The word “permission,” though conducive to some type of submission and allocating of power to an authority different from myself, is a paradox in her writing. Wang knew what the title of her book would be before she wrote the first word, and she fought to make sure that those four words made it to the final print cover in bookstores all across the country. And so until I can get to a point where I feel strong enough to carry my struggle, I’m gonna have a really hard time holding somebody’s presence holding that space for them.” “I use this analogy a lot - like if I have a gash in my arm, and then somebody says to me I have a cut in my leg, I’m gonna have a hard time paying attention to the fact that they have a cut in their life, because I’m also struggling. “I’m a firm believer that my ability to be present with the people who need me really depends on my ability to understand my struggle my wounds first,” Wang said. That search for belonging has cemented itself as the core of Wang’s own pursuit of psychology, which started with self-introspection and the comfort of being open with herself. Event moderator Melodie Grace Liu GRD ’27 kicked off the afternoon by reading a section of the book that explored compassion, an entity that Wang referred to as the “final” and perhaps most “elusive” condition in the “search for home.” The event saw attendance from undergraduate and graduate students, Assistant Dean and AACC Director Joliana Yee and several staff members from Yale Mental Health and Counseling. During a conversation at the Asian American Cultural Center on March 9, psychologist Jenny Tzu-Mei Wang opened up about the stigmatization of mental health challenges in AAPI communities and the inspiration behind her 2022 book: “Permission to Come Home” - a resource aimed at helping Asian Americans reclaim their psychological narratives.
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