5+ Mental Health Resources for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Community

Posted: March 24, 2021

It’s too much for one person to handle alone.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are suffering from anti-Asian hate incidents, unresolved intergenerational trauma, identity crises, and the Asian cultural stigma towards mental health.

So, in this day and age, it’s crucial for AAPI to take care of their mental health.

Because there are issues unique to the AAPI experience, you should be selective when seeking out mental health services. Your therapist should be culturally competent, understands AAPI-specific issues, and can even relate to your troubles.

Thanks to one of the therapy directories listed below, I found an Asian therapist who helped me understand and cope with my mental health issues associated with the AAPI cultural experience.

You can also find a mental health community with members who look like you and can relate to your issues.

Here are some helpful mental health resources for AAPI:

Therapist directories

• Asian, Pacific Islander, or South Asian therapists at the Asian Mental Health Collective (this is the one I used to find my Asian therapist)
  • Click here for the United States directory
  • Click here for the Canadian directory
• Asian therapists at Psychology Today
• South Asian therapists at South Asian Therapists
• Culturally competent therapists at Inclusive Therapists
• Asian and Pacific Islander-friendly services, therapists, and organizations at the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association

Community resources

The Asian Mental Health Collective (AMHC) is a nonprofit organization created by AAPI, for AAPI, dedicated to destigmatizing and normalizing mental health in AAPI communities. I like how they follow Asian community-centric norms while still advocating for mental health.

• You can watch the AMHC’s first TransformAsian conference for free. I came out of this inspiring conference as a wiser Asian who better understood myself, my family, and my culture in the mental health context. More than ever, I felt so connected to my fellow Asians. Event speakers include therapists, gamechangers in the Asian mental health community, aspiring artists, and even celebrities like speed skater Apolo Ohno! My top 5 favorite parts of the conference are:
  • Lisa Ling’s keynote at 11:40
  • Career panel at 3:37:55
  • Carol Nguyen’s short film at 5:49:20
  • Peer panel at 6:20:20
  • Jed’s Spicy Noodle Challenge at 8:09:25 (because we all need some spicy humor in our lives)

• The AMHC has a private Facebook group, called Subtle Asian Mental Health, where you can talk about mental health with people who will understand and support you. This group is only for AAPI.

Other resources:

• Search for a nearby community center that teaches the public about mental health. Ideally, they are affiliated with your cultural heritage, race, and language.
• For more educational information about mental health issues in the AAPI community, here is an extensive essay.

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For too long, many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have not sought mental health therapy from professionals.

Thank goodness that in today’s world, more and more people are becoming aware of AAPI-specific mental health concerns. To address them, there are plenty of mental health resources and services that are culturally competent towards AAPI.

One resource at a time, AAPI can improve their mental health while defying all the odds.

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