Emotional Invalidation in Asian Families: Provisional Psychologist on BPD, Culture, and Boundaries

🎁 Free Resource: For further growth and learning, download "Working with Invalidation in Asian Families" → https://www.justshapesandsounds.com/d...

What happens when love is expressed through sacrifice, but not emotional presence? In this episode of the Asian Mental Health Podcast, Asami sits down with Larissa Qiu, a first-generation Chinese international student, provisional psychologist, and PhD candidate at Monash University, to unpack the hidden impact of emotional invalidation in Asian families.

Larissa shares candidly about growing up in an emotionally restrained household, the challenges of moving to Australia at 16, and her lived experience with borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms.

This conversation offers crucial insights for Asian Australians navigating cultural expectations and mental health, especially from a research perspective too.

🎧 You'll hear about:
✅ Why emotional invalidation is normalised in Asian families and why it still causes harm
✅ The fine line between cultural resilience and cultural silence
✅ Growing up as a "1.5-generation" migrant balancing Chinese and Australian identities
✅ The stigma surrounding borderline personality disorder (BPD) in Asian communities
✅ What healing looks like through culturally responsive therapy and supportive relationships
✅ Practical ways to set boundaries and seek validation, even when family can't provide it

💡 Episode Highlights:
Growing up in an emotionally restrained Chinese household and moving to Melbourne as an international student
How "be tough" messaging impacts mental health in Asian communities
Understanding borderline personality disorder through a cultural lens
The unique challenges of 1.5-generation migrants navigating two cultural identities
Why material support isn't the same as emotional validation
Finding culturally competent psychologists who understand Asian family dynamics
Recovery strategies and self-validation techniques for Asian Australians
Research insights from Monash's Culture, Trauma and Mental Health Research Group

🧠 Key Takeaways from Larissa:
"Invalidation in Asian families isn't about lack of love - it's often about survival strategies passed down through generations."
"As a 1.5-generation migrant, you're constantly translating - not just language, but emotions, expectations, and identities."
"BPD is so stigmatised, especially in Asian communities. But with the right support and cultural understanding, healing is possible."
"You can honour your culture while still needing emotional validation. Those two things aren't in conflict."

👤 About the Guest
Larissa Qiu is a first-generation Chinese international student, provisional psychologist, and PhD candidate at Monash University specialising in culture, trauma, and mental health. Based in Melbourne, Larissa brings both lived experience and professional expertise to understanding how cultural factors impact mental health in Asian Australian communities. Her research focuses on culturally responsive approaches to supporting diverse populations.

🔗 Monash Culture, Trauma and Mental Health Research Group: https://www.monash.edu/turner-institu...

Why listen?
If you've ever felt dismissed or told to "be tough": You'll find strategies for recovery and self-validation
Parents: Gain perspective on how to provide both material and emotional support to your children
Mental health practitioners: Hear directly from lived experience to better support culturally diverse clients
International students: Learn how to navigate mental health support in Australia's system

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✨ If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review the Asian Mental Health Podcast. It helps more Asian Australians and international students find culturally responsive mental health support. Share it with a friend. Conversations like these help destigmatise mental health in Asian communities. 💛

Keywords: emotional invalidation Asian families, borderline personality disorder, Chinese Australian mental health, provisional psychologist Melbourne, international student mental health, 1.5 generation migrants, culturally responsive therapy, Monash psychologist, Asian family dynamics, cultural trauma