Li Yuan Sip – Psychologist
Besides being the month of love, February is also when the Lunar New Year is celebrated.
This year, we usher in the Year of the Horse, a symbol of strength, resilience, and vigour.
Traditionally, the Lunar New Year is a time of reunion with family and a celebration of kinship, where traditions are honoured and blessings are offered and shared for the new year ahead.
For many, this is a joyous period of time where they get to rejoice in the company of family and friends, rekindle connections through shared meals, and recharge and reset before the new year ahead. However, this is not the same for everyone. There are individuals who live away from family, are cooped up with work, or feel out of touch with their culture.
Growing up in multicultural Malaysia, the Lunar New Year is a period of time that I look upon fondly. As a child, the Lunar New Year meant having traditional cookies to my heart’s desire, having a hearty reunion dinner, receiving red packets (that signify good blessings) from family members, taking part in traditional rituals, and gathering with family for a good time.
Having moved across the world to Australia, celebrating the Lunar New Year has since looked very different for me. Most of the time, festive meals are prepared and shared with friends, and reuniting and catching up with family members come in the form of long video calls.
There is no one right way to celebrate the Lunar New Year, and this period of time can look different for everyone.
Nevertheless, regardless of whether you celebrate the Lunar New Year, the key values that underlie this celebration can be embodied in various ways.
At the centre of it all, we can adopt the themes of the Lunar New Year regardless of culture or country!
Celebrate Culture
The core of the Lunar New Year lies in fostering cultural connection, which can look very different for every individual. For some, this can be sending family members a check-in text or giving them a quick call. For others, this can be attending a community event. It can even look like taking some time out to learn about your own culture and tradition, or sharing it with your children.
These are all valid ways of staying connected with one’s culture.
Research¹⁻³ shows that cultural connection is associated with enhanced mental wellbeing among individuals of various age ranges and cultures. Engaging in activities that foster this connection or honour important cultural values can then be seen as a form of self-care. Regardless of whether you celebrate the Lunar New Year, taking the time to understand and practice your unique culture and traditions, no matter what that looks like for you, can be meaningful.
Reflect and Reset
The Lunar New Year also signifies the fresh start of a year, and is a time of honouring new beginnings.
While not everyone has brand new goals or endeavours they would like to work towards, this can be a time where you look back on the previous year, reflecting on the good, the not-so-good, the in-betweens, celebrate small wins, and get a quick reset before the year ahead.
Individuals who engage in self-reflection have been found to report higher levels of life satisfaction and wellbeing⁴⁻⁵. Looking back on the year, you might realise that you have learned and grown in ways you were not previously aware of, and all of that deserves acknowledgement.
Spend Time With Your Tribe
Lastly, the Lunar New Year is traditionally a time spent reuniting with family.
The concept of “family” is constantly evolving. Beyond one’s biological family members, “family” can expand to all individuals or beings that we care for, and those who care for us. This includes pets, close friends, partners, and even ourselves. Spending quality time with your chosen family or tribe can foster stronger social connections, which contributes to improved mental health and wellbeing.⁶
Happy Lunar New Year to All!
As the Lunar New Year approaches, keep in mind to show yourself some grace and give yourself some respite before the year ahead.
Regardless of whether you’re close to family and friends, take some time out to celebrate your culture and honour important values in a way that is unique to you.
Finally, as we would say, Gong Xi Fa Cai (wishing you the best of blessings and prosperity) to everyone in the Year of the Horse!
Li is a psychologist with a Master’s in Educational and Developmental Psychology from the University of Melbourne and is currently completing her registrar program toward endorsement in this area.
Li is passionate about creating a space where clients feel seen, heard, and supported. She works from a warm, culturally informed, and person-centred approach, meeting clients where they are and drawing on their strengths within the broader systems that shape their lives. Her practice is neurodiversity-affirming and grounded in collaboration and respect.
Li has experience working with clients across the lifespan, from early childhood through to adulthood, in school settings, parent coaching programs for families of neurodivergent children, and private practice. She conducts neurodevelopmental (ADHD, autism) and psychoeducational assessments, as well as counselling to support emotional wellbeing, relationships, and adjustment to medical conditions. Her therapeutic work integrates CBT, ACT, and play-based approaches tailored to each client’s needs.
Li is multilingual, speaking Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay, and conversational Korean in addition to English. She is deeply committed to supporting culturally and linguistically diverse individuals and families, helping each person feel understood and valued for who they are.
References
- Angelino, A. C., Bell, J., Bell, R., & Perry, M. F. (2024). Cultural Connection and Well-being for American Indian Adolescents. American Indian & Alaska Native Mental Health Research: The Journal of the National Center, 31(1).
- Webber, M., & Waru-Benson, S. (2022). The role of cultural connectedness and ethnic group belonging to the social-emotional wellbeing of diverse students. In Indigenising education and citizenship: Perspectives on policies and practices from Sápmi and beyond (pp. 294-312).
- Grossi, E., Tavano Blessi, G., Sacco, P. L., & Buscema, M. (2012). The interaction between culture, health and psychological well-being: Data mining from the Italian culture and well-being project. Journal of Happiness Studies, 13(1), 129-148.
- Harrington, R., & Loffredo, D. A. (2010). Insight, rumination, and self-reflection as predictors of well-being. The Journal of psychology, 145(1), 39-57.
- Fan, E., Flood, A., Williams, C. E., & McLean, C. Self-Reflection and Well-Being. In The Strategic Guide to Shaping Your Student Affairs Career (pp. 157-176). Routledge.
- Kemp, A. H., Arias, J. A., & Fisher, Z. (2017). Social ties, health and wellbeing: a literature review and model. Neuroscience and social science: The missing link, 397-427.