About me
Hi, my name is Yifei Liu, an aboard junior in Seattle, Wa. When I was in ninth grade, the pressure of adapting to new learning environment and isolation due to pandemic, I found myself showing early signs of anxiety disorder. I contacted school counselor for support, however, they weren’t able to provide me any therapy because of school policy. They tried to contact local mandarin speaking therapist for me, and various organizations phoned me multiple times, I still wasn’t put in contact with a therapist. Even today, when I don’t need the help anymore, I still didn’t get any answer from them.
Our Team…
I'm extremely honoured to join First Step in Mental Health as the Vice Director in support of assisting people who are seeking psychological help. Loneness is what I've experienced the most during the years of studying aboard in Canada, and language barriers had once restricted me to express my aspiration for mental health assistance. I would like to encourage everyone to become optimistic individuals, which is the core reason that motivated me to join the organization. I guarantee you that we'll always be the back of you in support of your psychological health!
Hello, my name is Yiran Zhang. I am from Chengdu Shishi High School, and planning to become an abroad in college.
As someone who’s experiencing ADHD, while researching for becoming aboard, I often felt confused and even fearful about my future. Unfamiliar environment is like a phantom, which haunts my heart on a certain night when I set by the light alone. The First Step in Mental Health program reminded me of these experiences that motivated me to join the organization. Aiming at providing contact services when seeking psychological counseling, we will work with you to face the difficulties of mental sub-health.
Hi there! It’s Sunny! I’m a current senior at Chengdu No.7 high school, and a prospecting psychology student most likely to study abroad before long.
I remember distributing “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” test to people around me, and surprisingly found them having abnormal Theory of Mind (major contributor to mental disorders like autism and schizophrenia) in terms of western standards, which enlightened me on how differences in culture and language can misstep us into poor diagnosis or treatment. At the heart of bridging international citizens to our destination of mental health, I’m pleased and ready to be your tour guide! Reach out and let’s get there together.
Hi! My name is Michelle Pinzari, a junior at Bur Oak Secondary School, and I am the marketing director for First Step in Mental Health. Arriving fairly recently in Canada, it was tough at first to adapt to a foreign country, especially when I realized that I had no one to turn to about my situation. Mental health issues for students, particularly international students, shouldn't be neglected or blamed, instead, they should be embraced by a supportive community. We are honored to have First Step in Mental Health as the first step in your healing journey. Feel free to reach out, because it is what we are here for!
After researching, how many people was facing mental health issue?
Depression affects 18 millions people in the US over each year, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, or socio-economic level.
“The Stress in America” reports that 83% of American teens see school as a major source of stress that was exceeding healthy levels. 36% reported stress or anxiety, 30% chronically depressed. About 10.7% of adolescents in the United States have been diagnosed with depression and 5.9% with severe anxiety.
Under this circumstance, how many people didn’t reach out for any help?
A study by the World Health Organization reported that 56% of people with major depression don’t seek treatment.
Many people might ask, if therapy was actually necessary?
With study, researchers concluded that mental health therapy have a significant results on majority of people.
Unfortunately, seeking for therapist support doesn’t seems to be convenient
According to research data, the nation has a great demand for mental health support. Out of the respondents 48% believe that "psychological problems in society are serious", 88% think mental health work is important, and 74% think that "psychological counseling services are not convenient”.
Using a database of 30 million profiles.There are over 198,811 therapists currently employed in the United States. The most common ethnicity of therapists is white at 76.4%, and only 10.6% are Asian.
Concluding the data, there are around twenty thousands Asian counselors working in the US.
Not all of them are from Chinese community, not all Chinese counselors can provide services in Mandarin.
Overall, Mandarin services in this field is not widely available, so it is even harder for people, especially students who’s unfamiliar with this community, to reach out for helps.