Unorthodox Therapy Inc. Collaborates with Councilmember Nina Ahmad to Honor Cambodian Community and Address Mental Health Needs
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: info@unorthodoxtherapy.org
Date: April 28, 2025
Unorthodox Therapy Inc. Partners with Councilmember Nina Ahmad and Southeast Asian Leaders to Celebrate Cambodian Heritage and Confront Mental Health Silence
Philadelphia, PA — Unorthodox Therapy Inc., a nonprofit rooted in mental health equity and cultural healing, joined Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad, the first South Asian American and Muslim woman on Philadelphia City Council, for a public celebration of Cambodian New Year that honored the Cambodian community while acknowledging the deep and often unspoken wounds of genocide, migration, and trauma.
The event, held in South Philadelphia, brought together prominent voices in the Cambodian and Southeast Asian community. Jay Chan, a renowned Cambodian-American artist, was present and shared his work that reflects the strength, beauty, and survival of the diaspora. Councilmember Ahmad’s presence reflected her continued commitment to immigrant communities and her understanding of what it means to turn lived trauma into legislative empathy.
Also recognized were Seng Pheng, a leading advocate against unjust deportations of Cambodian refugees, and Naroen, a civil rights organizer whose grassroots efforts continue to push civic awareness and healing forward for Southeast Asian residents.
A major voice emerging in the national dialogue around Cambodian-American wellness is Dr. NARY KITHS, a licensed therapist and visionary in culturally informed mental health care. As a trailblazer, Dr. Kids has dedicated her work to helping first- and second-generation genocide survivors navigate complex intergenerational trauma. She is the driving force behind the upcoming Khmer Healing Summit, scheduled for June 28, 2025, which will bring together thought leaders and trauma-informed professionals to redefine healing through a Southeast Asian lens.
Dr. Kids also created Genocide to Table Side, a storytelling and community-building initiative where Cambodian Americans share meals and stories in a safe space that blends culture, memory, and mental health awareness. This platform opens the door for honest dialogue and healing, especially for those who have suffered in silence for too long.
“For many in our community, the trauma we carry is generational. It is physical, emotional, and invisible all at once,” said MonyChann McCarty, founder of Unorthodox Therapy Inc. and a Cambodian-American woman herself. “By standing with Councilmember Ahmad, Jay Chan, Dr. Kids, Seng, and Naroen, we are collectively reclaiming our history and rewriting how healing looks for us.”
Unorthodox Therapy Inc. is proud to support and amplify voices that make healing accessible and culturally grounded. By participating in this celebration and connecting with trusted leaders, the organization affirms its role as a healing hub for overlooked communities in Philadelphia and beyond.
“We are not outsiders in this conversation. We are survivors, we are advocates, and we are healers,” McCarty added. “This is what community-led recovery looks like. Face to face. Name to name. Story to story.”
Unorthodox Therapy Inc. continues to provide accessible mental health support, culturally relevant healing models, and strategic partnerships that lift up the underserved and underheard.
