Being Human

"I really want to see the day when people talk about counselling, when people talk about mental health and getting help." ~ Hannah Yeoh

Since 2017, Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan has been a refreshing advocate for mental health in Malaysia, founding her Green Ribbon Group in 2020 to raise awareness and break the stigma of mental health.

They describe themselves as "just five guys from Malaysia, looking to (try) grow the most lush moustaches for a worthy Movember cause: mental health."

These five guys - Ariff, Haris, Kaiza, Seth and Sul - are collectively known as the Movembros, and they have been putting their creative minds together to pull off some amazing fundraising work to support Relate Malaysia's work and mission.

These marvellous mental health advocates have been working tirelessly to raise awareness in Malaysia, and in this episode of Being Human, the fantastic five join Dr. Chua Sook Ning to discuss their work and why supporting mental health is a cause close to their hearts.

To find out more about the Movembros, you can follow them on Instagram @mymovembros

For more information on Relate Malaysia and our services, visit www.relate.com.my or email us at: [email protected]

Kavin Jay is one of Southeast Asia's finest comedians, and his 2019 Netflix special, Let’s Get Ready to Grumble!, took him to even greater heights as he showed off his talents to a worldwide audience.

Onstage, Kavin struts his stuff as a force of nature, a funnyman in control of the room and his audience. And yet, he has found difficulty for much of his life with navigating the anxious struggles of being a people-pleaser. 

In this episode of Being Human, Kavin joins host Dr Chua Sook Ning as they discuss his life as a comedian, the challenges that come with people-pleasing, and how to overcome the compulsion to tend to others' needs, often at the expense of our own well-being.

As we get settled into the New Year, Dr Chua Sook Ning - founder of Relate Malaysia and host of the Being Human podcast - joins mindfulness author, Star columnist, and counsellor, Sandy Clarke, as she reflects on her journey as a psychologist, and the journey of mental health in Malaysia.

The three-time TEDx Speaker talks about what attracted her to pursuing a career as a clinical psychologist, why she chose to publicly share her struggles with depression, and what needs to be done to raise the standard of mental health services in Malaysia. 

For more information on Relate Malaysia and our services, visit www.relate.com.my or email us at: [email protected]

Self-harm (or self-injury) has been defined as the "intentional direct injury of one's own tissues without a suicidal intention", and is more common than we realise, primarily among young people who self-harm as a means of emotional release.

A 2019 survey by YouGov (a British market research company) found that a quarter of Malaysians surveyed experienced suicidal thoughts, and 26% disclosed self-harm behaviours. The data showed one in 10 young Malaysians (aged 18-24) engaged in self-harm "frequently".

In this episode of Being Human, Dr. Chua Sook Ning is joined by Dr. Nancy Heath - a James McGill Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology at McGill University - who is a renowned researcher in emotion regulatory difficulties, stress, coping, mindfulness, and non-suicidal self-injury.

Their enlightening discussion explores what motivates people to use self-harm as a coping mechanism, and what we need to understand about the behaviour in order to better support people who self-harm.

If you (or anyone you know) engages in self-harming behaviours, Dr. Heath's website provides free coping strategy resources and insightful information on why people self-harm and how to reach out for support. You can visit the website at: http://sioutreach.org

Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) focuses on the idea that our personal relationships are at the heart of our psychological problems.

Although issues themselves might not be caused by relationships, our problems affect our connections with others and can worsen our situation. By learning to communicate better with people, IPT helps clients to address relational issues that contribute to problems such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.

In this episode of Being Human, Dr Chua Sook Ning is joined by Dr John Markowitz - Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons - to discuss the role relationships play in the issues we face, and how we can improve our relationships as a means to lessen our suffering and strengthen our connections and social support.

For more information on Relate Malaysia and our services, visit www.relate.com.my or email us at: [email protected]

Suicide rates in Malaysia over the past 10 years have been rising, particularly among young people...but what drives them to such pain in the first place?

In this informative episode of Being Human, Dr. Chua Sook Ning is joined by Frederick Leong, a professor of psychology at Michigan State University. An eminent psychologist with an illustrious career spanning 40 years, he is the editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia of Counselling, and the APA Handbook of Multicultural Psychology. Dr. Fred is also the founding editor of the Asian-American Journal of Psychology.

The discussion explores suicide beyond mental health, examining the biological, psychological and social factors that contribute to suicide rates among young people in Asian cultures. Dr. Fred also shares his insights on why educating young people and their parents on emotion regulation is key to reducing future suicide rates.

For more information on Relate Malaysia and our services, visit www.relate.com.my or email us at: [email protected]

What thoughts come to mind when you look at yourself in the mirror?

For more information on Relate Malaysia and our services, visit www.relate.com.my or email us at: [email protected]

There has been a growing awareness of the need to understand suicide prevention in Malaysia, due to the rise in suicide rates over the past ten years - but what are some of the practical ways that we can offer our help and support to people experiencing suicidal thoughts and feelings?

If anyone is in need of immediate emotional support, they can call the Befrienders 24-hour hotline on 03-762-72929.

For more information on Relate Malaysia and our services, visit www.relate.com.my or email us at: [email protected]