Bridging the Gap

Abstract

Mental illness is a lived experience that often bears no outwardly visible markers but is consistently paired with stigma and subsequent barriers to treatment across the world. My research interests lie in not only increasing awareness and accessibility for underserved populations, but more specifically in elucidating the bases for mental illness development in Chinese populations. The bridge to acceptance of psychological interventions for Chinese individuals is narrow, fraught with instability, and filled with knowledge gaps within the currently available literature. Hence, as my research continues to lessen this gap and widen the platform for greater insight, perhaps there will be an increase in openness and willingness for this particular population in the acknowledgement and search for treatments that address mental health and emotional well-being.