Name and Position at Region Ten: Hermione Huo, Clinician at the Wellness Recovery Center
Where are you from? Nei Mongol, China, but I also consider myself from the “Dairyland of America” in Wisconsin!
What drew you to the behavioral health field? Growing up I always enjoyed listening to different people sharing experiences. When I moved to the United States it was very difficult adjusting to a whole new environment, language, and customs. I was fortunate to meet very nice and supportive friends and families who helped me through that transition time. From there it became more clear to me the importance of unconditional positive regard and genuine human interaction. As a result, I decided to go into the mental health field to be a part of that support for others.
What are some of the highlights over your professional career? Working with neurodivergent kids will always have a special place in my heart. One significant highlight was when I was working with a young client who is on the spectrum and also had recently moved to the United States from China with her family. It was such a cool experience working with her, helping her with behavioral health issues, and connecting through speaking Chinese. The client felt more comfortable and made great progress during that time! Additionally, the work I do now is also the highlight of my professional career because I am able to support people through different kinds of crises and provide that genuine care and positive regard. Overall, I see highlights in each experience I’ve had as they are all unique.
What do you enjoy about your work at Region Ten? Definitely my wonderful team at Wellness Recoverey Center and the wide variety of diagnoses and dynamics I get to see and work through. Wellness Recovery Center has the best team of staff and supervisors who support each other through difficult situations and cheer for each other’s achievements. Seeing various mental health issues and different diagnoses has helped me grow professionally and allowed me to jump in to mediate situations faster, and to also learn different therapeutic approaches.
What does Asian American and Pacific Islander Awareness Month mean to you? AAPI month gives me the time to take a moment to zoom out to the bigger picture. AAPI folks’ mental health struggles are often overlooked due to various reasons. I’d like to encourage people to use this month not only to honor our history and culture, but also to draw attention to those of us who are struggling in silence or do not have a voice to express themselves. It’s also another good time to highlight “Stop Asian Hate”, as always.