Recent advice from a recent CBC interview by Anna Victoria Wong (Executive Director, CFSO): Limit Screen Time - Protect yourself from vicarious trauma. This is the emotional toll you take on when you repeatedly hear about or help deal with the painful and traumatic experiences of others. 1/3

Free, anonymous warm line phone support from CFSO for Ontario residents 16+ affected by the Hong Kong Tai Po fire: emotional support, info, and next-step guidance. Confidential unless immediate danger. Call 416-979-8299 → 2 (Cantonese) → 3. Not therapy; call 911 in emergencies.

Significant symptom reduction was achieved in a new Randomized Controlled Trial involving 12-15 sessions of Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) for depression and anxiety. The findings, involving participants in Denver, Nanaimo, and Ottawa, now published in the APA journal, Psychotherapy.

The Canadian Medical Association with Canadian academic, clinical, and biomedical institutions are pushing back on false health information with this public statement. Misinformation causes real harm, and we must thoughtfully engage and counter it. #ScienceMatters

With September marking the start of another school term, it is timely to reflect on a reality many immigrant parents may overlook: immigrating does not automatically improve kids's mental health or happiness.

If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts— ...

The petition regarding the reinstatement of the Asian Initiative in Mental Health (AIM) at Toronto Western Hospital is now available. This program has long served the Chinese Canadian community with vital, culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services: 📌 re-aim.ca/sign-petition/

Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) Toronto Chapter is starting a series "Anti-Racist Education in Ontario: Youth Testimonials" on social media. Racism continues to have serious effects on our community, especially on our younger ones. CCNC has been one of the strongest advocates on this.

Commenting as someone who has been a Canadian for over twenty years, immigrating to Canada doesn't necessarily lead to the kind of "greater happiness" that many Hong Kongers would have imagined. Relatively speaking, Canada allows more people to feel respected, with more dignity and freedom.

"We Live in Babylon, or Israel?" That was the title of a recent church talk in Toronto. Many immigrants have come to Canada hoping to have arrived at their "promised land," only to be disappointed. Instead, Christians are reminded to view their lives as living in Babylon, as "foreigners and exiles."

At a major Asian American evangelical mental health workshop, a speaker said "the deepest answer to mental health issues is our reconciled relationship with Christ." While helpful to some, it should be said that casually attributing such challenges to religious attribution alone can be harmful.

Concerned by reports indicating that parents are showing a recent and popular China movie in theatres depicting graphical war violence to young children. China lacks a age-based film rating system. Research shows that exposure to violent media can lead to significant psychological harm in children.

UHN has shut down its culturally sensitive mental health program for the Toronto Chinese community, according to previous staffs and clients. Numerous staffs have been let go. I used to refer clients to them and their free Cantonese and Mandarin therapy groups. A great loss to our community.

As a Cantonese Protestant, I sometimes pay attention to local church events. Recently, two large Toronto-based Chinese churches invited a prominent ethics professor to speak on controversial issues. The talks reveal deep political disagreements among Christians, sometimes causing church splits.

A police bodycam video of a Chinese parent being arrested and cuffed in the States for neglect of their 6 year old child has been circulating. I won't link directly to the video and just provide commentary. Chinese parents may want to better educate themselves on modern parenting expectations.

As questions about Canadian identity have come up in recent days, those of us with Chinese heritage in Canada would wonder who we are. "Chinese Canadian" is its own meaningful identity, but there aren’t many resources on this. One of the more thoughtful videos I’ve seen is this one by Anais Chen.

The state of how we may feel inside can be compared to paddling a boat on a river. 🟡 Drift too far to one side, and you hit chaos: reactive and anxious 🔴 Too far to the other, rigidity: numb and shutdown 🟢 When we are in the middle, safety: flexible and grounded - Inspired by Dr. Daniel Siegel

Just ahead of Canada Day, Abacus Data released new results from a national survey conducted across Canadian adults to assess their sense of national pride. There are both those who are and those who are not feeling proud to be Canadian, each person's experience can both be unique and valid.

An Asian Ontario high school student was told to stay home after mentioning politics in their valedictorian speech 🎓🗣️. Politics talk can be risky - 39% of job seekers avoid political talk at work (2023 survey) 🏢❌. Immigrants face added risks; balancing self-care and authenticity is important.

Heard from a recent Hong Konger gathering in Toronto, these words by Nigerian poet Ijeoma Umebinyuo, describing the experiences of being an immigrant in North America: "So here you are too foreign for home too foreign for here never enough for both."

On April 27, sharing for Living Water Counselling Centre's 38th anniversary gala held at Scarborough, I highlighted some 2023 data on Ontario students: half reported moderate-to-serious psychological distress, and one-in-six seriously considered suicide within a year: www.camh.ca/en/camh-news...

TVO recently released a documentary titled "The Dark Side of the Metaverse" about online video games (such as Roblox and Minecraft), warning parents about potential risks, including cases of online child abuse and kidnapping. Global News report: globalnews.ca/video/111989...

The documentary "Exclusion: Beyond the Silence" is now free to watch in Canada via: 🎥 www.knowledge.ca/program/excl... It’s tells the story of a vital piece of Chinese Canadian history. It tells the stories of two female activists Jean Lumb and Foon Hay Lum, covering the era of Chinese Exclusion.

Reliable and relevant info can be difficult to find on ADHD, especially for our Chinese Canadian community. That's why I created this 1-hour overview video, available in both English and Cantonese. 🎥 English: www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4Ju... 🎥 廣東話: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYmT...

I'm a Registered Psychotherapist offering online psychotherapy to individuals, couples and families. Sliding scale is available for clients who can't pay the full fee. I can be reached by email through my website. A free intake consultation of 15-30 minutes can be provided to determine fit.

A video involving a 5 year old Chinese American being bullied with racial slurs in Loudoun County, Virginia, has emerged in the recent news cycle. We all have a collective duty to make efforts to create a society against racism in all its forms. Yet this is often a neglected factor of mental health.

A publication on April 12 in the Canadian Journal of Autism Equity, with stories documenting the challenges faced by Autistics around diagnosis. mulpress.mcmaster.ca/cjae/issue/v... Heard from @allianceautism.bsky.social 1/4

A network of primary care providers in Toronto have been updating a patient resource guide for mental health supports for some time now, including various affordable options to psychotherapy: scopehub.ca/patient-reso... This is in addition to psychotherapists who offer sliding-scale pricing. 1/2

I'm exploring new listings on Open Path Collective and Psychology Today, making it easier to inquire about my psychotherapy services.

Vaccines do not cause autism. According to the information published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, retrieved today, research focuses on the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Originally: www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topic... Backup: archive.ph/2CI3O 1/2

There are Canadians and Americans facing uncertainty and even despair tonight. The "two arrows" metaphor teaches that when pain is inevitable, but suffering is not. The first arrow is pain; the second is our reaction. Even when we can’t avoid pain, we can maybe lessen suffering by how we respond.

February is simultaneously Black History Month in Canada, and Chinese Heritage Month in Ontario. As a Canadian, I am concerned about Canada's continued future of becoming a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive country. We must realize that we have here can be taken away from us. 1/3

Did you know that there are books written by psychotherapists for Asian Americans in mind? While these are not your typical evidence-based therapies, these books might offer some additional perspectives for those of us identifying as Asian Canadian or Chinese Canadian. Here are some of these. 1/6

I’ll be sharing topics I’m interested in as a mental health advocate and professional psychotherapist. These are my personal views, not medical advice. Always follow your healthcare provider’s guidance and seek emergency help when needed. Read about my journey: blog.chislonchow.com/2024/07/welc...