Mental health services vary greatly across the globe. State run provisions are generally quite abysmal across south Asia at present. There are nor enough facilities or mental health professionals.
We know there is a dire need for better services, as there is a huge prevelance of mental health conditions in the populations across the region. This is shown by the systemic review and meta analysis conducted by Sadiq Naveed et al, below.
Click to access: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/3104214/1/Prevalence.pdf
Whilst governments should better prioritize these necessary provisions, we can increase pressure to invest in these services, raise awareness, reduce stigma, and ensure we continuously educate ourselves on mental health. You can use the following downloadable PDF to raise awareness in your local practice, local area or just for yourself to learn more.
Login or register to view the PDF below which outlines just a few of the problems across south Asia as a whole. This includes problems in:
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
The Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Unequal Mental Health Services Across South AsiaDownload
Addressing challenges facing a Black & Asian interracial relationship in therapy can be difficult when much of the research focuses on Black & White mixed relationships.
Black and South Asian individual who enter into a mixed relationship face unique obstacles and challenges.
A therapist can only be equipped if they are familiar with the unique challenges facing a Black & Asian interracial relationship.
Read our PDF guide below to develop and understanding these challenges and what therapeutic methods may be most effective to use.
Challenges-facing-a-Black-Asian-interracial-relationshipDownload
Read the article mentioned in the resource here:
You may also find our guide on Blasian representation in film useful.
Blasian: A person of mixed Asian and black heritage;
A couple where one person is black and the other is Asian.
There is a level of anti-black prejudice in the south Asian community, which does mean relationships between these cultures may have to fight harder or may be less likely to happen in some circumstances. However, these relationships do happen especially between African or Caribbean people and south Asian diaspora’s around the world.
Film is a powerful form and showing these relationships on screen could help shatter stereotypes and open up people’s minds to the idea. It can even provide solace to couples out there that they’re not the only ones in this situation and that they should be able to celebrate their love.
Blasian Representation in FilmDownload
How did the South Asian community even end up in East Africa? North Indian labourers, most notably the Gujarati community, were sent to British territories during the 1890’s to help build the Kenya-Uganda railway and with other building projects.
Since then, more south Asian communities migrated and settled in across east Africa.
How has prejudice in the East African Asian community developed?
How has this prejudice spread even wider to Black and Asian communities globally?
Even if we understand prejudice, is it ethical to address it within a therapeutic setting?
There is a lack of literature on how we address prejudice, let alone in specific contexts. We provide context on how prejudice in the East African Asian community could have developed. We also provide guidance on how we can address prejudice ethically within therapy.
Read the guide below to learn more.
Understanding-prejudice-in-the-context-of-the-East-African-Asian-communityDownload
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSrPYziDGW8
Colourism, colonialism and migration all factor into the complex relationship between the black and asian community, globally. South Asian's are in an intricate position of being oppressed by the system of whiteness, yet are simultaneously complicit in the oppression of the black community.
As a therapist, do you hold any biases?
Our communities have become inextricably linked in some beautiful ways. But we've also contributed to some of their racial trauma. There is no doubt about it.
Have you thought about how this dynamic plays out in the therapists chair?
Have you ever had a stressed south Asian client in a secret relationship with a black partner?
Have you wondered how double migrants from India to East Africa to the UK/USA have been impacted?
We have an ever growing curated list of downloadable PDF's and research articles to guide you with the above and more.
Addressing challenges facing a Black & Asian interracial relationship in therapy
Blasian Representation in Film
Mis-taken identity: being and not being Asian, African and British By Karim Murji (2008)
The long-term outcomes of refugees: tracking the progress of the East African Asians by Jonathan Portes, Simon Burgess, Jake Anders (2020)
The Psychological Impact of Anti-Blackness in the South Asian Community
Political Blackness and South Asians by Tariq Modood (1994)
Understanding prejudice in the context of the East African Asian community
Did you catch our presentation on the psychological impact of anti-Blackness in the south Asian community? You can view the slides below if you login.
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Anti-Blackness-in-South-Asian-CommunityDownload
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We hosted a panel discussion on the psychological and harmful impact anti-blackness, can have and our role in it. We spoke to:
Poonam Kataria
Poo is a small business owner of Rasta-Farmers, a sustainable skincare and products company, that she founded with her partner Oli.She comes from a ‘traditional Gujarati family’ and fell in love with her Jamaican partner when in Australia. What began as a secret relationship marked with a concern of ‘what would people say’, blossomed into a beautiful Blindian relationship, celebrated by both of their families.
Urmila Patel
Mila authored “Out of Uganda in 90 Days”, a startling memoir of growing up in Uganda in the 1960s and 70s. Her account provides an insight into what it was like for an Indian family living before Amin, and later being expelled from the nation, under dictator Idi Amin. Today, Mila works as a life coach, reiki master and yoga instructor.
Samantha Patel
Samantha is a forensic psychologist with over 20 years of experience. She specialises in the assessment, understanding and identification of strategies for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) and Anti-racism. She is a committed changemaker and has developed The Whiteness Matrix, as a framework for understanding the society we live in. She uses this framework to educate people at the most senior levels on DE&I.
You can watch the discussion here on YouTube.
The Whiteness Matrix® - Upholding our ethical and legal requirements
What does Anti-Racist Psychological Practice look like? Does it require an in-depth
understanding of all things race, the management of discomfort, and / or ongoing reflections on our own identity and potential role(s) in dismantling racism?
The course will answer some of these questions and ask more; all with the aim of supporting your Anti-Racism journey.
Course begins in January 2022! Start date TBC.
Who is this course for?
This course has been specifically designed for South Asians working as Psychologists or as members of the Wider Psychological Workforce.
If you find some of the quesions below relevant to you, then this course will have multiple benefits for you and your personal / professional development.
Have you ever made professional suggestions in meetings which are ignored / minimised; but then someone else makes the same ones and suddenly they are...great ideas?
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Have you advocated for a client / colleague to be told that you seem to be overly ‘passionate’; indirectly suggesting boundary issues?
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Do you sometimes want to say something about how a work practice / policy or process will not work for a certain group but hold back due to fear of repercussions?
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Are you ever asked to repeat your name(s) or needing to correct repeated incorrect pronunciation?
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Ever felt that some of your South Asian colleagues appear more supportive of white colleagues?
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Do you think that you would live a better life if you were white?
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Are you often asked to speak for your entire racial group?
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Programme Overview
One of the most common questions Sam is asked in this space, especially from white folks, is ‘how can I be an ‘Ally’ and encourage others to do the same’? Interestingly, this question is rarely asked to her by Psychologists and/or those who identify as South Asian.
It has led Sam to wonder whether this absence of verbalised inquiry is:
Associated with beliefs that Allyship is already in place
Due to thoughts that Allyship is not an area of need or priority for Psychologists and /
or for those who identify as South Asian?
Related to the pervasiveness of Whiteness in our society
Linked to the tangible benefits of approximating to Whiteness
Connected to the role of the often, dominant political rhetoric. For example, in a recent UK government report it was claimed that the UK is not ‘deliberately rigged’ 1 and in both the US and the UK there has been a banning of Critical Race Theory in schools and unconscious bias training in government institutions 2.
The need for training, education, awareness and development in Anti Racist practice is often seen as a luxury, add on, or nice to have. Especially with the Covid Pandemic, which has whilst costing even more lives as a result of Racism; also creates urgency, fear, anxiety and fiscal restraints. The perfect storm for the continuation of the status quo.
Why should I take this course?
Despite the registrations, legal qualifications and some requirement to uphold social justice principles we need to practice in the healthcare profession, this does not prevent racism. Evidence shows disparities in health, education, criminal justice, income, employment and so forth are still present.
Given that clients needing and / or accessing these services are often disproportionately from marginalised communities the obligation to uphold these principles is not rocket science. And yet, the translation of this into action is at best, inconsistent.
We must proactively hold our colleagues, leaders and most significantly, ourselves accountable for upholding these principles. We must take actionable steps to build anti-racist spaces.
This course introduces the Whiteness Matrix® as a framework to understand what types of socialised and embedded thinking and beliefs maybe promoters or barriers to us upholding our professional obligations whilst also ensuring we uphold our own identities and survive as well as thrive as South Asian professionals. It also explores and facilitates conscious choice making in how we show up as Bystanders, Allies, Advocates or Activists.
The programme will include:
Webinars
Group work
Supplementary Reading
Between session work
Custom workbook
Access to converse with other course participants in between sessions
We will explore:
The Myth of Professionalism
Identities
Professional Practice with clients and colleagues
Allyship, Advocacy and Activism
The Whiteness Matrix® Framework
The Ongoing Anti-Racism Journey
Topics touched upon will include:
Race
Racism
White privilege and fragility
Racialised Trauma
Colonialism and Colonisation
Intersectionality
Colourism
Model Minority Myth
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
So join us for six 2 hour sessions (will take place fortnightly) online course which provides both personal and professional development specifically for South Asians in this field.
Anti-Racist Professional Practice Course (non member price)
£425.00
please email us hello@browntherapistnetwork.com to register your interest.
About The Facilitator
Kia ora, my name is Samantha Patel (she/her) and I’ve been working as a Psychologist for around 20 years. I was trained and qualified as a Chartered Forensic Psychologist in the UK and made the move to New Zealand 15 years ago. Having worked across public and private sectors in a range of practitioner focused and senior leadership roles (UK, Australia and NZ) I more recently developed an interest in Organisational Psychology and in 2017 I became a Chartered Member of the Institute of Organisational Psychology (IOP).
As a consultant, coach and trainer my areas of specialism include: - leadership, diversity, equity and inclusion. More recently I contracted to Massey University, Auckland, initially leading the Criminal Psychology Paper and later as a Senior Professional Clinician within the Post Graduate Psychologist registration programme. The latter role involved the selection, assessment, supervision and support of interns.
For 2021, I am consciously choosing to focus full time on self-employment with the aim of supporting and developing antiracist and anti-discriminatory workplaces and practices (including that of Psychologists). As a cisgender, Indian, LGBTQ+ member and solo mum of two, I have lived experience of the importance of recognising and valuing intersectionality. Whilst the struggles of navigating and succeeding within my personal and professional life have changed over time, they unfortunately very much remain. I am committed to supporting South Indian Psychologists and contributing to dismantling racism in our wider, global community.
1 Race report: 'UK not deliberately rigged against ethnic minorities' - BBC News
2 Written Ministerial Statement on Unconscious Bias Training - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)