Christian mental health resources for Asian Americans are slowly becoming more available as more counselors, therapists, psychiatrists, theologians, pastors, and ministry leaders develop resources that relate better to the specific cultural and racial context of Asian American church communities. This post provides a short list of those resources we’ve found; please add more to this list by adding a comment or contacting us.
Mental Health Resources for Asian American Christians
Mustard Seed Generation – provide culture-specific training to increase the mental health literacy of Korean American churches, families, and youth – in English and Korean 한국어. Listen to this interview with board member Jin Lee at https://erasingshame.com/the-best-way-to-bring-mental-health-to-korean-americans/
Center of Asian American Christianity (at Princeton Theological Seminary) – one of its priority focus areas is mental health. Listen to this interview with Dr. David Chao, its director at https://erasingshame.com/improving-mental-health-for-asian-americans-and-our-pursuit-of-happiness/
Lighthouse Counseling Network – provide accessible Christian counseling services to the greater Northern New Jersey region, supported through a network of local churches. Listen to this conversation about Lighthouse at https://erasingshame.com/how-asian-american-churches-and-christian-counselors-can-work-better-together/
Enlighten Mental Health Library – 18 presentations (seminars and workshops) by Asian American Christian experts about mental health, a ministry of Chinese Christian Church of Thousand Oaks, California
SOLA Network (a digital platform by Gospel-centered Asian American churches) has a number of interviews and articles about mental health.
Asian American Churches with Mental Health Ministry
Restoration Center at Tapestry LA Church (Los Angeles) – “We desire to invite broken people to be restored by Jesus in the whole of life, through means of care, healing, and prayer.” (learn more on this Erasing Shame podcast episode)
Lighthouse Community Church (Torrance, CA) has a Counseling Ministry (biblical counseling)
Fort Bend Community Church Counseling Center (Houston) has counseling sessions, seminars, training, support groups, and resources.
Blessed Center is being launched by the Chinese Bible Church of Maryland to serve the Asian community and others in Greater Washington Area with mental health services.
reNew Support Group at New Life Irvine (California) – a monthly support group for those who would like peer support to process their experiences in a safe, Gospel-centered environment.
New Life Counseling Center at New Life Pres (Fullerton, CA) brings “gospel-centered biblical counseling to our church community to help our members understand how the gospel addresses the deepest desires of our souls and how Christ meets us in our places of greatest need.”
Grace Ministry (Voorhees Township, NJ) has subsidized counseling services, seminars, and a wellness support group.
Deeper Waters ministry at The Garden Church (Chatsworth, CA) has mental health resources and recommended counselors.
Mental Health Ministry at Home of Christ in Cupertino is “about being Jesus’ hands and feet into our local community to help others discover tools to build personal wholeness, healthy families, and a thriving community”—has Stephen Ministry, support groups, workshops, and a counseling center.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary. Learn more about 988.
How to Find Asian American Christian Therapists and Counselors
a directory listing of Asian American Christian Counselors and Therapists (compiled by Christian Asian Mental Health)
Referrals to therapists and agencies in Southern California (cf. Asian American Christian Counseling Services, a ministry that has ceased operations)
Korean American Christian counselors directory (Mustard Seed Generation)
Erasing Shame Podcast
Erasing Shame is the digital outreach of Christian Asian Mental Health. Episodes feature real-life stories and honest conversations to encourage Christian Asian mental health.