What does it really take to move across the world at 18, navigate a new city alone, and build a life from scratch? In this episode, Asami is joined by Divnoor Kaur, a Punjabi-Indian psychology graduate and early childhood diploma student who has been quietly determined to be part of Shapes and Sounds since 2023. It took three years, but we're so grateful that she made it here!
The conversation also features voice memos from Tina Liu, a bilingual psychologist at one of our Practice Partners, MindBodyHeart Psychology, and former international student herself, who reflects on the challenges she witnessed both as a student and as a practitioner working with migrants and international students every day.
Together, Asami, Divnoor, and Tina unpack what people get wrong about the international student experience: it's not just about managing study and a part-time job. It's about navigating racism you didn't expect, housing markets that weren't built for you, support services you didn't know existed, and a homesickness that only hits once you've left.
This is one for every international student, every person who loves one, and everyone who has ever felt like a fish discovering what water actually is.
🎧 You'll hear about:
✅ What people get wrong about international students and their emotional reality
✅ Racial slurs in the CBD two months after arriving in Melbourne
✅ Melbourne's housing crisis and how it hits international students hardest
✅ Mental health stigma in Indian communities and why "boys don't cry" sticks with you
✅ The WEIRD bias in mental health research and why culturally matched practitioners matter
✅ Peer mentorship programs, Bollywood clubs, and how to build a community from zero
✅ Sleep, eating well, and why loneliness sometimes wins over a good night's rest
👤 About the Guests
Divnoor Kaur is originally from Ludhiana, Punjab, India. She moved to Melbourne at 18 to study psychology at the University of Melbourne and is now completing a diploma in early childhood education. A passionate advocate for youth mental health, she was a peer mentor at UniMelb and a participant in the Shapes and Sounds Student Changemakers program. She has been trying to get involved with Shapes and Sounds since 2023. Three years later, she made it.
Tina Liu is a practicing psychologist at MindBodyHeart Psychology, a bilingual Mandarin and English private practice in Melbourne and a Shapes and Sounds practice partner. Originally from China, Tina completed undergraduate studies at Monash, a PhD at Deakin, and a masters in psychology at VU. She worked for years teaching in a university foundation program before transitioning to clinical practice, where she works primarily with Mandarin-speaking migrants and international students.
🔗 Find Tina Liu and other culturally-responsive practitioners on our Asian Mental Health Practitioner list
🌐 Our Practice Partner, Mind Body Heart Psychology
🛠️ Resources Mentioned: Find them all 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. Share this episode with someone who is an international student, or who loves one. Word of mouth is how we 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/
