The Los Angeles Times article “A guide to mental health in Vietnamese” describes how there aren’t always words that describe what someone may be feeling in the Vietnamese language. This language barrier can also impact intergenerational relationships, but the article’s lexicon guide helps readers find words to share their experiences.
Pacific Clinics’ Asian Pacific Family Center’s Mental Health Therapist Kevin Nguyen speaks to cultural norms such as saving face and worries for well-being and how to ask engaging questions to help family members open up and talk about their emotions or experiences. In building community, Kevin says, “I know sometimes comparisons can be bad, but it can also be thought of like, ‘Oh, my child is going through this. Did your child go through this too? How did you handle this situation?’” “We go back to our instincts of caring about other people’s thoughts and trying to get input to help us resolve stressors.”
