July Community Newsletter

July: Reflecting on a year of change

Hello there,

As we close out another financial year, I'm celebrating the one year anniversary of taking the leap to work full-time at Shapes and Sounds.

In saying so, last month was a whirlwind to say the least!

I spent time in New Zealand exploring (or I should say, drinking) Central Otago, then I travelled to Singapore to reconnect with family, friends and work networks, and somehow convinced myself that running in 32-degree heat was achievable with enough grit. Let's just say "achievable" looks different for everyone🥵

Not long after, I was back in Melbourne facilitating sessions with students and parents through our work with the Mac.Robertson Girls' High School and Study Melbourne, and we submitted our big, final report to our partners at Embrace Multicultural Mental Health.

Last month also marked the beginning of a new chapter for Marcus, our Programs Lead, who's embarked on a four-month digital nomad adventure while continuing to support our work from abroad. Watching our team grow in confidence, flexibility and trust has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.

As I look back on the past month, all I can think is: this is what I spent 5+ years working towards... We've built something that feels just a little more sustainable and that can continue even through periods of travel and taking time out for ourselves.

As we step into FY27, I'm grateful for our team, our partners and you, the "you" who makes up this community, and that continues to believe in the importance of culturally-responsive mental health support.

We hope that through our podcast, the Asian Mental Health Practitioner List or our free Learning Centre, you'll find something that resonates with you wherever you are on your journey. If not, please reach out and let me know what you're looking for!

❤️ Asami

❤️ Asami

Mental health resources

📖 A research article you might be interested in: 

Qiu and colleagues (2025) conducted a study comparing Australian and Malaysian trauma survivors to investigate how cultural values influence the relationship between social support and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They discovered that while conflict in relationships was associated with worse symptoms for everyone, this negative impact was stronger for Malaysians, potentially because their culture highly prioritises social harmony. Conversely, communal orientation - or how inclined someone is to help others - was linked to fewer PTSD symptoms only for the Malaysian group. Interestingly, Australians benefited from simply knowing that help was available from friends and family, whereas this perceived availability did not provide the same relief for Malaysians. These findings suggest that cultural values can dictate how we perceive and value our connections, which in turn influence mental health outcomes. 

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Here you can also find fact sheets aimed to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and offer practical insights for your wellbeing. They’re all free on our website so keep an eye out!

P.S. Have a topic you'd like us to create a resource around? Email us at hello@justshapesandsounds.com! 

🔎 Searching for a therapist?

Connect with our new practitioners via the Asian Mental Health Practitioner List, or share this page with someone who may need this.   

🎤 Therapist spotlight.

Get to know clinical psychologist, Pallavi Pillay, via our interview:

"You don't need to do it all, all at once, all the time. Pause."

Get to know counsellor, Gabriella Gandi, via our interview:

"It's okay to slow down and rest. You don't have to know all the answers :)"

✨Have you tried Schema therapy before?✨

Daniela Ho Tan is one of the practitioners on our Asian Mental Health Practitioner List and as part of her PhD, she's conducting a research study exploring the experiences of individuals who are of Asian heritage and who have had psychological treatment which includes schema therapy or who are currently receiving treatment which includes schema therapy.

The research is interested in understanding if and how cultural factors have been addressed in your experience of schema therapy.

Taking part in this study is voluntary and the study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) of The University of Sydney [ethics reference: HE001027].

Learn more and register HERE.

🐌 And last but not least:

Recently in social media land,

We announced the release of Season 5 of our Asian Mental Health Podcast, brought to you in partnership with Embrace Multicultural Mental Health. This season we dive deep into the experiences of international students, and the unique factors affecting their mental health. Check out our instagram to hear what we've been discussing!