Collective Healing: Lao & Southeast Asian Mental Health
Moving beyond survival, embracing resilience
Honoring Our Needs
Healing for Lao and Southeast Asian communities looks different than the dominant Western model of mental health. Within our quiet strength is deep emotions and untold stories that deserve space and compassion. This page was created to center the complexity of our stories, and the ways our communities continue to adapt, rebuild, and thrive.
The impact of our mental health lives in our bodies, families, histories, and communities. Many of us carry the resilience and pain of family members who survived war, colonization, and forced migration. Trauma’s effects disconnection, hypervigilance, difficulty expressing emotion are not weaknesses, but reflections of survival. Healing asks us to name what was once unspoken, reconnect with our cultural values, and remember we are not alone.
“Time alone cannot heal the deep, complex wounds we carry. True healing is collective and reconnects us to our roots, our stories, and to one another.”
Culturally Attuned Approach to Healing
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In sessions, I often draw on mind-body awareness to help you reconnect with safety and presence, and gentle curiosity to explore the balance between honoring family and stepping into your own path of thriving. Healing isn’t just about coping, it’s about moving beyond survival, reclaiming your voice, and nurturing the resilience carried through generations to come.
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I hope this space offers comfort and connection, and a reminder that your experiences are valid, your emotions matter, and your story belongs here. If you’re seeking a therapist who understands the nuances of Southeast Asian identity and intergenerational experiences, I would be honored to walk alongside you.
Together, we can explore what healing looks like, not just as individuals, but as part of a larger story of resilience and renewal.