Mental Health, Migration, and Belonging: SEEAC’s Community-Centred Approach
This Mental Health Awareness Week, SEEAC is highlighting the importance of culturally informed mental health support and community care for East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) communities across the UK.
Mental health challenges can affect anyone, but for many migrants, these experiences are often shaped by additional pressures — including isolation, racism, insecure work, language barriers, financial stress, family separation, and uncertainty linked to immigration status. Despite these realities, conversations around mental health within ESEA communities can still be difficult due to stigma, cultural expectations, or lack of accessible support.
At SEEAC, we believe that mental health support should feel safe, culturally sensitive, and rooted in community.
Over the past years, we have worked to create spaces where people can access support without judgement and feel less alone in their experiences. Through our free culturally sensitive counselling programme, group therapy sessions, wellbeing workshops, and community activities, we have supported ESEA community members in navigating stress, anxiety, burnout, grief, and isolation.
In 2025, SEEAC provided free mental health counselling to 47 clients, including those who completed sessions and those who chose not to proceed after an initial assessment. We also facilitated group therapy sessions for 30 community members. Alongside this, our Community Hub activities — from yoga and art workshops to community gatherings and healing‑centred spaces — supported more than 1,000 ESEA community members in building connection, belonging, and mutual care.
These spaces are not only about wellbeing activities. They are about creating opportunities for people to reconnect with themselves, build relationships, share experiences, and realise that they do not have to carry their struggles alone.
We have seen firsthand the impact that accessible and community-led mental health support can make. For some, it is the first time they have spoken openly about their mental health. For others, it is simply having a space where they feel understood and welcomed.
Mental Health Awareness Week is also a reminder that wellbeing is deeply connected to wider issues such as housing, employment, racism, migration status, and financial security. Supporting mental health therefore means supporting people holistically — with dignity, compassion, and care.
As we continue this work, SEEAC remains committed to building safe, inclusive, and healing-centred spaces where ESEA communities can thrive.
💛 If you would like to support our work, please consider making a donation or sharing our services with someone who may benefit from them.
If you or someone you know may need support, you can get in touch with SEEAC to learn more about our counselling services, wellbeing programmes, and community activities.