Passion, mission, and career all rolled into one job supporting her young clients, that is how Emily Mann, Clinical Team Leader at (re)MIND® and BEAM, experiences her work at Felton Institute. She takes her work very seriously. As far back as she can remember, Emily always wanted to be a therapist.
“I’m pretty lucky to have found what I wanted to do at such an early age. I remember I was eight years old. I set up the dining table like a therapy area. I even put a little nameplate for myself,” Mann said. “I knew I wanted to be a psychologist. I just liked listening to people and giving people advice.”
Born in San Francisco, Emily is a first-generation Chinese-American of Hong Kong and Taiwanese immigrant parents. From a young age, her parents instilled the importance of being responsible and helping others. Proud of her Asian roots, Emily speaks fluent Mandarin and hopes to teach her 10-month-old daughter the language of her motherland.
“I would say I’m Americanized, but I hold some Chinese values, especially in my marriage and I’m going to raise my kid to embrace them too. I want to raise her with Chinese values, like having close family ties,” she said.
Emily earned her bachelor’s in psychology from UC Irvine and her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from USF. She says being a therapist is like being a mirror to clients, showing the complete reflection of pros and cons within their selves. Working with young adults has been especially rewarding. In her role at Felton’s Early Psychosis Division for the past four years, Emily says the message of normalizing mental health can be achieved by simply talking about it. Despite efforts, Emily says many myths about schizophrenia and psychosis persist.
She explained that movies and society have stigmatized the conditions in a way to make the person seem dangerous, and it’s like a death sentence for people.
“In reality, having psychosis is not a 24/7 state. Falsely, patients are depicted as dangerous or violent people.” She added, “In reality, they are mostly scared, confused, withdrawn, and isolated. The best that the public can do is educate themselves and be curious.”
Emily now calls San Mateo home. When she’s not working, Emily keeps her work-home life balance by enjoying a good TV show, experimenting with Asian cuisine, and taking long walks with her Chihuahua mix dog Louie to the playground. Emily practices gratitude and calls her daughter her greatest gift. She is looking forward to the world opening post-pandemic and traveling in the near future.
For more information about Felton’s Early Psychosis Programs, please visit feltonearlypsychosis.org. You can reach Felton Early Psychosis Programs in San Mateo County by calling their mainline at (650) 458-0026 or emailing FEPPsanMateo@felton.org
About Felton Institute: Founded in 1889, Felton Institute responds to human needs by providing cutting edge, evidence-based mental health and social services that transform lives. Felton Institute is a tax-exempt organization registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit under EIN 94-1156530.
Offering more than 50 acclaimed and honored programs that address homelessness, mental health, prenatal, adolescent, adult, and senior needs, Felton Institute provides services in San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Marin, and Monterey counties. Felton’s social services and programs utilize the latest scientific research, combining cultural sensitivity, deep respect for client and staff, and a commitment to social justice.
Felton is the oldest non-sectarian and nonprofit social services provider in the City and County of San Francisco. For over a century, Felton Institute has been at the forefront of social service innovation, pioneering new approaches to meet underserved populations’ emerging needs. At the heart of our work is the belief that individuals and families in crisis must have access to services and resources to help them build on their inherent strengths and develop self-sufficiency. www.felton.org