August Organisational Newsletter

August: Taoism in mental health care

Hello!

This past month, talk of Taoism keeps circulating in my sphere, so I wanted to share a little blurb that might help you when supporting clients of East Asian identity.

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Taoism is a Chinese philosophy that encourages harmony with nature, acceptance of change, and letting go of control.

In a recent study (by our very own Programs Lead, Marcus Lai!) of Chinese Australian trauma survivors, those who endorsed Taoist values were more likely to use acceptance and interpersonal emotion regulation, which was linked to their improved daily mood. Marcus' study also found that Taoism strengthened the benefits of these strategies, suggesting that cultural beliefs can shape emotion regulation.

Additionally, one of our Malaysian counsellors from the Asian mental health practitioner list, also shared in an upcoming podcast episode that it was specifically the Taoist value of "letting go" that allowed him to reconnect with his mother years after she rejected his queer identity during his youth.

Learning more about and recognising these often deeply-held values within people of East Asian identity, has got me reflecting on things like "letting go" within myself too.

Do I feel comfortable with validating acceptance-based coping? Do I personally, believe that I could ever let go of someone rejecting my identity? In my Japanese Australian identity, how do I connect with Taoism (there are strong influences of Taoism brought over by cultural transmission from China, centuries ago)...

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It's the nuanced questions like these that we love to engage in and support you to consider too. If you're interested in learning more about our trainings or cultural supervision, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're here to support you!

Cheers,
Asami

🌱 Important dates and festivals this month

Some important cultural festival and dates this month include: 

August 4: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Children's Day. This day celebrates the profound resilience and cultural heritage of Australian Indigenous children, highlighting the importance for them to be strongly connected to their kin and culture. 

August 6: Hiroshima Day. This day marks the tragic loss of life from the Hiroshima bombing on August 6, 1945, and stands as a poignant prayer for lasting world peace.

August 9: Nagasaki Day. Similar to Hiroshima Day, Nagasaki Day commemorates the lives lost to the 1945 atomic bombing in Nagasaki. 

Aug 9: International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. This day celebrates the rich cultures, knowledge, and rights of Indigenous populations worldwide, promoting recognition and contributing to their well-being.

Aug 9: Raksha Bandhan. A joyous Hindu festival, Raksha Bandhan celebrates the sacred bond between siblings. 

Aug 16: Krishna Janmashtami. This vibrant Hindu festival commemorates the birth of Lord Krishna, marked by devotion, communal festivities, and spiritual reflection.

Aug 26-27: Ganesh Chaturthi. A widely celebrated Hindu festival, Ganesh Chaturthi honors the birth of Lord Ganesha, symbolizing wisdom, new beginnings, and community celebration.

How will your organisation be marking these important dates this month? Feel free to reach out to us if you'd like some ideas!

Check out other community events here! 

🦉 Research perspectives to strengthen your culturally-responsive practice:

Riggs & Due's (2024) recent study explored how migration status influenced experiences, attributions and supports following pregnancy loss in CALD and non-CALD participants. Their study found that: 

• CALD participants reported greater distress following a pregnancy loss.
• CALD participants relied more on partners and faith communities for support, and found healthcare professionals less supportive.
• CALD participants were more likely to attribute pregnancy loss to spiritual reasons, while non-CALD participants attributed it more to fetal abnormalities.

What does this mean for clinicians and the community? 

Culture may influence a) the type of support one seeks following pregnancy loss, and b) how one appraises and perceives this loss. It is important to understand the client's own cultural perspective on their loss, and to holistically consider the potential spiritual/interpersonal implications of this loss. Consultation with community members and leaders knowledgable about culturally-responsive approaches to navigating pregnancy loss is also key to ensuring that care remains client-centred. 

Reflective prompt: Considering the findings on differing pregnancy loss attributions and support needs between CALD and non-CALD individuals, reflect on your own assumptions and experiences about grief and loss. How might these assumptions impact your ability to provide culturally responsive care, particularly when working with CALD clients experiencing pregnancy loss?

You're welcome to reach out to us by replying to this email, if you'd like some perspective on this.

💡Build your team's cultural-competency in 2025.

In addition to our online public trainings, we can work closely with your organisation to address your team's questions and needs.

In 2024, organisations like headspace Syndal and The Australasian Genetic Counsellors Society saw improved team understanding and new strategies for delivering better services to Asian clients.

This option is extremely suitable for organisations based in areas with a high Asian population.

Ready to learn more? Download our info and pricing pack today to find out how we can help your team make a real impact.

🔎 Connect with our new therapists.

Our Asian Australian mental health practitioner list introduces you to private practitioners who are skilled in supporting the Asian community's mental health needs.

Our private practitioners are available for referrals. Please contact them directly via their profile.

✨Thank you for reading up to this point!

We rely heavily on your generous support to provide ongoing and free mental health resources to Asian communities in Australia.

Support Shapes and Sounds HERE.

🐌 And last but not least:

Recently on Linkedin,

We shared our practitioner interview with registered psychologist Shujuan (Tina) Liu. Read our interview with her here.