A Conversation With Aruna Jha, founder of the Asian American Suicide Prevention Initiative (AASPI)

“PURAB AUR PACHIM: PARIVARIK PARESHANEEYAN, PARIVARTAN, PRAYATNA AUR PYAR.” This presentation will focus on issues related to stress factors in Asian Indian immigrant families. Particular themes addressed are: • Stress related to migration- Is it only happening to Asian Indians? • Changing family relationships –Stress in the “sandwich generation” • Dependant parents: migration in late life, and problems in adjustment • “Jab Dard Saha Na Jaye”: When it hurts too much! • What are some solutions? Dr. Aruna Jha is the founder of the Asian American Suicide Prevention Initiative (AASPI) and has devoted the past 15 years to understanding and addressing suicide in Asians and immigrants from Asian countries. Her research focuses on acculturation, stress, psychological distress, and suicide in young Asian Americans and pathways to developing resiliency in individuals and families. She is a well known trainer and presenter in the field of mental health. Dr. Jha has 3 graduate degrees in Child Development, Mental Health Counseling, and Social Work and completed a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a practicing family and youth therapist.