Healing the Tigress
A podcast that focuses on conversations & stories around Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) maternal mental health, hosted by Taiwanese American mothers Peggy (LCSW, PMH-C) & Jasmine (PharmD, PMH-C) who are also postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety survivors.
Mental health is not talked about enough in our AAPI communities, and we want to break these stigmas especially for mothers and partners. As AAPI healthcare providers who personally struggled during postpartum and are now perinatal mental health certified, we want to see more representation of other AAPI parents who know how important it is to take care of our mental health.
We talk with AAPI guests about a variety of themes in mental health and parenting, particularly what that looks like through the lens of our culture within the Western world. There are also discussions with professionals in the field, to help our providers and allies. We're not afraid to talk about the hard things that might seem taboo. We hope this podcast reminds you that you are not alone in your struggles as an AAPI parent!
Healing the Tigress
Ep. 36 - Supporting Parents of Neurodivergent Children with Clarissa Chui, LCSW
Among our AAPI community, it can feel like not enough people talk about the neurodivergent population and how it can impact their families and communities because of a heavy stigma–a stigma that echoes the one around talking about mental health. Our guest for this episode is Clarissa Chui, LCSW, a second generation Chinese American therapist, who works as care coordinator with families who have children diagnosed on the spectrum--specifically autism spectrum.
We talk about how her own postpartum journey led her to work with other parents who need more support with their children. Clarissa breaks down what it means to be neurodivergent and something she says is, "Neurodivergence is a description not a diagnosis." We explore how AAPI folks might potentially receive the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with more resistance. We discuss what is needed on a macro level to support parents of neurodivergent children and Clariassa shares a few resources that parents can look into now too. We also talk about how people can support friends with kids of neurodivergent children.
Overall, we hope this episode can be a resource for parents of neurodivergent kids or people who want to support their friends who may be parents of neurodivergent children. We know it can feel lonely in this journey, but you are deserving of support and you are never alone.
Resources (CA):
- Regional Center
- UC Davis Mind Institute
- UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART)
- Disability Rights California
Nationwide Resources:
- Autism Speaks
- National Autism Center
- National Autism Resources
- Book: The Science of Making Friends
- Central Reach Podcast:
- How to Tell Your Child About Their Autism Diagnosis - Child Mind Institute
- Parents Helping Parents
Find More of Clarissa:
Psychology Today profile
Note: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speakers' own. This podcast is not a replacement for therapy or professional/medical advice. If you need more support or advice, please reach out to your own medical professional who can answer your questions with your individual medical history and background in context.
Please take
A space for conscious parents to connect spiritually and mindfully with their kids
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