This year has been very hard for many people. The coronavirus pandemic and its aftermath have taken a heavy toll on people’s mental health. Some have found the help they needed in therapists and support groups. Today, October 27th 2020, marks the 5th anniversary of CandleX’s support group, which since its inception has helped dozens of people in the Beijing expat community find light in darkness. On this occasion, we would like to share with our readers the experience of one of its most recent attendees. SJ came to China from the US almost three years ago, and has been living in Beijing ever since. The reason why she decided to move to the Chinese capital was that she was looking for a change in her life and wanted to try something different. She is now enjoying her work as a teacher, while at the same time struggling with the situation created by the pandemic. - How did you hear about CandleX’s support group? What made you decide to join its meetings? During the quarantine I was having a difficult time, and I felt that I needed to talk to somebody I could share my feelings with apart from the people close to me. A friend who had attended the support group told me about it and suggested me to join the meetings, and so after some time I finally decided to go. I’ve attended four or five meetings so far, and I plan to attend more in the near future. I’ve also led two of them I’ve always done a lot of introspection work on myself and I have a lot of experience in support groups back home, although I’m not a therapist or a counselor. - How was the experience? Were the meetings helpful? If so, how? Yes, I think the meetings were helpful in many ways. They have a good structure, with some time for meditation at the beginning, which is a very nice way to start, and also helps you to focus on your feelings before sharing them with other people. Instead of a crosstalk, it’s just a chance to open your heart and talk to each other in an honest way. I strongly believe that speaking the truth is powerful, and talking openly about your feelings with other people can be very healing. This is why I think these meetings are so helpful: they set a stage where you can express yourself without fearof judgment. I’d say the best thing I got out of the meetings was finding people who could listen to me and understand what I was going through. Another thing I liked about the meetings is their confidentiality – it’s beautiful that we have the chance to share in such a comfortable atmosphere. - How did you feel about expressing your feelings with other people? Were you scared or nervous about that? I’m a very open person, and I’ve always felt comfortable about sharing my feelings with others. I also like listening to other people’s stories, because it helps me realize that I’m not the only one who’s struggling, that we’re all on the same boat. For example, two of my family members back home are having a hard time because of the pandemic – not being able to be with them makes me feel helpless sometimes, and this is a source of stress for me. Many other people are living in similar situations, and having the opportunity to talk about the experiences we’re going through can help everyone share the burden. - How have things changed for you since you joined the peer support group? I think I’m doing better. I’d say that, on a scale from 1 to 10, I’m now at 7 – as opposed to when I started going to the meetings, when I was at 1. I think I’m doing better. I’d say that, on a scale from 1 to 10, I’m now at 7 – as opposed to when I started going to the meetings when I was at 1. - You have also taken part in CandleX’s support group hangouts. How was the experience? I enjoyed the opportunity of hanging out with some of the people I had met at the support group in a different environment. I feel that in the hangouts I can share and enjoy other people’s company, instead of our pain, and this has helped me establish new friendships. It’s very nice to have a community that shares understanding and with which one can do things together, especially in a situation of uncertainty such as the one we are living through right now. - Looking back at your experience, what advice would you give people who might be struggling with depression or other issues? I’d tell people that there’s no shame in being human, that we all have issues even if our society has made us internalize the idea that it’s wrong to talk about them. We need to accept the fact that we have weaknesses, and that there’s nothing wrong with sharing them with others. As I just said, speaking the truth is powerful, and having a safe place to be honest with oneself and with others and talk about one’s feelings without any judgment or prejudice is a good way to start doing that. CandleX’s Resources Are you or a friend in a Crisis? Crisis Support Your questions on mental health | CandleX Classroom https://www.candlex.cn/classroom Depression stories from our community members (both adults and teens) CandleX Column | Community Writing https://www.candlex.cn/community-writing Pretreatment CandleX Wechat Groups all ages, add our admin: niama_elazzab for 15-22 year old, add our admin: amaraprenderyya Peer Support Group biweekly meetings and biweekly hangout

Here’s the latest in our Community Writing Project. Lily, a 16-year old high school student originally from China, writes about her experiences with mental health as an international student in America. Thank you for sharing your story, Lily! If you have any comments about this piece, are affected by its contents or what to discuss with our community, scan the QR code at the bottom of this article to join our Wechat group. I came to America by myself as an international student at the age of 13. I did not prepare much for my American life. I was too young to understand how big the challenge would be. I landed in America with excitement, and everyone welcomed me. At that moment, I was truly happy because I thought I was free. My parents weren’t around anymore. I did not know what it meant to live in someone else’s house by myself. My freshman year flew by with numbness. I wasted my time, focused on useless things, made wrong decisions. On the last day of my freshman year, I lay on my bed and questioned myself: what did I do in the last 10 months, anything meaningful, anything worth telling my parents about, or anything to make me proud? No, I didn’t achieve anything. This sad mood lasted about two days, and I felt like I was stuck in a swamp. Looking back now, that was the beginning of my depression. But at that time, I had no idea about mental health and never thought that I would trip over mental health issues. My sophomore year was when my depression really started. I started to understand that I needed good grades to go to a good college, to make my parents proud, and to make all the money they spent on me worth it. I think the only way to make up the mistakes I had made before was to work really, really hard. The time I spent studying time was the only moment in which I did not feel so bad about myself. I started to try to be someone else, someone who looks perfect from the outside, and that kind of mindset turned into jealousy. Bitterness and resentment from everyday life made me feel even worse. Every time I felt so tired and tried to relax or take a nap. I constantly questioned myself - would the people I admire take a nap at this point? No, of course not, so why would I be relaxing? I did not think that I deserved to relax anymore. I always told myself to think about how much money my parents had spent on me. So, I just continued to study even when I was tired, and because I was tired I could not focus well, which in turn meant my grades suffered. Declining grades make me even more frustrated with myself, and as you can see, I was stuck in a bad loop. During that time, I was also in our school's soccer team, but after all these late-night studies and pain in the head caused my health to worsen, I was no longer picked in the starting team. With the negative feedback from my teammates and coach, I lost interest in my only hobby, soccer, too. I carried all these heavy loads with me and felt like a coin dropped into the deep, deep ocean without any light around me. I worked really hard to cover up my mistakes. I lived in the shadow of self-inflicted blame every single moment. It was really hard, and the voice in my head questioning the efforts I made got louder and louder. The questions I asked myself: Do I work hard enough? Do I deserve happiness? Am I worth the money my parents spend on me? Those questions hit my mind hard, and I could not get rid of them for years. Eventually, I started to cover my negative thoughts by playing games. Winning in games gave me a sense of achievement. But just a few weeks later, I lost my interest in games too. Every moment of happiness made me feel guilty. I started to find everything in life boring. I could hardly find anything in my life that could bring me excitement and happiness. I should have done something to end my depression, but I did not. Instead of facing myself and talking to myself, I choose to avoid my problems because of guilt. Unfortunately, that made my depression even worse. I tried to talk to my friends, but I didn’t know how to start. Every time I tried to tell someone that I thought I may have depression, they just stared at me with disbelief in their eyes and told me that I am someone who will never have depression. Ignorance and incomprehension from my host family make me feel isolated from others mentally. I did not want to talk to anyone anymore, not even my parents. During the hardest time, I had a lot of suicidal thoughts, and I never thought that I could ever make it this far, but I did. I am so glad that I could make it through. I finally talked to one of my friends who could understand me, and one of my teachers who studies psychology. Both of them gave me really helpful advice and I started to face my emotions, and get better. I started to talk to my parents and tell them what I have been thinking, and tell them that I feel sorry and wish that I could change. My parents told me that they have never expected me to be number one at any given time, they just wished me to be happy and free. Their comfort warmed the coldest part in my heart and words could not describe how much better I felt after talking to them. It felt like I dropped all my loads and finally had a chance to breathe. If you are reading this, and you think you may have depression or negative thoughts, I genuinely ask anyone who has mental problems to talk to others, it does not have to be your friends, or parents, it could be anyone that you trust. You never know how good it will turn out. It is also a good idea to see a therapist, they could give you really helpful instructions. In addition, from my experience, I sincerely wish everyone who has mental problems could keep going, and not give up. I know it is hard, but once you overcome the fear in your heart and the anxiety in your mind, you can crush all the adversities in your life in the future. Many people see my story as unfortunate, and they are right. What I have encountered has changed me a lot, but I do not see it as a curse. Everything has a positive side that needs us to explore. In the past years, I have gained courage and life experience to face obstacles in the future. Join our WeChat group: Interested in what we do? Follow us on Twitter @CandleXBeijing for more.

Hi CandleXers, Here’s the next installment of our “Letters to Parents” series, in which we give Beijing high school or college-aged young people the chance to write a letter to some of the most important people in their lives – their parents. As ever, if you have any ideas or would like to join this project, get in touch. Dear Mom, When was the last time that you had to remind me to study? I don’t remember either, because it must have been a long time ago, and you don’t need to anymore. In fact, you feel proud to tell everyone that I’m the kind of daughter who takes the initiative to sacrifice her free time for SAT practice, or wakes up thirty minutes earlier every morning to learn Spanish by listening to CNN español. I might appear to be successful from the outside, and I’m glad to make you feel proud of me. The truth, however, is that ever since I have become this “productive” student, I feel the least successful as I have ever been. This need to always be working on something probably started when you told everyone about how well I did on the TOEFL exam four years ago. I must admit that it felt good to hear the congratulations from your coworkers and to know that my aunts and uncles were using me as a role model to motivate their children to study hard. But why did you only focus on my achievements, rather than who I was as a person? I knew that’s when my perfectionism started, and it was further encouraged by the many times that you bragged about what I have achieved or what I have done. What’s more, the “success stories” that you told me, about students who won one math competition after another, who went to top-ranking schools, were never helpful for my self-esteem. When you patted me on my back and told me that “I know you’ll be as successful as they are”, I was terrified and anxious. I know you want nothing but the best for your daughter, but it is hard not to interpret your message as that I will never be good enough until I become as successful as they are. Your focus on those external factors shaped my definition of success. You see, when I was productive or when I had accomplished something, I felt successful and worthy; without the shield of my achievements, however, I felt like a loser. My perfectionism told me that I'm not good enough by just being myself. I tried to be perfect in everything that I do because I was afraid of not being able to measure up to your expectations. As a result, I no longer felt confident without external achievements. For example, when I messed up on a mini-quiz that no one else even cared about, I criticized myself: “You’re so stupid. You got even the most basic questions wrong. You’re not good at anything.” When I wanted to award myself for taking the SAT by watching a movie, I couldn’t — twenty minutes into Call Me by Your Name, I became anxious about not being productive. I turned off the movie and opened my Biology worksheet. You probably can tell by now why I have always been so productive. I was driven by the fear of failure, a sense of duty, a never-ending satisfaction, and the desire to be accepted. How I wanted to take a break, spend a day to take care of myself or even just sleep in on a weekend. I couldn’t. I was so afraid of failing. But please don’t worry about me; I no longer believe in the vain promises of my perfectionism. Please don’t feel bad; I understand that you didn’t know either that focusing so much on what I can achieve could cause my mental health to deteriorate. There’s only one thing that I ask of you; that instead of “I’m proud of you for earning that A in math”, you would tell me, “Nothing is perfect. You are not perfect. But you are still worthy”. Love, Alison Thanks for reading! If you are affected by the issues in the letter in any way or are facing a mental health crisis, access support via the resources below. And remember to follow CandleX on Twitter if you haven’t already @CandleX_Beijing #mentalhealth #lettertoparents #perfectionism #selfesteem

Hi CandleXers! Thanks for the great feedback on our “letters to parents” series, in which we’ve been asking teenage Beijingers to write the letter to their parents they have always wanted to write. These anonymous letters are all written by teens that are either still in high school or have just graduated. “English class reminded me of you” To my dearest parents, It's been quite a long time since the last time I wrote to you. I hope you are all safe during this coronavirus situation. Recently, I’ve been reading The Crucible by Arthur Miller in English class, and the marriage between John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor reminds me of your relationship to some extent. This book and my memories take me back to the old days. In the play, the author uses language to illustrate the intense relationship between John Proctor and Elizabeth Proctor. In Act 1, when John walks into the home, Elizabeth brings the soup and “sits and watches him taste it." While he praises her cooking, she "blushes with pleasure" and says that she "took great care" with the meal. John and his wife continue to engage in brief small talk, which increases the tension between them. Both of them are careful not to upset each other and prefer to speak about common subjects, such as the children and the crops. When John tastes his meal, he seasons the stew and lies to Elizabeth by saying, "It’s well seasoned". John's little lie indicates that the relationship between him and Elizabeth is unsteady and he uses minor compliments to make her happy. John continues to mention that he intends to purchase George Jacob's heifer and directly says, "I mean to please you, Elizabeth". It seems as though they are walking on eggshells. John tries hard to repair his damaged relationship with compliments. But even though he tries hard to please his wife, their relationship remains shaky. After reading Act 1 in The Crucible, I realize that your relationship is somewhat similar to John and Elizabeth’s relationship. Both of you want to make each other happy, but you are too busy with your work to spend time with each other. After a long day of tedious work, you engage in small talk, about your patients and the food. However, you never really communicate with each other about your feelings so there are always lots of misunderstandings. I really wish that you could respect each other’s thoughts and ideas, and listen carefully to what the other person is saying. Finally, I wish that you could open your hearts and show each other your real selves. Best, Mary Do you have writing on mental health that you would like us to publish? As ever, get in touch to let us know. A reminder that CandleX is now on Twitter! Follow us at @CandleX_Beijng for more mental health resources. #mentalhealth #teens #letter

Last year we published a video interview with David, a Washington participant in a mental health peer support group. The coronavirus outbreak in Beijing has meant that much of our peer support has been remote over the last few weeks, but CandleX is still committed to providing psychosocial support for Beijing’s English-speaking community. Here’s an interview with Emily, who has just started facilitating a peer support group for those bereaved by suicide in her hometown. If you are affected by any of the issues in this article or if you are in a crisis, tap on “Read more…” at the bottom of the page to see our Crisis Support resources. Hi Emily. Can you introduce yourself? I’m a health professional and a mother of four grown children from England! How did you get involved with the mental health support group? More than a decade ago, my partner and the father of my children took his own life after a long struggle with mental illness. It was an incredibly difficult time for me. The first two years after his death, I was so busy arranging everything that needed to be done, like the funeral, finances, and getting my life back in order, that I didn’t have time to think about my own mental health. But after two years, I finally started to deal with the situation mentally. This was one of the lowest times of my life. I heard about a mental health support group, Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide, through work. There wasn’t a group meeting in my hometown, but I drove for about an hour and a half to attend the first meeting. I have to say, the experience was really transformative for me. Why was going to the support group so useful? Hearing everyone else’s stories really put mine in perspective. In addition, having the space to discuss what had happened without worrying about what other people would think was really freeing. Most of the people there had experienced similar feelings to me – I no longer felt alone. It felt like taking a breath of fresh air to find out that it wasn’t just me in that situation, feeling totally isolated and ashamed. How did you become the coordinator of your local suicide bereavement support group? Together with the regional coordinators of the service, it was decided that it was time for my local town to get its own group. I knew there was a great need for this kind of thing in my hometown, and when the position came up, I decided that I could do it. What has it been like so far? It’s incredibly moving listening to the stories of the people that have come to the meeting. In the last session around 15 people turned up. Even though it is a challenging role, I feel proud that I am giving something back to the community that helped me so much a decade ago. However, it definitely takes a lot of emotional labor to do this role. I am not worried about my own mental health, but I am definitely aware of the risks to me too. Sign up to our mental health peer support group by following CandleX on Wechat. #mentalhealth #depression #bipolardisorder #psychosocialsupport #supportgroup #suicidalprevention

This week, we’re sharing this letter of a high school student Mary, who has written about her mental health issues with her parents. If you would like to contribute writing or get involved, let us know in the comments, on WeChat or email. We would especially like to hear from our younger followers! ​High school could a difficult time for many people. CandleX works with schools in Beijing to deliver workshops and events aimed at coaching students through this difficult time and equipping them with mental health resilience that will last them into adulthood. My dearest parents, It’s been quite a long time since the last time we really talked. I know you are very busy trying to earn a living, but all I hope is to have more of your company. When I won first place in the piano competition, I wish you could also stay with me and enjoy the moment, but you are so busy working at the hospital that you couldn’t spare time with me. There is a lot going on in high school, and I don’t have anybody to talk to. I feel very lonely and helpless sometimes. The academic pressure is huge because my courses are difficult to understand. The exams are very hard, and most of my classmates get higher scores than I do. My sleep quality is largely impacted. I remember that once I didn't sleep for a whole night and stayed awake till the morning. Even though I try my best to understand every concept, examine every question, and review my notes regularly, I don’t get satisfying results. My teachers say I’m too nervous about taking exams. I think so too because you put a lot of pressure upon me and I wanted to perform well on every exam, but it’s hard and stressful. I wish you could manage your expectations and encourage me to do better when I fail tests instead of showing a disappointed expression. Another reason for my bad exam results is my poor time management. Last semester, I spent most of the time playing at night. I often finished my homework at midnight and didn’t get time to review what l learned during the day. As a result, I crammed for my finals, but the scores were even worse than I expected. I hope you could give me some tips on how to be more relaxed while taking exams and how to organize myself better. Apart from the academic pressure, I don’t know how to express myself because I am more introverted compared to my more outspoken peers. I often have to do things I don’t want to do. For example, when my classmates ask me to go ice-skating with them, I would prefer to stay at home and do schoolwork. However, I didn’t want to let them down, so I couldn’t refuse them. So I went ice-skating with them and forgot that there was a deadline for my research paper for my English class. Unsurprisingly, I missed the deadline and lost many points on that project. If I had the courage to refuse their request, things may not go so badly. I often blame myself for not being decisive enough, and I wish I could be braver in voicing my opinions and decisions. I overthink other’s opinions so much that I forget to reflect my own feelings and speak out my inner thoughts. I know it’s important to be oneself, and I wish I could improve on this and gradually be myself and have the courage to speak up. Next month, I will go aboard to attend a piano competition. I wish to have your company. I wish you could encourage and comfort me if I lose the competition. And I wish to see your brightest smiles and applause for me if I finally win. Best, Mary A big thank you to Mary for sharing this letter with us. #teens #myemotionsmystories

Hi CandleXers! Here’s the second in our “Letter to my parents” series written by highschoolers in Beijing – the letters they have always wanted to write. We hope you find it interesting. If you want to contribute to the CandleX Wechat account, just let us know in the comments, by email or via Wechat. Thanks! Hi, Mom， Since I was in elementary school, our communication hasn’t been very well. I still remember the time when I was 8, you wanted me to practice algebra, but I didn’t want to. We argued for hours before you forced me to sit by the desk and complete the problems. The algebra questions weren’t hard, and it only took about 30 minutes to finish them. However, I just didn’t want to do it. I don’t know the psychology or logic behind it, but I find it so hard to just do what I’m told. Especially when you are the one who gives the order, Mom. I know that everything you have planned is for my future, my life, and myself as a person, but the way you pass those messages along really discourages me. I always feel stressed when I am with you, when I hear your voice, see your face… sometimes, I’m even scared of your presence. I tried to talk it out with you, but you said I feel this way because I feel afraid and intimidated to be in the presence of someone better than me. This might be true, but I’m not with some random person who have better grades or higher intelligence, I’m with my mother. Shouldn’t I feel a sense of caring and love from her? I know, everyone has different approaches to expressing their love for other people. Maybe your approach is just comparatively rational and harsh. I do appreciate everything you have given me. You taught me to speak English fluently, to have good manners, and to treat people with kindness and respect. I also know that you expect a lot more from me, but I just want you to be proud, Mom. I recall that our last argument was about preparing for the SAT exam. That day, when you walked through the doorway, seeing me with the cell phone in my hands, you were furious. You yelled at me, saying that I wasted my life and all the resources you have offered. I understood that your intention was just to remind me not to waste time on the screen. I, however, didn’t take it mildly. I shouted back, and we had a severe argument that lasted for almost 2 hours. Studying for a whole day, every day, from morning to noon, might be the most direct way to enter a Top-20 university in the US, but is that normal life for a teenager? You always say getting into a good college is the key to success, to wealth, and to a high quality of life. Even when I praise the good taste of the breakfast you have made, you remind me that I won’t eat the same type of food in the future, if I don’t put enough hard work into my studies. Mom, I really want you to see some of my positive qualities, rather than focusing on the time not following your instruction to memorize vocabulary and studying for the SAT. You have said that I rejected all your advices, but that’s not true at all mom. I have always observed and learned from you, your financial management skills, your character, and your life experience. Not following your guidance to study doesn’t mean I have blocked out everything about I love about you, and there should be a lot more connection between you and me, Mom. I love you, Your son, Ted #teens #myemotionsmystories

David passed away on 4 January 2020, shortly before the release of this video. David Schmidt cared deeply about mental health, and we now publish this video in memory of his kindness and his strength. Xiaojie Jan 2020 In the first of a new video series from CandleX, Founder Xiaojie’s old friend David shares his experience joining a support group for those struggling with mental health problems. If you or someone you know is going through a difficult time, scroll to the bottom of this article to find out how to sign up for CandleX’s peer support group or access other crisis support hotlines. Call Lifeline free in China on 400 821 1215 from 10 am to10 pm, 365 days a year. “It’s not just what I get from it – it’s also what I can give to it,” says David, an American man in his late seventies, when asked exactly what brings him back to the support group he attends in his local area every week without fail. It’s a testament to the value of giving back to the community and finding your place, and to David’s kind heart, which shines through in this video interview with CandleX director Xiaojie Qin. David Schmidt in Tecumseh Michigan, Photo by Xiaojie David may be living in a different continent, but the video makes it clear that some of the issues that he has faced are universal – who hasn’t felt some alienation when moving to a new place? Or wished that they had someone to listen to them in a non-judgmental setting? Attending a support group specific to your needs can be a valuable way to work through your issues. Watch the video below to find out more about David’s story: If you live in China, you can watch from our Tencent channel: https://v.qq.com/x/page/y3052ybu8g2.html If you live abroad from China, you can go watch from our Youtube channel: Next time we will share David’s brother Don’s experience with a family member living with mental health issues. Questions? Comments? E-mail us at info@candlex.cn. #mentalhealth #depression #bipolardisorder #Beijing #China #psychologicalsupport #suicideprevention #supportgroup #mystorywithdepression

Event participant Jacob reviewed our most recent workshop on the topic of Communication. By nature, we humans are social creatures. Thus, the way in which we negotiate our relationships, particularly surrounding disagreement, is critical to our individual development. We often struggle with effective communication and this can affect us in a multitude of ways. Thus, taking a moment of pause and reflect on how we communicate our thoughts, feelings, and (many times) our disagreement with others is needed. On April 25th, 2019, CandleX hosted a workshop on ‘fighting fair’. The workshop was held at the Moishe House, which provided a relaxed and intimate atmosphere for participants to open up about their desires regarding healthy communication. While the title of the talk may have led one to believe that ‘relationships’ focused exclusively on ‘intimate relationships’, the skills and practices shared by accredited therapist Kindall Tyson covered everything from friendships, collegial relations, to everyday moments in life. The workshop covered the different communicative styles and how to identify them, as well as some methods to communicate assertively but empathetically in order to make oneself heard. The workshop began with a discussion regarding personal communication styles. Prior to the discussion, participants in the workshop were asked to comment on what type of communication style they felt they often resorted to. After, a short questionnaire was given to see if participants’ self-perception matched their general communicative style, and some participants were surprised by the results (including the writer of this review). The four styles of communication then discussed were passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, and assertive styles; assertive communication being considered the healthiest form of communication. Participants were then given scenarios to try-out different styles of communication in different scenarios. This illustrated how the different communicative styles sound in real-life scenarios. Kindall then delivered some strategies on how to engage in effective communication. Both of these communicative tactics are important for engaging disagreement or conflict in an empathetic but assertive manner. The first was reflection. Reflection is a skill that is often overlooked in disagreement or conflict; this involves the active communication that you have heard and understood what the other person is communicating. Simply put, restating what the other party in a conversation has said. This shows the person to whom you disagree that you understand and care about what they have said. When delivering one’s own feelings on a subject it is good to use what are called I-Statements. These involve stating how you feel and personalizing your message so that it is less threatening to the other party. An I-Statement is formed by saying I feel (emotion word) when (explanation). This makes your statement less general and the listener will feel more receptive to your thoughts. For instance, instead of saying, “You never really listen to anyone; you’re not listening to me now!” you might instead say, “I feel disrespected when you don’t listen to what it is I have to say.” By adopting this style of voicing your opinion you open up a conflicting party to negotiation in a way that a generalized statement might not have done. The workshop involved both asserting yourself into a conversation, and being open to what the other party has to say. Knowing which communication style you are using and being conscious of what others are saying and feeling is critical to being an effective and assertive communicator, a role we will need to use in almost every relationship we will have in our lives. Review by Jacob Checked by Lucy Are you passionate about mental health and want to support Beijing’s English speaking community? Do you want to get involved in volunteering for CandleX or attending our workshops or events? Do you have an idea for an event that you would like to see us implement? Leave a comment below, follow our account, check out our online resources, or send us an e-mail at info@candlex.cn. #mentalhealth #depression #bipolardisorder #Beijing #China #workshop #communication #keyskills

Looking for a volunteer position with a fast growing non-profit in Beijing? We are a mental health focused organziation promoting awareness for depression and bipolar disorder in Beijing. Additionally, we provide social support to the international community residing in Beijing. Characteristics of this position It's one of the most dymanic positions in the organizaiton that allows you to see the overall operation of CandleX, explore your own interests, and gives you space to develop concrete skills. Our Team You will be working with a team of 10 people from all over the world. This is a team of talents, skills, and most importantly, easy-going, supportive and fun as key characters of the engine! We value professionalism to the core! That means everyone that you will be working with has demonstrated their commitment, their problem solving skills, reliability and team spirit. You know the saying, “A little gall spoils a great deal of honey”? at least that’s what baidu tells us! So yes, we are demanding of whom we work with, even it’s a volunteer position. But once you are in, you are family. We joke, we take care of each other, and we make sure we grow together! Some of us are spare time dancers, musicians, casual comedians. So expect life to be fun working on depression! You will be busy, like happy busy. Nobody gets burnt out here. It’s simply against our mental health rule! Benefit Personal growth is our key principle. We believe an organization that gives space for personal development will grow naturally. You decide what your role is! Try it out with us: communications, graphic designs, public speaking, event organizing, partnership building, editing, coordination. None of them interests you? Create your own here! Try them all, make mistakes! Find one thing that clicks with you here! (Also, you’ve guessed it. If we don’t offer money, we’d better offer something right?!) Job Description #Beijing #volunteer #mentalhealth #china

Want to use your networking skills to help raise funds for a growing mental health charity, Candlex? We are looking for a passionate mental health advocate to come and help us fundraise so that we can deliver more targeted mental health programs to reach those in need. We are a mental health focused organization promoting awareness for depression and bipolar disorder in Beijing. Additionally, we provide social support to the international community residing in Beijing. CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS POSITION It is one of the most rewarding positions in the organization, which allows you to work with a variety of stakeholders and individuals. Through this position, you will be able to enhance your professional skills and have a direct impact on the organization’s growth. OUR TEAM You will be working with a team of 10 people from all over the world. This is a team of talents, skills, and most importantly, easy-going, supportive and fun as key characters of the engine! We value professionalism to the core! That means everyone that you will be working with has demonstrated their commitment, their problem solving skills, reliability and team spirit. You know the saying, “A little gall spoils a great deal of honey”? At least that is what Baidu tells us! So yes, we are demanding of whom we work with, even it is a volunteer position. But once you are in, you are family. We joke, we take care of each other, and we make sure we grow together! Some of us are spare time dancers, musicians, casual comedians. So expect life to be fun working on depression! You will be busy, like happy busy. Nobody gets burn out here. It’s simply against our mental health rule! BENEFIT Personal growth is our key principle. We believe an organization that gives space for personal development will grow naturally. What if you become interested in other roles? Try it out with us: communications, graphic designs, public speaking, event organizing, partnership building, editing, and coordination. None of them interests you? Create your own here later on! Try them all, make mistakes! Find one thing that clicks with you here! (Depending on your experience and skill sets, this position can be a paid position) JOB DESCRIPTION (please click to view)

Want to use your writing skills for a growing mental health charity, Candlex? We are a mental health focused organization promoting awareness for depression and bipolar disorder in Beijing. Additionally, we provide social support to the international community residing in Beijing. CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS POSITION This position gives you a platform to write various articles for CandleX, from newsletter posts, to people’s stories. It also gives you a platform to build your connection with local and foreign media in Beijing, which allows you to work with a variety of stakeholders and individuals. Through this position, you will be able to enhance your professional skills. OUR TEAM You will be working with a team of 10 people from all over the world. This is a team of talents, skills, and most importantly, easy-going, supportive and fun as key characters of the engine! We value professionalism to the core! That means everyone that you will be working with has demonstrated their commitment, their problem solving skills, reliability and team spirit. You know the saying, “A little gall spoils a great deal of honey”? At least that is what Baidu tells us! So yes, we are demanding of whom we work with, even it is a volunteer position. But once you are in, you are family. We joke, we take care of each other, and we make sure we grow together! Some of us are spare time dancers, musicians, casual comedians. So expect life to be fun working on depression! You will be busy, like happy busy. Nobody gets burn out here. It’s simply against our mental health rule! BENEFIT Personal growth is our key principle. We believe an organization that gives space for personal development will grow naturally. What if you become interested in other roles? Try it out with us: communications, graphic designs, public speaking, event organizing, partnership building, editing, and coordination. None of them interests you? Create your own here later on! Try them all, make mistakes! Find one thing that clicks with you here! (Also, you’ve guessed it. If we don’t offer money, we’d better offer something right?!) JOB DESCRIPTION (please click to view)