A graduate of Maryknoll Convent School (Secondary Section), Charlotte Yuen Cheuk-lam’s story as a mental health advocate began in her first year of secondary school, when she was diagnosed with multiple mental health disorders and began grappling with a “loud and irritating voice” in her mind.
“Fear and stress made concentration nearly impossible,” recalled the now 18-year-old student.
Refusing to let her diagnosis define her, she chose resilience over resignation.
Despite the challenges, Yuen was driven by a powerful conviction: “I wanted to help people who are afflicted with mental disorders and reduce the stigma of mental disorders in society,” she said.
By Form Five, Yuen was navigating a demanding schedule filled with academics, leadership responsibilities, musical practice and therapy. Through these sessions, she uncovered the root of her anxiety – perfectionism.
That realisation marked a turning point. By embracing her imperfections and recognising her strengths, Yuen shifted from self-criticism to self-compassion.
“When panic rose, I would calm myself by listening to guided meditations, learning that mistakes are not failures but stepping stones to growth,” she shared.
With the support of proper medication, therapy, and unwavering encouragement from family and friends, Yuen not only regained her footing – she flourished.
She finished in the top three of her class and received both the MCS Class Award and the Creativity Scholarship.
Yuen’s achievements were recognised at the 2024/25 Student of the Year Awards, where she was named the winner of the Best Improvement category. The awards were organised by the South China Morning Post and solely sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Yuen’s personal triumph sparked a deep commitment to community service. As a peer mentor in the HK Caritas Love Express Programme, she discovered the power of simple, uplifting messages to empower young minds.
Meanwhile, as part of her school’s peer counselling team, she organised classroom talks on positive psychology and spearheaded “Smileys Week” – a mental health fair featuring mindfulness sessions, aromatherapy workshops and an exhibition on emotional well-being.
“These experiences crystallised my belief that early, positive reinforcement can shape resilient, empathetic individuals,” Yuen said.
In 2023, she founded Be Positive HK, a student-led organisation dedicated to reshaping Hong Kong’s mental health narrative. Yuen structured the group into departments, such as workshops, communications and interviews, and aligned tasks with each member’s strengths. Under her leadership, the workshop team created interactive sessions for primary students, blending art and music to foster emotional awareness.
A recent dialogue held by the organisation’s interview series featured a medical student who highlighted the damaging effects of stigma and the urgent need for early psychotherapeutic intervention. “I’ve learned that many teens either lack access to effective treatments or avoid help for fear of judgment,” Yuen noted.
Looking ahead, she hopes to tackle the three critical gaps in mental health support: delayed access to therapy, persistent stigma and a lack of youth-focused programmes. These challenges have shaped her vision for a future NGO that offers affordable, stigma-free services and partners with schools to embed positive psychology into the curriculum.
