Andrew J. Hewitt, PMHNP-BC
Caliper Wellness — Pasco County, Florida
Author Note. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Caliper Wellness, Pasco County, FL. Telehealth services available across Florida. Views expressed are for education and do not replace individualized care.
Abstract
As the first Marvel Studios film led by an Asian superhero, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings amplified ongoing conversations about cultural representation, masculinity, diaspora identity, and intergenerational trauma—topics that also sit squarely within modern mental health care. Drawing on recent scholarship and reports (2024–2025), this article examines how positive on-screen representation can support belonging and empowerment, how parasocial connections with public figures can shape attitudes toward help-seeking, and how themes embedded in Shang-Chi intersect with anxiety, stigma, and resilience among Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities. Practical recommendations are provided for clinicians and clients, with an emphasis on holistic, evidence-informed care. While superheroes cannot solve structural inequities, stories like Shang-Chi can catalyze meaning-making, identity affirmation, and prosocial conversations that bolster mental health—especially when paired with accessible, culturally responsive services. The Guardian+3Marvel+3McKinsey & Company+3
Introduction
For many patients, media is more than entertainment; it is a mirror. When someone sees a hero who looks or lives like them, that moment of recognition can validate identity, reduce shame, and spark conversations about well-being that might otherwise feel out of reach. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Marvel Studios, 2021) arrived as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first Asian-led feature, stewarded by Asian and Asian-American talent in front of and behind the camera. Its official materials position the film as a core MCU entry with characters and mythos now familiar to global audiences. Marvel
As a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, I’ve watched patients leverage stories like Shang-Chi to articulate complex feelings: filial expectations, acculturation stress, the weight of “model minority” narratives, and the tension between autonomy and relational duty. Beyond personal resonance, recent data remind us why representation and culturally attuned care matter: API communities remain under-served in mental health access and continue to face elevated exposure to discrimination and hate, both of which correlate with anxiety, depressive symptoms, and help-seeking barriers. Office of Minority Health+1
This essay explores Shang-Chi through three lenses: (a) representation and identity; (b) parasocial connection and help-seeking; and (c) narrative themes—especially intergenerational trauma—and their therapeutic implications. The goal is not to canonize a blockbuster, but to connect pop culture with practical, whole-person care.
Representation, Belonging, and Why Visibility Still Matters
Representation—and its limits—are measurable
Representation is no longer only a moral argument; it has measurable cultural and economic dimensions. McKinsey’s 2024 analysis documented both the financial upside of authentic API storytelling and the persistent supply-side gaps limiting API creators, narratives, and leadership. In other words, audiences are there, but systems have not fully caught up. McKinsey & Company
A 2025 report summarized by NextShark similarly highlighted progress alongside deficits: API visibility has grown, but breadth and depth lag, especially for subgroups and behind-the-camera roles. The report—produced by the Geena Davis Institute with CAPE—frames representation as a pipeline challenge that touches hiring, development, and distribution. NextShark
Mental-health relevance for API communities
Representation intersects with mental health in at least two ways. First, it can counter chronic invalidation—important at a time when more than half of AAPI adults reported experiencing hate in 2024, with many incidents unreported due to futility or fear. Second, relatable portrayals can normalize help-seeking and challenge stigma around mental health care—particularly salient given that, in 2024, Asian American adults utilized mental health treatment at markedly lower rates than the general U.S. population. The Guardian+1
From a clinical perspective, these contextual factors shape symptom expression, coping, and access. For example, a patient might minimize distress to preserve family face or underutilize services due to internalized stigma. Effective care considers these realities.
Parasocial Connections, Role Models, and Help-Seeking
Parasocial relationships—our one-sided bonds with public figures—are not new, but social media has intensified their intimacy and frequency. The APA’s Monitor on Psychology (2025) spotlighted evolving parasocial dynamics, including jealousy and identification. Importantly, emerging research suggests that when admired figures disclose mental health experiences, parasocial bonds can reduce stigma and increase perceived efficacy—nudging some viewers toward care. apa.org+1
Simu Liu, who portrays Shang-Chi, has used high-visibility stages to discuss mental health candidly—encouraging therapy, social support, and honest conversations about the pressures of fame and identity. In 2024 and 2025 talks, he emphasized the value of professional help and trusted networks, echoing best practices in clinical care. For some fans, that validation from a recognizable figure functions as a bridge to services they might otherwise avoid. explore.modernhealth.com+1
Clinically, this matters. When patients tell me they sought therapy because a public figure “made it okay,” I see parasocial connection translating into real-world action. Providers can harness this by asking about media touchstones (“Who inspires you right now?”) and integrating those narratives into motivational interviewing and relapse prevention.
The Film’s Thematic Core: Family Systems, Intergenerational Trauma, and Identity
Although Shang-Chi is an action spectacle, its emotional center is familial: a son negotiating grief, a father entangled with loss and power, and a sister asserting autonomy after years of erasure. Those threads map onto concepts we routinely navigate in therapy.
Intergenerational trauma—what recent research adds
Recent systematic reviews (2025) synthesize how trauma reverberates across generations, shaping identity, attachment, and coping—even when descendants did not directly experience the index trauma. Themes include an “indelible scar” that can manifest as hypervigilance, ambivalence in identity integration, and oscillation between enmeshment and distance—patterns many clinicians recognize in diasporic families. Taylor & Francis Online+1
In Shang-Chi, the family’s loss and the father’s response—oscillating between tenderness and control—illustrate how unprocessed grief can drive coercive patterns. Without pathologizing culture, we can notice how filial duty, perfectionism, and emotional reticence may co-exist with deep care, producing dissonance in first- and second-generation children.
Masculinity, agency, and re-authoring the narrative
The film also intervenes in portrayals of Asian masculinity, offering heroism unbound from emasculating tropes and fetishized “kung-fu mystique.” Contemporary analyses argue that shifting depictions of API men broaden social scripts around desirability, leadership, and vulnerability—shifts with downstream effects on self-concept and relationship dynamics. While industry commentary is not peer-reviewed, it triangulates with broader inclusion findings and aligns with patient reports of feeling “seen” by non-stereotyped leads. McKinsey & Company+1
In therapy, representation-informed reframing sounds like: “If Shang-Chi can be both devoted to family and self-directed, what might balanced duty look like for you?” Patients can practice flexible masculinity—firm but not rigid, relational but not self-effacing—which reduces cognitive load and anxiety.
Community-Level Stressors: Discrimination, Hate, and Mental Health
No film can inoculate communities from macro stressors. The 2025 scoping review of anti-Asian hate incidents charts persistent mental-health impacts—including anxiety, hypervigilance, and reduced perceptions of safety. The 2024/2025 national survey data further underscore the frequency of harassment and the under-reporting of incidents—dynamics that perpetuate isolation. OUP Academic+1
At the same time, federal data indicate lower mental-health service utilization among Asian American adults compared with the general population, pointing to structural barriers (cost, access, language), cultural expectations, and mistrust. Here, culturally responsive telehealth—like the model we use at Caliper Wellness—can reduce friction by improving privacy, flexibility, and reach. Office of Minority Health
What Clinicians Can Do: Practical, Holistic Strategies
- Ask about media that matters. Invite patients to reflect on stories and figures that resonate—then use those narratives to scaffold values clarification, identity work, and coping skill rehearsal. (Example prompts: “What did you admire in Shang-Chi’s choices?” “Where did you feel conflicted?”)
- Name intergenerational patterns without blame. Use genograms to map loyalty, expectations, and migration stressors. Normalize ambivalence: honoring family while individuating. (Recent reviews show that validation and integration—rather than erasure—are central to healing across generations.) Taylor & Francis Online
- Leverage parasocial disclosures. If a patient cites a public figure’s mental-health openness (e.g., Simu Liu), explore how that modeling can translate into concrete steps—first appointment, skills group, or peer support. explore.modernhealth.com+1
- Screen and address discrimination-linked stress. Directly assess safety, harassment exposure, and coping. Offer documentation, referrals, and advocacy resources. Normalize trauma-consistent responses while building somatic and cognitive skills for regulation. OUP Academic+1
- Mind the access gap. Provide low-barrier entry points (telehealth intakes, asynchronous check-ins), language-concordant resources when possible, and psychoeducation tailored to family decision-making patterns commonly observed in API households. Office of Minority Health
- Integrate care. Coordinate with primary care for sleep, pain, cardiometabolic risk, and activity prescriptions—areas where anxiety, discrimination stress, and acculturation can take a physiologic toll.
What Individuals and Families Can Try (Inspired by the Film’s Themes)
- “Two styles” breathing practice. Borrowing the movie’s motif of contrasting styles (soft vs. forceful), alternate between gentle diaphragmatic breathing and brief power breaths to discover which suits your current state—a body-based way to practice flexibility when anxiety spikes. (Discuss with your clinician if you have cardiopulmonary conditions.) Inverse
- Values micro-commitments. Identify one trait you admire in a role model (e.g., courage, loyalty) and choose a 5-minute daily action that enacts it (texting a check-in, setting a boundary). Tiny, values-consistent behaviors build self-trust.
- Intergenerational “story exchange.” With consent, invite elders to share one formative challenge they overcame; respond by sharing one value you hope to carry forward and one boundary you need to thrive. Framing this as continuity plus differentiation can reduce guilt.
- Media hygiene. Curate feeds to elevate creators whose disclosures around mental health are accurate and constructive—parasocial ties can help when they point to resources and normalize care. apa.org+1
Cautions and Nuance
Media cannot substitute for treatment. For some, intense identification with public figures can shade into parasocial over-reliance—especially during loneliness or transitions. Recent coverage notes that parasocial dynamics are evolving; clinicians should assess whether these bonds supplement or displace real-world support. Fortunately, research also suggests potential upsides when parasocial content reduces stigma and models coping effectively. The clinical task is to titrate—not eliminate—these connections. apa.org+2Taylor & Francis Online+2
It is also important to avoid overgeneralization. The “Asian American” umbrella encompasses vast heterogeneity in history, language, class, migration paths, and colorism. Representation gains at the marquee level must extend to less visible subgroups and narratives, including those at intersecting margins (e.g., queer and trans APIs, refugees, adoptees). Industry analyses and advocacy reports emphasize this breadth as the next frontier. McKinsey & Company+2NextShark+2
Why Shang-Chi Still Matters for Mental Health
So what can a superhero film actually do? It can’t dismantle structural racism, fund multilingual clinics, or write mental-health parity into law. But it can supply shared language for identity work, model flexible masculinity, depict complex family love, and amplify public figures who tell the truth about therapy and pressure. In the clinic, those ingredients often become leverage for change: a patient reaches out earlier, tolerates discomfort longer, or forgives themselves faster.
At Caliper Wellness, we meet patients at the intersection of story and science. We integrate talk therapy, medication management, and lifestyle interventions—and we routinely weave in the narratives that give patients energy. When someone finds strength in Shang-Chi, we honor that, then translate it into a plan: structured CBT or ACT for worry and avoidance, sleep and movement prescriptions, disclosure coaching for family conversations, and, when helpful, evidence-informed pharmacotherapy. Representation lights the spark; care keeps it burning.
Conclusion
Shang-Chi offered a global audience a hero forged from contradictions familiar to many API families: tenderness and toughness, obligation and independence, grief and renewal. In 2024–2025, research and reporting continued to show that representation, discrimination, and access shape mental-health trajectories for API communities. Parasocial bonds can nudge people toward care, especially when public figures normalize therapy. Intergenerational trauma remains a helpful lens for clinicians seeking to validate complexity without pathologizing culture.
Superheroes won’t replace therapists, but they can help us start talking—and keep going. If a story has moved you, bring it to your session. We’ll build from there.
References (APA 7th)
American Psychological Association. (2025, September). Parasocial jealousy, clinical trainee burnout, and more science. Monitor on Psychology, 56(6). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2025/09/parasocial-jealousy-clinical-burnoutapa.org
BMC Psychology. (2025). Impact of intergenerational trauma on second-generation descendants: A systematic review. https://bmcpsychology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40359-025-03012-4BioMed Central
Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, CAPE, & IW Group. (2025, June 4). New report highlights gains and gaps in Asian representation in Hollywood. NextShark. https://nextshark.com/report-asian-representation-hollywoodNextShark
McKinsey & Company. (2024, April 24). From margins to mainstream: Asians and Pacific Islanders in Hollywood. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/from-margins-to-mainstream-asians-and-pacific-islanders-in-hollywoodMcKinsey & Company
Modern Health. (2024). Elevate 2024: Simu Liu on social media, fame, and mental health [Conference session]. https://explore.modernhealth.com/elevate-on-demand-highlights-p/elevate-2024-simu-liu-fame-mental-healthexplore.modernhealth.com
Office of Minority Health. (2024). Mental and behavioral health—Asian Americans. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/mental-and-behavioral-health-asian-americansOffice of Minority Health
Stop AAPI Hate & NORC at the University of Chicago. (2025, June 2). Half of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders faced hate in 2024, study finds [News report]. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/02/aapi-hate-studyThe Guardian
Tandfonline Journal of Phenomenological Psychology. (2025). Intergenerational trauma in phenomenological research—A systematic review. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/15325024.2025.2490917Taylor & Francis Online
UWO Western News. (2025, October). Simu Liu holds candid conversation on campus (mental health, immigrant upbringing, early career). Western University. https://news.westernu.ca/2025/10/simu-liu-mental-health/Western News
van der Nagel, E., & Lewis, T. (2022). Parasocial relationships, social media, & well-being. Current Opinion in Psychology, 45, 101301. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X22000082(included for context; if strictly limiting to the last two years, substitute with the 2025 APA Monitor article and 2025 mixed-methods study below). ScienceDirect
Varanasi, R., & Jain, S. (2025). Parasocial relationships, social support, and well-being: A mixed-methods study among Indian youth. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/02673843.2025.2480712Taylor & Francis Online
Marvel Studios. (n.d.). Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Official page). https://www.marvel.com/movies/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-ringsMarvel
Inverse. (2024, February 20). ‘Shang-Chi’ director reveals the truth behind the movie’s dragons (E. Francisco, Interview with D. D. Cretton). https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/shang-chi-legend-of-ten-rings-interview-destin-daniel-cretton-dragons-spoilersInverse
Entertainment Weekly. (2023). Destin Daniel Cretton won’t direct “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” (but remains attached to Shang-Chi 2). https://ew.com/destin-daniel-cretton-wont-direct-avengers-the-kang-dynasty-8402524(borderline but within ~2 years of this publication date).EW.com
About Caliper Wellness
Caliper Wellness provides empathetic, holistic mental health care—combining talk therapy, medication management, and lifestyle support. We offer telehealth services across Florida, including Pasco County. If elements of Shang-Chi resonate with you and you’d like to translate that into a personalized wellness plan, we’re here to help.