When we look at mental health among Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI — or AANHPI when we include Native Hawaiian) communities we need to take into consideration many important factors. First the communities that have been aggregated into “Asian Americans” are very diverse. The challenges, stressors and experiences of refugees from Burma are very different from a third generation Japanese American, or a multi-racial individual yet all are identified as Asian American.
The experience of indigenous Hawaiians is also distinct as they are not immigrants but experienced colonization. Failure to recognize these important differences can result in poorer and often inappropriate care. Trauma has been a part of each of their histories and often it is rooted in racial tension that has impacted their communities for generations. While recent hate crimes targeting Asian Americans have put a spotlight on these tragedies, hate-fueled violence and the systemic racism have existed in the US for a very long time, impacting their mental health which often goes untreated for a number of reasons.
In this conversation, I meet with a nationally recognized expert, Dr. DJ. Ida, Executive Director of the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association about how these issues and many more impact the wellbeing of the AAPI communities, and what are some additional approaches -- beyond traditional talk therapy — that may promote healing.
About Dr. DJ Ida
Dr. DJ Ida is Executive Director of the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology and has over 45 years of experience working with AAPIs. She received the Robert Wood Johnson Health Equity Award for her focus on the impact of mental health on the wellbeing of AAPIs across the country. She helped develop numerous training programs using a whole health approach that respects the impact of culture and language. Dr. Ida says the years of work with the community has taught her as much as she has hopefully given them.
Show Notes
National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association NAAPIMHA
Expanding our models of care
Integrated care
o Bau, I., R. A. Logan, C. Dezii, B. Rosof, A. Fernandez, M. Paasche-Orlow, and W. F. Wong. 2019. Patient-centered, integrated health care quality measures could improve health literacy, language access, and cultural competence. NAM Perspectives. Discussion Paper, National Academy of Medicine, Washington, DC. https://doi.org/10.31478/201902a
o Ida, D.J., SooHoo, J. Chapa, T. Integrated Care for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Communities: A Blueprint for Action, US Dept. HHS, Office of Minority Health, Rockville, MD (2011)
o Goodwin N. (2016). Understanding Integrated Care. International journal of integrated care, 16(4), 6. https://doi.org/10.5334/ijic.2530
Healing is more than talk therapy – healing through the arts, gardening, complimentary and alternative medicine and much more
o National Endowment for the Arts Working on the Spirit and the Mind: The Healing Power of the Arts American Artscape 2019 No. 1
o Asians* in Focus www.asiansinfocus.com
o Thompson R. (2018). Gardening for health: a regular dose of gardening. Clinical medicine (London, England), 18(3), 201–205. https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmedicine.18-3-201
o Wolf, K.L., S. Krueger, and K. Flora. 2014. Healing and Therapy - A Literature Review. In: Green Cities: Good Health (www.greenhealth.washington.edu). School of Environmental and Forest Resources, College of the Environment, University of Washington.
o US Department of Health and Human Services, National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/complementary-alternative-or-integrative-health-whats-in-a-name
Resources on cultural competency, eliminating health disparities
o US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, Office of Behavioral Health Equity
o National Network to Eliminate Disparities nned.net