Director’s Recap: Through My Eyes, Raising Mental Health Awareness, Normalizing Counseling, and The Center’s Ongoing Commitment to Mental Health Advocacy

Article Posted on April 9, 2026

By Cammi Chih, Executive Director, Community Services Center

Why does it sometimes feel easier to say, “I’m going for a cosmetic treatment” or “I’m going to see a doctor,” than to say, “I’m going to see my counselor (psychologist/therapist)”? In many communities, especially across Asia, mental health is still too often surrounded by silence, misunderstanding, or shame, in part because mental and emotional struggles are often invisible. Yet many things that once felt uncomfortable or embarrassing became normal simply because people began talking about them more openly.

Through My Eyes (我的視界) began with that same belief: visibility and conversation are how stigma begins to break. Ignoring emotional pain does not make it disappear—it builds over time and affects our overall wellbeing. Seeking counseling should be seen as normal, just as we would see a doctor for physical pain or go to the gym to strengthen our bodies. We need to learn how to recognize our emotional pain and struggles, so that we can heal, grow stronger, and build mental resilience.

From March 13–23, The Center hosted Through My Eyes (我的視界) | Making Invisible Visible at Woolloomooloo Xhibit in Taipei—an immersive four-room journey built from 50 anonymous stories and artworks shared by members of both our international and local communities across Taiwan. Visitors also engaged with infographics and multimedia educational materials, including bilingual subtitled videos and testimonials showing how counseling has supported individuals and families. Together, these elements were designed to challenge stigma, deepen understanding, and reinforce a simple but important truth: mental health is health.

Many people left the exhibition with the same realization: I’m not the only one carrying inner pain. I’m not alone. Others shared comments such as, “I wish I had known about The Center earlier and that support was available.” That response was deeply meaningful. Visitors also appreciated the warmth of our staff and the gallery environment, as well as the opportunity to learn about The Center’s 40 year history of supporting the wellbeing of Taiwan’s international community. Today, The Center has grown into the largest bilingual counseling center in Taiwan. These moments helped create the kind of experience we want people to associate with The Center: a place that cares, welcomes, and supports the wellbeing of our community as we continue to expand our reach.

Alongside the exhibition, our 18 free bilingual workshops in English and Mandarin—led by The Center’s counselors and meditation coach—helped participants deepen their emotional understanding while building practical tools for emotional regulation and everyday coping. We also took time to explain what counseling is, what it is not, and the different professional roles involved in mental health support. Understanding these differences can help people seek support earlier, with greater clarity and confidence.

Intern Counseling Psychologist Chen-Chun Lin delivering a workshop on raising teens in multicultural contexts.

Learn more about Intern Counseling Psychologist Chen-Chun Lin

Clinical Psychologist Changling Tu delivering interactive workshop on noticing emotions through art.

Learn more about Clinical Psychologist Changling Tu

Counseling Psychologist Zack Liu delivering a workshop on managing stress in everyday life.

Learn more about Counseling Psychologist Zack Liu

Counseling Psychologist Ru-Chi Yang delivering a workshop on helping your child regulate big feelings.

Learn more about Counseling Psychologist Ru-Chi Yang

Counseling Psychologist Hui-Shiang Chao delivering a workshop on emotional awareness and regulation.

Learn more about Counseling Psychologist Hui-Shiang Chao

Counseling Psychologist Charlotte Lee delivering workshop on bullying.

Learn more about Counseling Psychologist Charlotte Lee

Counseling Psychologist Ivy Chen delivering an introductory workshop on counseling.

Learn more about Counseling Psychologist Ivy Chen

Center Meditation Coach Jessica Kay Lee delivering a workshop on the foundations of meditation.

Learn more about Center Meditation Coach Jessica Kay Lee

We were also honored to welcome guest speaker Ko-hua Chen, whose sharing of life stories, struggles, and pain connected beautifully with the exhibition’s theme. His presence reinforced an important message: during difficult times, people do not need to carry everything alone. Support is available, and The Center’s counselors are here to accompany individuals, couples, and families through life’s challenges. In this way, the experience moved beyond empathy and reflection toward awareness, action, and support.

The warmth of the gallery was further enriched by Square Studio’s generous sponsorship of Emotional Clouds giveaway gifts, which added a thoughtful and welcoming touch for our visitors. Their support helped reinforce the sense of care, connection, and kindness that we hope people will continue to associate with The Center. Importantly, we also received feedback from more than 300 visitors and workshop participants, giving us valuable insight as we continue to design more effective outreach, advocacy, and mental health awareness efforts going forward. The responses were encouraging:

• 70% said this was their first time attending an event related to mental health.
• 90% said the gallery helped them better understand mental health.
• 85% said the talks and workshops increased their awareness of mental health and emotional wellbeing, and they would be more likely to seek counseling or mental health resources for themselves or someone they care about when needed.
• 90% said the experience made them more likely to reflect on their own emotions.

We were grateful to welcome longtime supporters, contributing artists, first-time visitors, and many international students. But our commitment does not end with a single exhibition. Through My Eyes was part of The Center’s broader effort to raise mental health awareness, normalize counseling, and create more open conversations around emotional wellbeing. While Through My Eyes marked the first stage of this work, The Center is now moving into the next phase of education and outreach under its broader mission and brand, so that this work can grow deeper, wider, and more sustainably over time. We hope you will continue to follow and support us as this advocacy continues.

We remain committed to leading with creativity and purpose, using innovative and engaging approaches to reach more people, deepen understanding, and expand the impact of mental health advocacy in our community. We will continue to educate the public on how to better identify, understand, and manage emotions, while creating more opportunities for earlier access to support. We will also continue to seek funding and partnership support so this work can grow sustainably and support more people.

We are deeply grateful to the many people who helped bring this exhibition to life—especially our staff, volunteers, contributing artists, counselors, guest speakers, sponsors, and partners. Their time, care, and commitment made this meaningful event possible. We also sincerely thank the Ministry of Health and Welfare for supporting this event, and we hope for continued support for future advocacy efforts as we carry forward our 3R vision: Reach Far, Reach Wide, Reach Impact.

Need support? 

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If this article raised questions or brought something up for you, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Learn more about our counseling services or book a confidential appointment with one of our licensed counselors.

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