mental health in Asian communities and how simple conversations can make a difference.  Content warning: this episode contains discussion of suicide. The transcript is available here. Help destigmatise mental health conversations in Asian communities by downloading this episode on your favourite app and sharing it with your friends and family. We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about Asian mental health. Find us online at ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ or ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠ This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and should not be used in lieu of professional advice.

👋Welcome back to the Asian Mental Health podcast! In our season 1 finale, we’re joined by Anushka Phal. Through her lived experience as a third-culture kid and her expertise as a psychologist at Umeed Psychology, Anushka takes us on a deep dive into intergenerational trauma in Asian families. You can read the transcript ⁠here⁠.  As we’re brand new, we’d love for you to help us in three ways: Download this episode so you can refer back to it when you need! Join us in our mission of destigmatising mental health conversations in Asian communities by sharing this episode with your friends and family Connect with us on instagram ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ 🌱You can learn more about Shapes and Sounds at our website: ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠🌱Anushka Phal is on instagram @umeedpsychology and in this episode she recommends a book called ‘It Didn’t Start with You’ by Mark Wolynn. This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and does not replace individualised mental health care. Always consult with your trusted GP when making changes to your mental health care plan.  PS. Keen to submit a question for future episodes of the Asian Mental Health podcast? Share your question with us here.

👋Welcome back to the Asian Mental Health podcast! In episode 7, we’re joined by Bimba Chavan. Using her expertise as a counsellor at Unhyphen Psychology and headspace, Bimba shares a therapist's perspective on the challenges that shape the experiences of Asian men and how self-validation can lead to positive outcomes. You can read the transcript ⁠here⁠. As we’re brand new, we’d love for you to help us in three ways: Download this episode so you can refer back to it when you need! Join us in our mission of destigmatising mental health conversations in Asian communities by sharing this episode with your friends and family Connect with us on instagram ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ 🌱You can learn more about Shapes and Sounds at our website: ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠ 🌱Connect with Bimba Chavan on instagram @unhyphenpsychology and @journals_and_doodles This podcast is supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program. All information provided is general information only and does not replace individualised mental health care. Always consult with your trusted GP when making changes to your mental health care plan.  PS. Keen to submit a question for future episodes of the Asian Mental Health podcast? Share your question with us here.

👋Welcome back to the Asian Mental Health podcast! Behind every win, lies a series of failures that we’ve all had to overcome. This episode talks about how we can quieten that persistent voice of self-comparison. Please note that this episode involves conversations about mental ill-health which may be triggering to some. - In episode 6, we’re joined by Dr Belle Lim who’s a diversity and inclusion advocate, consultant and speaker. She’s the founder of Future Forte, an initiative that's supported over 2,500 international students and multicultural women focusing on gender equity and youth leadership. She also holds a PhD degree at Monash University and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre on the topic of breast cancer genetics. AND, Belle’s been recognised as the Victorian International Student of the Year in 2019, Victoria Volunteering Leadership Award Finalist 2022, Asia Society's Asia Game Changer Finalist 2023, and Global Citizen Youth Leader Award in 2024… to name just a few. As someone who’s already achieved so much, with perhaps many people comparing themselves and wondering how she could possibly do it all… we knew that Belle was the perfect guest to help us answer this question which was submitted to us by a Shapes and Sounds community member: “I'm so stressed out by the pressure to grind and keep up with others' lifestyles/purchases! Is this what people mean by capitalism and neoliberalism? Help me make sense of this please.” You’ll also hear about: 💡The story behind Belle’s successes that include mental health challenges, loneliness and disconnection 💡How the experience of being an international student impacted her mental health 💡How Belle had the courage to let go of different career paths and interests and the steps she took to find and connect with her values 💡How Belle turned her challenges into creating support, opportunities and connection for others via her organisation, Future Forte 💡Marcus’ secret love of LinkedIn You can read the full transcript ⁠here⁠. And, connect with Belle on LinkedIn or at Future Forte. 🎨If you’re an international student from Asia based in Melbourne, you might be interested in our Creative Community Care series where our art and music therapists will help you relax, focus and express your emotions! Find out more here. - As we’re brand new, we’d love for you to help us in three ways: Download this episode so you can refer back to it when you need! Join us in our mission of destigmatising mental health conversations in Asian communities by sharing this episode with your friends and family Connect with us on instagram ⁠@justshapesandsounds⁠ 🌱You can learn more about Shapes and Sounds at our website: ⁠justshapesandsounds.com⁠ - This podcast is proudly supported by the Victorian Department of Health via the Diverse Communities Program however all the thoughts and ideas you hear are independently ours and our guests.  - This podcast talks about mental health and answers questions directly from our community. However, all information provided is shared as general information only and does not replace individualised mental health care. Please always consult with your trusted GP when making changes to your mental health care plan.  Lastly, as we’re discussing mental health, some of the conversations might be difficult or painful to listen to. If so, we encourage you to press pause on the episode and if it feels right, return to it at another point in time. - 🫶PS. Keen to submit a question for future episodes of the Asian Mental Health podcast? Share your question with us here.