Virtual Workshops on Providing Mental Health to Chinese Communities in the Bay Area

Connie Chen and Alison Yee, both alumnae of the 2013 Chinese program held a series of virtual events co-hosted with the San Mateo County Chinese Health Initiative to provide training for mental health practitioners in the Bay area on discussing mental health in culturally-sensitive ways with Chinese communities. The virtual workshops, led with two community mental health practitioners who are experienced in using Mandarin in mental health settings, featured language instruction and emphasized the importance of cultural knowledge when talking about mental health in Mandarin. Attendees’ Mandarin language skills were varied, but even those who were fluent reported learning new approaches to talking about mental health.

“As a resident psychiatrist, Connie felt that this event bolstered her ability to provide culturally sensitive care to Chinese-speaking patients, and allowed her to build upon the Mandarin skills she developed through CLS. As a San Mateo County native and CLS alumna, Alison was also able to build upon her Mandarin skills from CLS and connect with her local community through Mandarin.”