A doctor who dedicated his life to promoting culturally competent mental health treatment for Asian Americans died on June 6 from complications following open-heart surgery.
Stanley Su, professor emeritus at the University of California, Davis, was 80 years old.
The American Psychological Association has described Sue as one of “the most prominent leaders in multicultural studies” and “a proactive contributor to issues relating to ethnic minorities.”
According to Wikipedia, in 2003 he was the inaugural recipient of the Stanley Sue Award for Outstanding Contributions to Diversity in Clinical Psychology.
Professor Paul Leon, emeritus professor at the University of North Texas, described Su as a friend and colleague.
“I have all the fond memories of Stan; he was a very fun guy,” Leung told AsAmNews in an email. “Stan and his brother Derald wrote an article on Chinese American personality and mental health that was published in an early issue of Amerasia in 1971, which is now considered the beginning of Asian American psychology. At the time, there were very few Asian or other ethnic minority psychologists.”
Sue has studied the impact of having a therapist of the same ethnicity and mental health issues across ethnic groups.
He is survived by his wife Sue, four siblings, David, Derald, Linda and Leslie Sue, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Over the course of his 30-year career, he has taught at the University of California, Davis (1996-2010), Palo Alto College, UCLA, and the University of Washington.
His obituary said, “Though Stan’s heart eventually gave way, his kindness and loving, vibrant presence left an indelible impression on his family and those he worked with. His legacy will continue to inspire others.”
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