More Hongkongers are experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety, recent studies suggest.
Up to one-third have moderate to severe symptoms, according to a recent joint study by the Chinese University of Hong Kong and The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. This is driving demand for support through local counselling services.
For the professionals taking care of others, the pressure intensifies. We asked three Hong Kong therapists about their demanding careers and how they protect their own psychological well-being.Dr Kim Carder is a clinical psychologist dedicated to promoting positive mental health in every member of the family through every stage of growing up.
She has always loved working with children. She began by supporting children with special needs as a Saturday job while in high school. The experience taught her that, to support children, you must also take care of their parents. Now a mother herself, she has learned that no parent can support their child’s mental and emotional health if their own is poor, or they do not understand their child’s struggles.
Like all psychologists, Carder witnesses a lot of distress. “The pressure got to me [at first],” she remembers. “People sharing stuff they don’t share with others, that can be scary – but that’s where training is so important.”