Expired Asian American Families in Therapy: Cultural Strengths and Resilience of Asian Americans Amid Racially-Based Stress and Intergenerational Traumas

Many Asian American individuals and families in therapy encounter a myriad of challenges. For some, recent immigration and relocation has led to continuous, stressful adjustments. Even those that have been in the US for generations encounter stress, losses, and multiple traumas. The current, ongoing health crisis has accentuated the pandemic of systemic racism targeting Asian Americans and their families. March 16 marks one year since the Atlanta-area mass murder of Asian American women.

Yet forms of hate and overt violence are not new to us; they are historic and systemic. Asian American individuals, families and communities have endured racial indignities, stereotyping, misogyny and systemic injustices. Therapists working with Asian Americans must be continuously mindful of social justice with culturally responsive practices.

Significant innovations will be discussed including a) honoring the perspectives of diverse Asian American communities in their own treatment; b) incorporating culturally-defined practices into family and mental health care; c) recognizing historical trauma in healing; d) forging ongoing collaborative relationships with cultural communities; e) transforming family practitioner system services by integrating culture into practice from initial engagement for improved outcomes.

The presenter will describe and powerfully illustrate key family and child mental health interventions successfully integrated into family practices, thereby increasing critical access for Asian Americans across multiple contexts. There will be engaging, dynamic sharing of narratives of therapeutic challenges accompanied by deeply meaningful strategies underlining resilience and wellness.

Learning Objectives:

• To list specific challenges arising among Asian Americans communities due to xenophobia, racially-based traumas as well as current and historical injustices
• To identify reasons Asian Americans underutilize certain services including mental health, or are underserved in certain treatment services
• To increase attendee’s awareness of how their backgrounds, and the impact of unlearning racism and understanding inequities as practitioners, may contribute significantly to effective Asian American family wellness interventions
• To list several service recommendations that are culturally responsive for therapy with Asian American individuals, families and their communities including integrative cultural practices
• To identify evidence-based practices and practice-based/community-defined evidence for providing services to Asian American individuals and families while also advancing social justice and relational healing

Presenter:

Matthew R. Mock, PhD, LMFT has given dynamic presentations on the relevance of cultural competence, ethnicity and multiculturalism in psychotherapy throughout California, nationally, and internationally. In 2019, he was bestowed the Distinguished Contributions Award from the Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA). Dr. Mock is a Professor of Psychology with John F. Kennedy School of Psychology at National University. Prior to this, he was the Director of the Multicultural Family, Youth and Children’s Services of Berkeley Mental Health for 20 years then the Director of the Center for Multicultural Development with the California Institute of Mental Health, in Sacramento. He has a longstanding independent clinical practice in Berkeley providing clinical services to children, couples, adults and families, and providing highly acclaimed trainings and consultation through community organizations.

Dr. Mock is third generation Asian-American with an unwavering commitment to community mental health concerns; competent and responsive services to culturally diverse communities; and furthering social justice policies and practices. He has received numerous awards from professional associations, guilds and programs. The author of many book chapters and articles, several recent publications by Dr. Mock have direct relevance to his presentations including strategies for social justice and healing, as well as deeply understanding meaningful experiences in his own life that inspire enduring strategies for achieving greater social equity. He takes great pride in being recognized as a passionate Asian American man.

Dr. Mock received his B.A. in psychology from Brown University. He earned an MA and PhD in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology in Berkeley, California where he resides.

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