Contributor: Therapy isn't the only help. Peers offer a different kind of support.
Key takeaways
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- Californians seem to be talking about mental health more openly than ever before.
- The Los Angeles Times published a series last year on the mental health challenges within L.A.’s Thai community.
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Californians seem to be talking about mental health more openly than ever before. But as the conversation grows, the support available hasn’t kept pace with the need. Therapy remains inaccessible for millions — because they often can’t afford it, can’t find it or can’t overcome the cultural and logistical barriers that stand in the way.
The Los Angeles Times published a series last year on the mental health challenges within L.A.’s Thai community. One line stayed with me: “They come in with their silence.” Silence — not because people don’t struggle, but because stigma, cost and limited access make help feel out of reach. That story isn’t unique to one community. It reflects a truth across Los Angeles: Many Angelenos suffering with anxiety, loneliness, grief or stress simply don’t have a place to go.