June Community Newsletter: Keeping you company through winter

June: The Asian Mental Health Podcast returns!

Hello there,

A few weeks ago, I started complaining about how cold it is... and this will probably continue until mid-September.

But one person said something that has stayed with me:

“If you resist it, it just gets worse. Just embrace it for what it is.”

Since then, I’ve been thinking about winter a little differently. Not just the temperature, but the slower energy that often arrives around this time of year too. The tiredness, the quieter moods, the feeling of wanting to retreat a little more than usual, and subsequently that feeling of loneliness that can arise from that too.

I think that’s part of why I’m especially excited that the next season of the Asian Mental Health Podcast launches on June 16th.

One thing I’ve always loved about podcasts is how they can make you feel a little less alone:

This season holds so many thoughtful, honest and generous conversations featuring some incredible international student leaders and of course two therapists from our Asian Mental Health Practitioner List, and I'm confident that there's something in this next season that will resonate with you, or offer you some ideas about caring for yourself or those around you.

So, I hope this upcoming season might offer you some warmth, comfort, reflection or company too. You can subscribe here to be the very first to listen!

❤️ Asami

Mental health resources

📖 A research article you might be interested in: 

Aiyar and colleagues (2025) explored the experiences of parenting among South and South East Asian migrant caregivers within their first 2000 days in Australia, and found that mothers often reported a disruption to their parental identity as they navigated cultural changes. These were often worsened by other stressors such as feeling overwhelmed by motherhood, difficulties with accessing and communicating with Western healthcare systems, and isolation. However, despite these challenges, many drew upon their internal courage, existing parenting skills, and religious faith to cope with these struggles. This research humanises the experiences of Asian migrant parents, and highlights the importance of understanding the intersecting demands of migration, culture and parenting. 

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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, Helen Su, via our interview:

"Always check in with your inner child and to honour their needs so that your adult self finds a calmer and balanced way to be."

Get to know counsellor, Aysu Kurucan, via our interview:

"...keep communicating rather than holding thoughts internally, as naming and expressing experiences is often the first meaningful step toward clarity and growth." 

✨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 discussed a cultural element that is often neglected in conversations of mental health - self construal. Check out our instagram to learn more about what this means and how it can shape our everyday experiences.