HOW CAN WE HELP?
MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM
OVERVIEW
Our Mental Health Program was established in 2022 as part of Asia Pacific Cultural Center’s program offerings to support and serve the community.
Our mission is to provide services that honor AANHPI cultures while working toward improving the overall well-being of our AANPHI communities.
OUR VISION: A world where all Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities are utilizing and freely seeking services for their mental well-being is possible.
WHAT WE DO
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Reduce the stigma and promote literacy and awareness of mental health by offering culturally honoring community education workshops.
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Make mental health therapy accessible by sponsoring the cost of therapy.
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Provide tailored and facilitated mental health community education sessions.
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Collaborate with our AANHPI Youth Advisory Board to guide our program's strategies for improving youth's mental well-being.
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Collaborate with AANHPI-identifying and licensed mental health professionals.
HOW TO ACCESS OUR SERVICES
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Join our free mental health community education workshops held throughout the year. These workshops are for people to learn about mental health support, provide space to encourage each other to seek support, and normalize therapy.
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Request for sponsored mental health counseling sessions if you are experiencing economic insecurity and/or lack of healthcare insurance.
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Request tailored and facilitated workshops on mental health topics that is relevant to your community.
MENTAL HEALTH FACTS
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Learn more about Asian American and Pacific Islander Mental Health
RESOURCES
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Multicultural Counselors - www.multiculturalcounselors.org. You can search profiles to find a counselor that meets your needs by ethnicity, language, religion, and location.
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Behavioral Health Services Locator - www.piercecountywa.gov/5859/Behavioral-Health. You can find behavioral health providers that meet your specific needs
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For a non-life threatening but urgent behavioral health crisis, please contact the 24-hour Pierce County Crisis Line at 1-800-576-7764 or Text "HEAL" to 741741
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Pierce County Recovery Support Line: (877) 780-5222. Talk to someone with experience who understands
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Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988
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If you have a life-threatening illness or injury that needs immediate assistance, please call 9-1-1.
WORKSHOP DATES: Click here to sign up.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ONE OF OUR PARTNER THERAPISTS?
If you have a financial barrier, do not have insurance, or have used up all your benefits, and would like to see one of our AANHPI-identifying and licensed mental health professionals for individual or couple counseling, we are sponsoring the costs of up to 5 counseling sessions.
CONTACT US
If you're interested in any of the mental health services or community education sessions - CLICK HERE
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Call Chris at 253- 414-7208
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Call APCC at 253-383-3900 from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm or
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Call 253-590-7457 for emergency help after hours.
GET TO KNOW OUR PARTNER MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS
Ayako Aizawa
AYAKO: I was born and raised in Japan. My life in the US started over 20 years ago. With my background, I can establish a special rapport with people from other countries as well as children of immigrants. Genuine empathy toward frontline workers in social service/healthcare settings is also my strong point after my 15 years of commitment to serve vulnerable communities under “the system”. I’m also a state-certified Geriatric Mental Health Specialist and have extensive experience working with older adults, people with ongoing medical conditions, and their caregivers. In my personal life, I’m a member of a bilingual/biracial/bicultural family and a parent of a neurodiverse/twice exceptional child. "Professional areas of focus include Marginalized People (BIPOC/Black, Indigenous People of Color, AAPI/Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, LGBTQ+ Folx, Immigrants/Children of Immigrants, etc.), Healthcare/Social Service Workers, Older Adults and Their Caregivers, People with Chronic Health Conditions.
Credentials/Email/Availability: MS, LMHC, GMHS ayako@yoursongcounseling.com / yoursongcounseling.com. Available: Not Currently Available
Sala Afalava
SALA is a licensed professional mental health counselor that runs an exclusively online private practice while also pursuing her Doctorates degree in Clinical Psychology at Northwest University. Sala earned her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Northwest University. Her clinical experience is in working with children, adolescents, and adults in addressing anxiety, complex trauma, life transitions, and relationship concerns. She values her relationship with clients and understands the sacredness of each individual and their healing process. Sala is committed to helping her clients and firmly believes in their success.
Credentials/Email/Availability: MA, LMHC sala@nh-counseling.com
https://nh-counseling.com/about. Available: telehealth only
Connie Oh
CONNIE: I was born in Korea and moved with my parents to California when I was six. After college, I worked in the corporate environment for many years until I married my husband, who was serving in the Army. As a military family, we have been assigned to nine different duty stations, including a few overseas tours. I have been married for over 21 years, and we have two teenage children. As an Asian American, a military spouse, and a mother of two adopted children, I am familiar with cultural complexities, uncertainty, significant transitions, and many unique challenges. I also love discovering new places, eating great international food, and developing deep relationships. Connie has clinical experience and interest in individuals, marriage and couples counseling, military families, depression/anxiety, grief and loss, addiction, trauma, family of origin issues, including childhood trauma, divorce recovery, spiritual concern and questions, women's issues, caregivers' fatigue.
Credentials/Email/Availability: MA, LMHCA connie@pearlcounseling.com / www.pearlcounseling.com/counselors/connie.php
Available: Thursday at 3 pm and 5 pm (In-person Clinic) / Telehealth
Eunice Setiawan
EUNICE: I enjoy working with adults, children/adolescents, and families. I believe that counseling needs to be a safe and brave space to process hard topics. I value trust, respect, culture, education, and fun in my work which inclines towards empathic, trauma-informed, attachment, and strength-based approaches. I identify as an Asian-American, military veteran spouse, and parent. My expertise includes anxiety, depression, trauma/complex-trauma/PTSD, military/aviation families, families, parenting, multicultural/identity issues, family of origin issues, and foster care/adoption. I believe in honoring the client’s consent and feedback in the therapeutic process because the client is the true driving force behind change. Every individual has the potential to meet their goals and become the person that they want to be. Finding the right fit therapist is important- please reach out to discuss if we would be a good fit. 😊
Credentials/Email/Availability: LMHCA, NCC eunice@shmwa.com/ www.shmwa.com
Paige Pereira
PAIGE: I practice from a client-centered, strengths-based approach, utilize CBT, incorporate DBT principles to teach distress tolerance skills, and provide psychoeducation to increase insight and awareness for client and their family systems. I am Pacific Islander identifying, culturally rooted as a Chamorro woman from Guam. I value the connection between culture and its unique role in our mental health. My respective identities help guide my clinical work, by building foundational trust and encouraging clients to find comfort in exploring their personal identities. If you are ready to begin/continue your healing journey and you feel we’d be a good fit, please contact me via email for a consultation.
Credentials/Email/Availability: LSWAIC paige@shmwa.com / www.shmwa.com
Scarlette Ekoroma
SCARLETT: I specialize in helping individuals set healthy boundaries and process healing their inner wounds. I assist you in giving a voice to the inner wounds you carry. I use a variety of techniques and incorporate a wholesome approach (looking at the psychological, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social aspects of your life) to help promote personal growth and healing. I believe a healthy coaching relationship, through trust-building, will help elevate and encourage you through various situations.
Credentials/Email/Availability: MA, LMFT, CMHP hello@elevatehealingllc.com / www.elevatehealingllc.com. Availabilities: telehealth only
Portia Bajwa, LICSW
PORTIA: Portia is a licensed clinical social worker based in WA state and conducts her practice over telehealth. She works with adult individuals and couples who are struggling with anxiety, trauma, relationship issues, life transitions, grief and loss, and depression. Portia incorporates mindfulness and somatic-based approach in order to increase connection, awareness, and growth in the therapeutic space. She specializes in working with BIPOC members of the community, including immigrants and first- and second-generation Americans. She also specializes in working with members of the LGBTQIA+ community as an ally.
Credentials: LISW, MSW
mail/Availability: portia@sansaracounseling.com / https://www.sansaracounseling.com/
Veronica Ngoc Nhan
VERONICA: I attended Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), where I obtained my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. During my time at PLU, I trained in working with couples while also interning in clinical settings where I focused on working with children, teens, and young adults. After graduating, I began my career, continuing my focus on teens and young adults with substance use/abuse along with mental health challenges. Eventually, I transitioned back to my foundation in working with adult individuals and couples, helping them navigate personal and relational obstacles such as anxiety, infidelity, depression, self-esteem, and trauma. Throughout my training and in my professional career, I have provided treatment for clients from diverse cultures and varying socioeconomic backgrounds.
Credentials: LMFT. Availability: Telehealth only
Contact: https://www.revivetherapywa.com / nhanlmft@gmail.com
Brenda Xu
BRENDA: Expertise - In the course of our daily lives, we may spend so much time thinking about the past or the future that we forget to truly live in the present moment. We may also be unconsciously giving power to past hurt and trauma by suppressing painful emotions that come up. It is only when we feel safe in the present that we can revisit the past and recognize our experiences as sources of immense growth and resilience. It is my goal to provide you with a space where you feel comfortable to access difficult feelings and know that you are not alone in your journey toward peace and self-understanding. My personal and educational experiences as an Asian-American woman of first-generation immigrant parents have shaped my values as a trauma-informed and social justice-oriented clinician. I have a gentle approach that encourages empowerment and self-compassion, and we can move at a pace that is comfortable for you.
Availability: Telehealth Only. Credentials: LMHCA
Contact: lightinthedarkcounseling.com / lightinthedarkcounseling@gmail.com
Luke Thao
LUKE: Expertise - Hello, I emphasize approachability and collaboration within the therapeutic process and relationship. What this means to me is sharing a space where we practice (in all its vulnerability, humor, and profundity) what it means to be who we are and who we want to be. Growing up Asian-American (Hmong), gay, and Christian-identified (nondenominational, pastor's kid), I appreciate the intersectional experience of navigating multiple (and often competing) identities. My hope is to support those desiring to venture deeper into what it means to live authentically and with purpose. I especially enjoy working with those interested in exploring: socialized masculinity and sexuality (e.g., Out of Control Sexual Behavior, desire discrepancy, body image, values and beliefs...), the specific interaction of faith/spirituality and sexuality (e.g., shame, trauma...), intersectional identity work (i.e. our complex and interacting layers as people), surviving dating, navigating life transitions, and living with anxiety (e.g., social, highly sensitive person...) and depression.
Availability: Telehealth Only. Credentials: MA, LMFTA
Contact: luke@thaotherapyservices.com
CONTACT US
If you're interested in any of the mental health services or community education sessions - CLICK HERE
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Call Chris at 253- 414-7208
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Call APCC at 253-383-3900 from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm or
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Call 253-590-7457 for emergency help after hours.