Healing the Tigress
A podcast that focuses on conversations & stories around Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) maternal mental health, hosted by Taiwanese American mothers Peggy (LCSW, PMH-C) & Jasmine (PharmD, PMH-C) who are also postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety survivors.
Mental health is not talked about enough in our AAPI communities, and we want to break these stigmas especially for mothers and partners. As AAPI healthcare providers who personally struggled during postpartum and are now perinatal mental health certified, we want to see more representation of other AAPI parents who know how important it is to take care of our mental health.
We talk with AAPI guests about a variety of themes in mental health and parenting, particularly what that looks like through the lens of our culture within the Western world. There are also discussions with professionals in the field, to help our providers and allies. We're not afraid to talk about the hard things that might seem taboo. We hope this podcast reminds you that you are not alone in your struggles as an AAPI parent!
Healing the Tigress
Ep. 2 - Break the Stigma for Nima: A Conversation on Maternal Suicide with Priya Bhakta
Trigger Warning: This episode will discuss maternal suicide.
On today's episode, we are sitting down with Priya Bhakta, the sister of Nima Bhakta, who died by suicide on July 24, 2020. Nima was a new mother suffering with postpartum depression (PPD) and unfortunately lost the battle when her son was just over half a year old. Priya graciously talked with us about Nima's background and described how her vibrant, loving sister changed almost as soon as she became a mother.
In talking about the events leading up to Nima's passing, we hope to shed light on how PPD can be so insidious and help destigmatize the maternal mental health discussion in the Indian American community and beyond in our AAPI communities. Priya talks about how Nima's husband and the rest of her family came together and decided they needed to honor Nima by spreading her whole story to break the stigma in their communities. They have already seen some of the positive effects on other families because of this.We hope this conversation will also be a source of light to honor Nima and help others realize they are not alone. There is help out there, and talking about mental health is the first step. Accepting help is the second.
If you would like to connect more with Priya or learn more about Nima's story and legacy, here are a few ways:Email: priyabbhakta@gmail.comInstagram: @breakthestigma4nima
You can also check out the social media hashtag movement of #BreakTheStigma4Nima
Maternal Mental Health in the AAPI Community (Pearls of Jasmine Newsletter): https://pearlsofjasmine.substack.com/p/002-maternal-mental-health-in-the
And if you or someone you know is having thoughts of self-harm, please call or text:
1. National Crisis and Suicide Hotline: 9882. National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 1-833-852-6262 (1-833-TLC-MAMA)3. Postpartum Support International Hotline: 1-800-944-4773
Note: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speakers' own. This podcast is not a replacement for therapy or professional/medical advice. If you are in need of more support or advice, please reach out to your own medical professional who can answer your questions with your individual medical history and background in context.
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