What does it take to move to a new country at 19, navigate culture shock, come out as gay while studying psychology, work through perfectionism and shame, and eventually build your own clinical practice? In this episode, Dr. Zhi Xiang On takes us on that journey with warmth, humour, and remarkable honesty.On moved from Klang, Malaysia to Melbourne to study psychology at 19. What started as curiosity about a big city quickly became a complex navigation of identity, belonging, and self-discovery. From not understanding why everyone walked so much, to learning that "Asian Australian" was a thing, to spending two hours crying before coming out to a friend, to eventually becoming a clinical psychologist, forensic psychologist, and clinical neuropsychologist, On's story is both deeply personal and universally relatable.In this conversation with Asami, On opens up about the pressures of college party culture when you come from a conservative family, the guarded way he first approached university counselling, the moment a professor pointed out what he wasn't ready to hear about his sexual identity, and how working through his own "parts" transformed not just his studies but his entire approach to being a therapist.This episode is for anyone who's ever felt like they had to perform being okay, anyone navigating identity while far from home, and anyone wondering what it really means to "work on yourself."🎧 You'll hear about:✅ Moving from a small Malaysian town to Melbourne at 19 and experiencing culture shock✅ The loneliness crisis facing international students today✅ Coming out as gay to friends and family while studying abroad✅ University counselling: the benefits, barriers, and what students need to know✅ Understanding your "parts" and what it means to work on yourself✅ How to support peers using the HEAR framework👤 About the GuestDr. Zhi Xiang On is a clinical psychologist, forensic psychologist, clinical neuropsychologist, and the director of Back On Track Psychology, a private practice in Melbourne. Originally from Klang, Malaysia, On moved to Australia at 19 to study psychology at the University of Melbourne. His work emphasises a collaborative, safe, values-guided therapeutic relationship.🔗 Find Dr. On on the Shapes and Sounds Practitioner List HERE 🌐 Back On Track Psychology website🛠️ Resources Mentioned: Find them in the full show notes over on our blog 🙌 Connect with Shapes and Sounds
🎁 Free Resource: Download "International Students and Mental Health" ✨ If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, rate, and review the Asian Mental Health Podcast on your favourite podcast app. It really helps other international students find these conversations. Share this episode with your friends, especially if you know or are an international student, because word of mouth helps destigmatise mental health in Asian communities. 💛The Asian Mental Health Podcast is a production from Shapes and Sounds, made on the stolen lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. This show is hosted by Asami Koike and Marcus Lai and produced by Yeo Choong.
This season is brought to you by Embrace Multicultural Mental Health (The Embrace Project). All thoughts and ideas you hear are independently ours and our guests.The Embrace Project is part of Mental Health Australia. For more information about the Embrace Project, visit: https://embracementalhealth.org.au/
