Reframing Mental Health: A BIPOC-Centered Perspective
Psychotherapist David Grand, founder of Brainspotting, reminds us that the human brain holds between one and four quadrillion synaptic connections. This brilliant complexity challenges us as therapists to view our clients as rich, multifaceted beings whose nervous systems carry stories that extend far beyond what the traditional biopsychosocial model can capture.
When we create a safe and attuned therapeutic relationship, we invite those deeper narratives to emerge: stories shaped by migration, resilience, systemic oppression, and cultural pride. As AAPI Heritage Month comes to a close, I'm reflecting on the need for therapy that moves beyond the myth of the "blank slate" therapist towards a dynamic, colorful, and culturally informed practice. Therapy that truly serves BIPOC clients seeks to decolonize the healing process by honoring culture, intersectionality, and lived experience.
MWE. You may have heard the term enmeshment used in psychology to describe certain collectivistic family systems, often in contrast to the "me" or "I"-centered focus of Western mental health frameworks. While these terms have their place, they can sometimes pathologize relational ways of being that are, in fact, deeply rooted in cultural strength and communal care.
In the face of what many now call a loneliness epidemic, it's increasingly clear that we need each other to thrive. Neuropsychiatrist Daniel Siegel offers a powerful reframing through the concept of MWE—a combination of "Me" and "We." Drawing from Indigenous wisdom and contemplative traditions, MWE emphasizes healing within the context of connection and community.
In many cultures, this isn't a new idea—it simply goes by other names: clan, ohana, familia. These family- and community-oriented traditions teach us that we all thrive when one of us thrives. When one of us grieves, we grieve together. MWE is integral to creating corrective emotional experiences and supporting one another along the healing journey.
Rethinking the DSM
In this age of technology, diagnosing ourselves, our family members—even our toxic boss— is easily accessible at the edge of our fingertips. I get it. Who hasn't come across a TikTok on narcissism and instantly thought of someone they know? Diagnoses can offer language for our struggles and help us make sense of what we've been carrying.
At the same time, it's important to recognize that the DSM was built through an Anglo, male-dominated lens shaped by its time's political and social norms. BIPOC folks receiving mental health care have historically, and even now, had their symptoms stigmatized, minimized, or overdiagnosed. Often, what gets labeled as a disorder is actually a natural response to trauma from larger systems like racism, discrimination, or not having stable housing.
Is it borderline personality disorder, or "hwabyung" a somatization condition commonly observed in older Korean women? Is it a panic disorder—or "ataque de nervios", a pattern of intense emotional and physical symptoms often seen in some Latinx communities? Is it psychosis, or a culturally revered spiritual experience?
Questions for Therapists
As therapists, these ideas should challenge how we show up in our work with BIPOC clients. Some questions to reflect on:
Am I doing my own work?
Am I actively examining my biases and striving to be anti-racist in my own personal life? Am I engaging with learning, unlearning, and advocacy inside and outside the therapy room?
Do I consider healing practices outside of Western frameworks?
Am I open to spiritual, somatic, or culturally rooted practices that weren't part of my training but may be deeply meaningful for my clients?
Am I consulting with clinicians who share or understand my client’s background?
Do I seek out supervision or consultation that helps me better understand my clients' cultural contexts, values, and lived experiences?
Do I understand how this client’s body and nervous system might manifest symptoms differently than someone from another racial and cultural background?
Am I attuned to how biology, intergenerational trauma, and systemic oppression shape what I'm seeing?
Reflections for BIPOC Clients
As clients of color, these ideas can help guide you in choosing a therapist—someone who honors the full complexity of who you are when you show up in the therapy room.
Do they embrace my cultural strengths and integrate them into the healing process?
Does this therapist honor my culture's unique background without pathologizing or minimizing the ways I've learned to cope?
Is it important that my therapist shares values like diversity, cultural humility, or advocacy?
Does my therapist hold a posture of curiosity and compassion, or do I feel like they stifle my truth or my power?
Do they take the initiative to learn about my culture and lived experience, or do I often have to educate them?
Do I feel safe enough to express the full range of emotions around my racial and cultural identity, such as confusion, grief, pride, or joy?
Start working with a Multicultural BIPOC Therapist in Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA
Thinking critically about culture in mental health allows us to move away from a pathological lens. It invites us to approach treatment with curiosity, humility, and a deeper respect for the lived experiences and traditions that shape how people make meaning of their pain. If you are ready to start working with a multicultural BIPOC therapist, our team of multicultural and culturally responsive therapists is happy to offer virtual and in-person therapy at our Highland Park, CA-based practice. Simply:
Know that your cultural roots, experiences, and identities are honored
Other Services Offered at Therapy on Fig
At Therapy on Fig, we offer therapy services that fit the unique needs of couples and individuals. In addition to culturally sensitive and responsive therapy for BIPOC clients, we offer IFS Therapy, Couples Therapy, Grief and loss therapy in Highland Park, CA, Therapy for Empaths, Trauma Therapy, and Teen Therapy. We also address related issues such as anxiety, stress management, and relationship issues. Whether you're seeking support for a specific issue or looking to strengthen your relationship overall, our therapists are here to help. Reach out today to learn more about our services and to experience how a BIPOC centered approach can work for you!
Rachel Kwon is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT #144798). She integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS), Brainspotting, and CBT techniques to help her clients access healing from the inside out. Her work makes space for her clients' pain, resilience, and the unspoken wounds and generational gifts they carry forward. Reach out to learn more about our experienced therapists.