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Natalie

Mind HK Ambassador

Natalie’s Story

Tell us about your life now

I used to think that I am nothing special and hence, I had low self-esteem. But after recovering from my first psychotic episode and depression, I realise I am much stronger than I thought. It is as if the heavy, dark, soaked cloth that has been covering me has lifted and now I feel like I am the best version of myself. I also have set a new career goal for myself which is to become a clinical psychologist to help more people who are suffering from mental illnesses. I love my life as it is right now.

Where/what has been important to you in your mental health journey? Why? 

Paris. This is where my depression started. I attended a summer course in Paris after the second year of university. That summer, my grandfather passed away. He was one of my main caregivers when I was growing up and I was very close to him. I was not able to return to Hong Kong to see him one last time before he passed away, or to attend his funeral. It was my first time handling death. I didn’t know how to grieve. I was alone in a foreign city where I had no support systems. All I did was push my sorrow down, pretend as if nothing had happened, and continued to live my life normally. However, the grief festered into guilt and self-blaming. In the following years of my depression, I often thought about ending my own life.  

How has the stigma around mental health affected your life?

When I entered the labour market again, I was open with my potential employers and mentioned that I had once suffered from a psychotic episode. None of them hired me despite my qualifications. When I decided not to disclose too much to potential employers, the job offers started coming in.

How would you describe yourself? What are your labels?

Chatterbox: I now love talking with people;  I love to learn about people’s life stories and points of view.

Neophilia: I love trying out new things. I realise that life is short and there is so much I have never done before. Tree climbing, learning new musical instruments, travelling, publishing children books… You name it! I want to try them all! 

Foodie: One of the greatest pleasures in my life is food. Enjoying exquisite food brings me joy like no other.

Polymath: I did my undergraduate studies in Art History, and now I am doing a psychology conversion Master’s degree, aiming to become a clinical psychologist. I love my academic background, as I always admired how knowledgeable Renaiss

nce Polymaths were.

What gave you hope during your recovery? 

My grandfather gave me the greatest hope during my recovery. He suffered from a stroke twice before he died, yet he had managed to recover (he trained himself to walk again) from them twice. I am always in awe of his perseverance and strength. I thought “I am his granddaughter, this determination must run in my blood.” It is this thought that pulled me through my recovery.

What has your mental health journey taught you? 

I have learnt to be more compassionate when people disclose their problems to me. I understand that with the stigma in our society, people are not very willing to talk about their mental health conditions. Therefore, when someone confides in me and tells me their problems, I pay 100% attention, as I would like to honour their trust in me with all my heart.

What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of myself. To this day, I still can’t believe I have recovered from depression and a psychotic episode and have a bright future ahead of me. I think this is one of the highlights and major accomplishments in my life.



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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

Natalie’s Story

Tell us about your life now

I used to think that I am nothing special and hence, I had low self-esteem. But after recovering from my first psychotic episode and depression, I realise I am much stronger than I thought. It is as if the heavy, dark, soaked cloth that has been covering me has lifted and now I feel like I am the best version of myself. I also have set a new career goal for myself which is to become a clinical psychologist to help more people who are suffering from mental illnesses. I love my life as it is right now.

Where/what has been important to you in your mental health journey? Why? 

Paris. This is where my depression started. I attended a summer course in Paris after the second year of university. That summer, my grandfather passed away. He was one of my main caregivers when I was growing up and I was very close to him. I was not able to return to Hong Kong to see him one last time before he passed away, or to attend his funeral. It was my first time handling death. I didn't know how to grieve. I was alone in a foreign city where I had no support systems. All I did was push my sorrow down, pretend as if nothing had happened, and continued to live my life normally. However, the grief festered into guilt and self-blaming. In the following years of my depression, I often thought about ending my own life.  

How has the stigma around mental health affected your life?

When I entered the labour market again, I was open with my potential employers and mentioned that I had once suffered from a psychotic episode. None of them hired me despite my qualifications. When I decided not to disclose too much to potential employers, the job offers started coming in.

How would you describe yourself? What are your labels?

Chatterbox: I now love talking with people;  I love to learn about people's life stories and points of view.

Neophilia: I love trying out new things. I realise that life is short and there is so much I have never done before. Tree climbing, learning new musical instruments, travelling, publishing children books... You name it! I want to try them all! 

Foodie: One of the greatest pleasures in my life is food. Enjoying exquisite food brings me joy like no other.

Polymath: I did my undergraduate studies in Art History, and now I am doing a psychology conversion Master's degree, aiming to become a clinical psychologist. I love my academic background, as I always admired how knowledgeable Renaiss

nce Polymaths were.

What gave you hope during your recovery? 

My grandfather gave me the greatest hope during my recovery. He suffered from a stroke twice before he died, yet he had managed to recover (he trained himself to walk again) from them twice. I am always in awe of his perseverance and strength. I thought “I am his granddaughter, this determination must run in my blood.” It is this thought that pulled me through my recovery.

What has your mental health journey taught you? 

I have learnt to be more compassionate when people disclose their problems to me. I understand that with the stigma in our society, people are not very willing to talk about their mental health conditions. Therefore, when someone confides in me and tells me their problems, I pay 100% attention, as I would like to honour their trust in me with all my heart.

What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of myself. To this day, I still can't believe I have recovered from depression and a psychotic episode and have a bright future ahead of me. I think this is one of the highlights and major accomplishments in my life.