Working in mental health has been a calling for me from many fronts. During my undergraduate degree program, I trained as a comprehensive registered nurse. When I enrolled in the nursing degree, I knew little about mental health nursing — and my understanding of mental health as an important part of holistic wellbeing was limited. Looking back now, I see how naive I was, because in reality, mental health issues were all around me as a young migrant mother. I had also grown up with a brother who struggled with a mental illness.
My family never openly talked about my brother's illness. There was a sense of blame and silence. I remember times when my brother would be triggered by being called "crazy" and beaten up by people in the community because of the stereotypes they had about him. He would become distraught and fearful for his life. I would listen to his angry rants and disorganised speech all night — but he never hurt anyone. He was mostly a peaceful and perfect big brother to me, who cared very much for everyone. I grew up confused about why my brother was treated so differently by both family and community members.
I now understand that my brother's stress reaction was highly sensitised because of the traumatic experiences of beatings, bullying, and alienation. My brother's struggle with mental illness, plus my own journey as a migrant, inspired me to pursue a career in mental health nursing.
When I studied the mental health unit in second year of my nursing degree, I was exposed to different ways of seeing and understanding human experiences, and the impact of adverse childhood experiences on overall health. I learnt to let go of the stigma I had embodied from childhood — the silence that stigmatised those suffering from mental illness. My brother needed help, understanding, and support with basic human rights for him to function as a valued member of the community. My family needed psychoeducation to help them understand his needs.
With this realisation, I vowed to do better — with a strong desire to support those suffering from mental illness. I worked hard at it and I realised very quickly that it was not just about rescuing people. Rather, it was about acknowledging my own knowledge deficit and allowing myself to develop awareness. I learned that this required what Karl Rogers proposed as an "unconditional positive regard" approach for those I was privileged to work with. Once I got this, I started to feel more connected when interacting with clients — and I sensed that people were at ease with me, allowing for therapeutic engagement to occur.
I am most passionate about early intervention targeting the perinatal and postnatal period. Maternal mental health is crucial to the outcomes of a child's overall health and development. Maternal mental illness during the perinatal period can lead to developmental difficulties, and lack of appropriate support leads to isolation of parents who may already be struggling with adjusting to parenthood. I believe that all nurses are capable of playing an important role in early intervention, provided they have access to resources and opportunities for ongoing professional development. Early intervention is the best form of promoting mental health during the perinatal period.