Yellow Chair Collective: The Podcast Why Don’t We Talk About Depression in Asian Communities? AARP SPEAKER SERIES
Oct 21, 2025
Su Jin Lee, a licensed marriage and family therapist and executive director of Yellow Chair Collective, tackles the stigma surrounding depression in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. She shares her immigrant background and how cultural values impact mental health. Su Jin discusses symptoms of depression, from functional masking to somatic signs in elders, and emphasizes the need for compassionate care. Lee also offers practical advice for recognizing early signs, fostering intergenerational healing, and navigating mental health resources with cultural sensitivity.
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Depression Shows Many Faces
- Depression can present many ways beyond sadness, including numbness, emptiness, irritability, and physical aches.
- Recognizing varied presentations helps families spot depression earlier in AANHPI older adults.
Emotional Pain Appears As Physical Symptoms
- AANHPI older adults often express depression through physical symptoms like stomachaches, sleep changes, or body aches.
- Cultural norms can channel emotional pain into somatic complaints rather than verbalizing sadness.
Cultural Barriers Reduce Help-Seeking
- Cultural barriers like stigma, shame, and the model minority myth reduce help-seeking in AANHPI communities.
- Older adults may avoid care to prevent being a burden or to preserve family honor and resilience narratives.
