What is it about?
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) Asian individuals living in Asia face unique challenges both within their communities and in wider society. These challenges can negatively affect their mental health and make it harder for them to get the care they need. To better understand this, we looked at existing research, focusing on what kinds of support LGBTQIA Asians turn to and what influences whether they seek help. Our findings show that people navigate support systems in different ways while dealing with stigma and discrimination. Help-seeking is not just an individual choice; rather, larger systems—like family, culture, and laws—affect individuals’ access to care and attitudes toward seeking help. Overall, our results highlight the importance of mental health services that are culturally sensitive and that take into account the many identities people hold. It also emphasizes the value of community-based support in improving access to care.
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Photo by Hoi An and Da Nang Photographer on Unsplash
Why is it important?
This review highlights how LGBTQIA Asian individuals rely on personal networks, online communities, and health care services for their mental health support. Based on our findings that interpersonal, cultural, and institutional forces shape LGBTQIA Asians’ access to and willingness to seek help, culturally responsive and community-rooted care that honors their lived experiences is especially important for this population.
Perspectives
Writing this article allowed me to reflect on my lived experiences as a queer Korean woman who has grown up in two Asian countries, and see how my experiences were reflected in the current literature. It was a pleasure to collaborate on this research with co-authors who are passionate about advancing multiculturalism in counseling psychology research.
Nayeon Kim
University of Kentucky
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: “My sisters are my shelter”: A systematic review of mental health help seeking among LGBTQIA Asians living in Asia., Journal of Counseling Psychology, March 2026, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/cou0000868.
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