ABSTRACT
While all clients bring their own unique needs to therapy, people of marginalized identities and backgrounds are grossly underserved and misunderstood in the therapeutic context. In Westernized societies, Chinese clients not only underuse mental health services, but when they do seek help, they may find that therapy does not meet their needs. Our experiences as young, racialized POC therapists working in the Greater Toronto Area have led to some very interesting and meaningful work. As many of our other Chinese counterparts in the area tend to be from an older generation coming from a theological background, we’ve found ourselves working with more first-generation Chinese Canadians who identify as LGBTQ2SS+ and require therapy that will address their intersecting needs as racialized, queer-identified Canadians.
As a diverse multicultural society, it is important to understand the barriers that clients of Chinese descent and other ethnic minority groups face in seeking mental health services. Mental health clinicians must be cognizant of the disconnect between the Westernized services that are offered and the Eastern beliefs and values that Chinese LGBTQ+ clients hold. The elimination of such barriers can improve therapeutic outcomes and enhance the therapeutic experiences of clients currently accessing mental health services. This chapter is intended to aid mental health clinicians’ knowledge in working with Chinese gay and lesbian youths by addressing the various systemic barriers that may impact their mental and physical health.
