Rooted Leaders: Chloe & Veronica
An Intergenerational Approach to Mental Health in the AAPI Community
1. One can learn a lot just from having a short conversation. When we conducted our interviews we were able to not only gain insight into one's experience with the effects of mental health, but we also learned about more resources that can be helpful. For example, during one of our interviews, we were told about CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety, which was new to us. We even discovered how technology can provide a community via social media accounts that are catered to those seeking resources on mental health
2. When asking someone about their mental health, it is important to think about the words and tone that are being used. For our interview and survey questions, we made sure that we weren't forcing anyone to be vulnerable with us if they didn't want to. In order to open up a safe space for someone, we have to respect their comfortability when it comes to talking about sensitive topics.
3. Adults, or parents, should also try to do their own research on mental health. Some youths might shy away from conversations that bring up their feelings or state of mind as they might not know how to start talking to adults about it. So by doing their own research, adults can learn how to start conversations and open up spaces for youths to feel safe about being vulnerable and they can work together to get the resources that they need.
4. Mental health is so complex that it was difficult for us to truly get to the root of such influences. We learned that the younger generation's approach to communicating their feelings vary depending on their own personalities and experiences with their families.