Addressing Racial Trauma among Asian American Men through Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) – Part 1

This two-part workshop series aims to address the critical but neglected issue of race-based trauma among Asian American men particularly of East Asian origin such as Korea, Japan, and China.  It will suggest some practical strategies to promote wellness and empowerment using the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT is a non-pathologizing approach to therapy and skills building that emphasizes mindful acceptance and meaningful action rather than symptom reduction. This approach, alternatively known as Acceptance and Commitment Training, can also be utilized in non-clinical settings (e.g., church, temple) by practitioners who are not necessarily therapists (e.g., ministers, coaches, etc.)

Acceptance and Commitment Training is very compatible with indigenous Asian wellness practices such as mindfulness, acceptance, and compassion/wisdom traditions and can be well-suited for individuals who are less likely to seek mental health services due to stigma. When used in conjunction with communal support within an intersectional framework, ACT can be an effective approach for addressing racial trauma among Asian American men.

Who is this workshop series for?

This workshop series is for anyone interested in addressing racial trauma. You do not need to be a therapist nor an Asian American man.  This workshop can benefit coaches, ministers, community organizers, healthcare workers, researchers, and anyone interested in understanding and dealing with racial trauma within an Asian American context.

Format of the workshop series:

This workshop series will utilize a qualitative method known as autoethnography and will include a case presentation using the presenter’s own lived experience with racial trauma.

What you will learn in Part 1 (August, 29, 2023)  of this workshop:

• Understand the basic components of racial trauma among Asian American men
• Explore the role of language in perpetuating dangerous stereotypes
• Learn about the six ways that individuals internalize racial trauma from a language-based (ACT) perspective

download the slides here

Workshop Presenters

Phillip Cha, MFT

(he/him/his)

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Clinical Supervisor at UCSF Citywide Case Management

Phillip Cha, MFT, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 20 years in community mental health. He holds the position of clinical supervisor at UCSF Citywide Case Management where he oversees and guides the work of intensive case management within a culture-focused milieu.

In addition, Phillip maintains a part-time private practice in San Francisco where he provides therapy services to individuals, couples, and families specializing in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a therapeutic approach that focuses on mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based action.

Phillip’s expertise in ACT has led him to offer training and consultation internationally with mental health professionals around the world. Phillip has been an adjunct faculty member at the Myanmar Clinical Psychology Consortium from 2018 to 2022.

He is passionate about exploring ways in which contextual behavioral therapies can be applied across diverse communities and contexts and in ways that promote wellness and justice particularly for those who are marginalized.