In Her Own Words: Tiffany Liew, LMSW, Asian Outreach Program
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
Social work wasn’t on my bucket list when I was 10. I knew I wanted a career that focused on helping people, but I was thinking a teacher or nurse.
It wasn’t until well into my undergraduate studies that I landed on social work. I was a health and human services major at the University at Buffalo. The plan was to become a physical therapist and help people heal their bodies. Then I noticed that a lot of people with my major went into the Master of Social Work (MSW) program. I really connected with the core values: honoring the dignity and value of each person and supporting them to achieve a different kind of wellness and healing.
Today I serve as a licensed master social worker at The Child Center of NY. I work with our Asian Outreach Program (AOP), which uses credible messengers—people steeped in the language and culture themselves—to break down language barriers and stigma to reach Asian children and families with mental health and substance abuse services.
As part of the program, I do outreach in public schools and throughout the community, both formally and informally. I might attend a community event or family gathering and use the opportunity to raise awareness about mental health and the services available to families. Every conversation matters because each person I connect with becomes another link in spreading awareness and reducing stigma.
The Asian Outreach program bridges the gap in mental health services within Asian communities. In my specific role, I work in five public schools in Queens. I like to think of my role as a three-in-one: I'm in the clinic; I'm doing therapy like any other social worker; and I'm in the community. For example, a guidance counselor might contact me about needing more support with a student. They might not be sure what’s going on but have identified that the student seems to be struggling academically and with their mental health. That’s when I’ll talk with the student and the parents, and make sure we’re all collaborating for the best interests of the child. I provide short-term therapy right in the school, and if they need more beyond that, I can link them to therapy at one of our wellness centers. We have both in-person and virtual options, and we offer individual and family therapy.
Parents tend to trust me and are more likely to open up because they see that I am from a background like theirs. I speak Mandarin and Cantonese and come from an immigrant family. My first step is always to let them talk. I don't want to overwhelm them because they often have a lot on their plate. Maybe they are working full time, or they're a single parent, and they are just trying to make a living and ensure their kid goes to school most of the time. I then explain the presenting problem and ask their thoughts. I always let them take the lead and make sure they know that I am not here to make anything difficult for them; I am here to support their child and the family. In addition to providing therapy, I can connect them with other resources. If there is not enough food on the table or there is a housing issue, we help with those aspects as well. Through it all, the core values that drew me to social work in the first place guide the way I work with our clients: I value where and who they are as a person and where they are in their journey. And I always, always use empathy and positivity in every challenge and every situation we come across.
Although I’ve had many meaningful experiences that confirm I chose the right career, one student from this past school year stands out.
This student struggled with severe social and school-related anxiety and had become extremely avoidant after a falling-out with peers during her freshman year. Eventually, she stopped attending school altogether. By what should have been her junior year, she had earned only four credits and was no longer on track to graduate on time.
At first, she would come to school only on the days I was there—just once a week—but she genuinely looked forward to those visits. The fact that she made the effort to attend on those days showed me that she actively wanted to change and had insight into her mental health challenges. I would meet with her first thing in the morning, and she would stay through the rest of the school day.
At the same time, I continued collaborating with her guidance counselor and mom to explore additional ways to support her. We talked through different options for improving her daily life and future opportunities. One of the options we discussed was pursuing a high school equivalency diploma (formerly known as the GED), but they ultimately decided it was not the right fit for her.
Then we talked about switching schools, because sometimes the environment needs to change. If we're in a toxic environment, whether we’re a young person or an adult, we’re not going to achieve our goals. We're going to suffer. This student suffered for more than two years. So we looked into schools that would accept her with her low number of credits.
She is now a student at one of those schools. She is getting good grades, making new friends, and independently traveling by bus. I continue to work with her through telehealth, and seeing her progress has been incredibly moving.
When I first chose this field, my parents initially hoped I would become a lawyer or a doctor. But over time, they became very supportive. They simply told me they hoped I would build a successful career for myself. Of course, financial stability is always a concern in our field, but I remember telling myself when I was younger that I wanted to work with the Asian community. And now, here I am, doing exactly what I once hoped I would do.
I am so grateful to have this opportunity to share my story during Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. AAPI Month is a meaningful recognition and celebration of the diversity, cultures, and histories that our Asian Americans and Pacific Islander communities have.
During COVID, there was a lot of hatred toward our Asian communities, especially our Chinese communities, because of everything going on with how the pandemic started. When I thought about that, I thought about how we need to stand up for our communities. We need to acknowledge that we have a lot of challenges and we need to talk about how it has a lasting effect on a lot of our mental health.
As someone who's Asian American and growing up here in America, I had my own struggles with identifying as an Asian American; I felt not in tune with my Asian culture because I was raised here. That's why I went back to my home country, Malaysia, where my parents are from, and I was able to immerse myself in the culture and learn a little bit more when I was talking to my grandparents. Getting to know them, I came to recognize that they have their own barriers, and they have their mental health struggles, too. We're all in the same boat. We should treat everyone the way we want to be treated. And even though this is our month, it reminds me that everyone should be treated kindly, and we need to respect everyone's differences. As an Asian American myself, this is a month where I must take that extra step. It's not just about celebrating the culture, but also advocating for our Asian communities. The Asian Outreach Program does this all year round. I look forward to continuing to be a part of it.
