The brave face and the weight of everything: A conversation about the emotional world of Asian men
Description
This Movember, Project HoriZen is creating space for a different kind of conversation about men’s mental health.
The Brave Face and the Weight of Everything is a community conversation exploring the emotional world of Asian men — the pressures we carry, the parts of ourselves we learn to hide, and the ways culture can shape our ideas of masculinity, strength, vulnerability and connection.
Hosted by Project HoriZen, founder Daniela Ho Tan will be joined by Clinical Psychologist Dr James Li for an open and reflective discussion grounded in lived experience, psychology and cultural understanding.
For many Asian men, there can be an expectation to stay composed, capable and self-sufficient. To be the good son, the provider, the dependable one. To keep going, perform well, support others and not make too much of our own struggles.
But behind the brave face can also be pressure, shame, loneliness, overwhelm, and the sense that we have to carry everything on our own.
Together, we’ll explore:
The expectations Asian men carry — including masculinity, family roles, achievement, self-sacrifice and the pressure to appear strong.
What sits behind the brave face — the tension between appearing numb or self-sufficient while privately carrying shame, pressure, loneliness or overwhelm.
Connection, vulnerability and receiving care — including friendships, therapy, self-compassion and learning that support does not have to equal weakness.
Redefining what it means to be a good man — making room for healthier versions of strength, emotional expression, connection, play and a life not defined only by responsibility or achievement.
This won’t be a lecture about what Asian men “should” do differently. Instead, it will be a thoughtful community conversation about the messages many of us receive about what a man is supposed to be, what those messages can cost us, and what it might look like to put some of the weight down.
This event is for Asian men and anyone who cares about the men in their lives — including partners, family members, friends, clinicians, colleagues and allies. You do not need to identify as Asian or as a man to attend.
The event is FREE, however we are taking donations for Movember which you can make when you register OR directly to Movember
Whether you come to share, reflect, listen or simply feel less alone, you are very welcome.
Lineup
Dr James Li
Dr James Li is a Clinical Psychology Registrar. He is a first-generation immigrant in Australia. James's clinical work at the Schema Therapy Institute Australia focuses on supporting individuals with complex, deeply rooted emotional conditions. James is passionate about delivering therapy that is trauma-informed, relational and transformational, working primarily within Schema Therapy and EMDR modalities. His doctoral research focused on cultural influences on trauma and he is committed to providing culturally responsive services to people within the Asian diaspora.
Daniela (Dani) Ho Tan
Dani Ho Tan is a Vietnamese-Australian Clinical Psychologist and the Founder of Project HoriZen, which hosts community conversations, webinars, and events focused on mental health, culture, and identity. Dani is passionate about creating spaces where people can come together to learn, reflect, and have more open conversations about topics that are often difficult to talk about. She cares deeply about making these spaces feel inclusive, culturally responsive, and grounded in both compassion and curiosity.
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