In the season three finale, Sam, Diana and Christie reflect on the revamped structure and behind-the-scenes experience of producing this season. They share standout moments, express gratitude for the incredible guests, and discuss the central theme that arose over the season: embracing the messy, questioning, and uncomfortable moments that create the process of growth. Bridges Mental Health connects Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian Americans (APISA) with culturally responsive mental health p...
Sep 25, 2024•15 min•Season 3Ep. 22
This week, Diana chats with Anna, the visionary behind Healing Journey Retreats , who shares her powerful mental health journey and the transformative steps she took to reclaim her sense of purpose. Anna opens up about her experience being laid off from a high-stress tech job, struggling with toxic workplace environments, and feeling disconnected from her true calling. As a Chinese Canadian, she also touches on the pressure of security, the scarcity mindset, and how she took a leap of faith to p...
Sep 18, 2024•35 min•Season 3Ep. 21
This week, Christie reconnects with Kim who courageously recounts her trip back to Korea. As a Korean-born adoptee, Kim opens up about the challenges she faced—from unrealistic expectations and language barriers to the emotional rollercoaster of navigating an international adoption agency. They dive deep into themes of heartbreak, anger, and healing, discussing the complex realities of Korean adoptee experiences as well as the impact of saviorism and religion. Kim reflects on how the trip reshap...
Sep 11, 2024•45 min•Season 3Ep. 20
To kick off this month’s theme of career and work, this week Diana chats with Will Wang about giving himself permission to leave his corporate career in pursuit of becoming a therapist. Will reflects upon always being the ‘good kid’ or guāi , and how these expectations shaped his identity and career choices. He opens up about the pivotal moments that sparked his interest in therapy, and encouragement he received from mentors along the way. Together they delve into the mental blocks he faced, inc...
Sep 04, 2024•24 min•Season 3Ep. 19
This week, Christie is joined by Eugene Lee in exploring the complex intersection of faith, culture, and mental health within the Asian American community. They discuss the role of the church as a cultural community center for Asian Americans and immigrants, as well as the interplay of Asian American culture, Confucian ideals, and perfectionism. Eugene shares his personal evolution from being a young pastor and now a therapist, offering insights into how religious and spiritual trauma, purity cu...
Aug 28, 2024•42 min•Season 3Ep. 18
In this two-part episode, Diana delves into the fascinating world of astrology with two practitioners, Gwen Yi and Alice Sparkly Kat. In part 1, Diana chats with Gwen Yi, who explores the myths and misconceptions surrounding Western astrology, especially in her home country of Malaysia. Gwen shares what it's like to receive a reading with her, emphasizing the sacred space she creates for her clients. She shares insights into the deeper levels of astrology, archetypes, the true meaning of “Mercur...
Aug 21, 2024•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 17
This week, Christie chats with Bisma Anwar, a Muslim therapist who shares her journey in the mental health field and her dedication to reducing mental health stigma within the Muslim community. Bisma discusses how her dual identities as a Muslim and therapist influence her work with a diverse range of clients. She explores the intersection of religious teachings and South Asian cultural traditions, and highlights the importance of differentiating between cultural practices and religious beliefs....
Aug 14, 2024•45 min•Season 3Ep. 16
This week, Sam is joined by Nat Strafaci, a licensed therapist, clinical supervisor, psychic medium, and spiritual herbalist, who shares their perspective on spirituality as a journey rather than a therapy ‘modality’. Nat offers insights into how colonialism has disrupted connections to spiritual and indigenous practices, and together they discuss how many modern therapeutic approaches are deeply rooted in spiritual traditions. Nat discusses the transformative power of connecting to one’s ancest...
Aug 07, 2024•41 min•Season 3Ep. 15
This week, Sam, Diana, and Christie delve into Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express to close out this month’s theme of bodies and the media. They discuss the movie's portrayal of longing, pining, and missed connections amidst the bustling backdrop of 1990s Hong Kong. They explore the film's representations of indirect communication, cultural identity, and the loneliness and nostalgia that permeate its narrative. Bridges Mental Health connects Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian Americans (APISA) wi...
Jul 31, 2024•26 min•Season 3Ep. 14
This week, Sam, Diana, and Christie, explore the fascinating world of Satoshi Kon’s Paprika , aligning with the July theme of exploring bodies and the media. Discover why Paprika is a favorite of Sam’s as she shares her own experiences with the movie and offers insight into the significance of Kon’s work in Asian cinema. They explore the themes of dreams and Jungian psychology, parts work, multiple realities and subjectivities, as well as how some scenes reminded them of EMDR. Stay tuned for nex...
Jul 24, 2024•26 min•Season 3Ep. 13
This week, Christie sits down with Laura Iu to explore the complexities of diet culture and thin privilege, particularly within Asian American communities. They discuss navigating messages from two cultures, unlearning harmful Eurocentric beauty standards, and reconnecting with ideas of beauty from one's cultural heritage. Together they discuss their own relationships with makeup and appearance, as well as how food is discussed among their families. Additionally, Laura shares how she works along...
Jul 17, 2024•39 min•Season 3Ep. 12
This week, Sam sits down with ethnomusicologist Stephanie Choi to explore the multifaceted world of K-pop. Stephanie shares what prompted her shift from studying traditional Korean music to K-pop, examining it both as performance art and as a cultural phenomenon with global impact. They discuss the industrial system behind K-pop, the linguistic and physical proximity that fosters closeness between idols and fans, and the significant influence of fandoms in shaping the industry. The conversation ...
Jul 10, 2024•40 min•Season 3Ep. 11
This week, Diana sits down with mental health advocate Steph Ng to explore the complex world of body image. Steph shares her personal journey with disordered eating and discusses body image as a story we tell ourselves. Steph emphasizes the importance of feeling at home in our bodies and cultivating curiosity rather than criticism from a young age. Drawing from her work with young people, Steph highlights how early body narratives form and the impact of cultural and societal messages on identity...
Jul 03, 2024•45 min•Season 3Ep. 10
This week, Christie is joined by Bokyung Kim who shares their personal experiences of queering the healing journey. They reflect upon how early love injuries and unmet needs evolved into beliefs about disconnection and belonging, as well as patterns of sex and love addiction. Through her own story of healing and connection with queerness, Bokyung discusses the transformative power of being in connection with oneself and the practice of meeting different parts of ourselves with curiosity and comp...
Jun 26, 2024•42 min•Season 3Ep. 9
This week, Diana sits down with Kim Konopka who delves into the interplay of identity in relation to queerness, neurodivergence, and being a transracial adoptee. Kim shares their journey of self-discovery and the profound impact of learning about their autism in adulthood, offering reflection upon their experiences of masking, wanting to blend in, and the fear of abandonment. They explore the nuanced themes of safety, disclosure, forced intimacy, and the delicate balance of what gets shared, pla...
Jun 19, 2024•43 min•Season 3Ep. 8
This week, Christie is joined by Veronica Chin Hing-Michaluk who brings in their own lived experience to illustrate a compassionate exploration of queer identity, shame, and healing from disconnection. Veronica discusses how they work in collaboration with clients to restore connection, understand intergenerational patterns, identify systems of oppression, and create space for collective healing. Veronica helps us explore the transformative potential of play and pleasure amidst pain and oppressi...
Jun 13, 2024•54 min•Season 3Ep. 7
This week, Diana chats with Sil Chen about exploring queer identity across cultures. Sil shares her personal journey growing up in Taiwan and the cultural adjustments she faced after immigrating to the U.S. She opens up about what shifted her from a career in biotechnology to social work, and how her family reacted. Diana and Sil delve into cultural norms and expectations around queerness and coming out between Taiwan and the U.S. They also discuss how beauty standards, public displays of affect...
Jun 05, 2024•46 min•Season 3Ep. 6
This week as AANHPI Heritage Month comes to a close, Christie and Sam reflect upon their conversations with guests this month around biracial, South Asian, and Pacific Islander identity. They ground their reflections referencing racial identity development models sharing their own reactions to the frameworks, as well as considering the history of the “Asian American” political identity. Mentioned in this episode: Asian American Identity Development Model (Jean Kim, 1981) Biracial Identity Develo...
May 29, 2024•39 min•Season 3Ep. 5
This week, Christie chats with returning guest Cathay Che about her personal experience navigating the complexities of being both Asian American and Native Hawaiian. Cathay recounts her childhood move to Hawaii, highlighting the cultural shock, melancholy, and sense of alienation she experienced. They discuss cultural messages about giving back to one’s community, cultivating reciprocal relationships, shedding light on the complexities within contemporary Hawaiian culture that stem from a histor...
May 22, 2024•44 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In this week’s exploration of identity, Sam is joined by dear friend and fellow therapist Anjali Jacob, LMHC, who shares her own journey of investigating South Asian identity, belonging, and the search for answers in the face of disconnection. Anjali shares her personal reflections on navigating the complexities of caste, religion, the colonial legacy embedded in last names, and the profound sense of isolation when experiencing something that feels unnameable. Together they offer ways to tune in...
May 15, 2024•45 min•Season 3Ep. 3
This week, Sam is joined by comedian and author Youngmi Mayer to discuss their unique experiences being biracial. While Youngmi grew up in Korea and Saipan and Sam was raised in the U.S., the two connect over memories of being othered both within and outside of their respective families, and delve into how their lives reflect larger forces of immigration, culture and privilege. Youngmi shares how her identity work influenced the writing of her upcoming memoir, "I'm Laughing Because I'm Crying," ...
May 08, 2024•52 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Welcome to Season 3 of Beyond the Couch! We're back with a fresh look and a revamped structure. Join us as we dive deep into a new theme each month. With May being both Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re starting off with the theme of identity. This week, Sam, Diana and Christie catch up on how transitions and travel during the break have allowed for their own exploration, and discuss what’s to come this season. Tune in every Wednesday as we explore id...
May 01, 2024•19 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Content warning: family abuse, sexual abuse, self-harm This week, Christie, Sam, and Diana get together to reflect on the past year, and share which of the 104(!) podcast episodes they have recorded were some of their favorites. Then, Sam speaks with Heawon Hake about how family secrets can affect and damage a family. Heawon describes the difference between good and bad secrets, which types of secrets must be disclosed, and the types of ego defenses that result from a festering family secret. He...
Dec 20, 2023•47 min•Ep. 104
This week, Diana chats with Dr. Matt Poon about growing up with Asian parents, the pitfalls of perfectionism, and how we can expand our mindset to live a fuller and more balanced life. Dr. Poon shares how he helps clients slow down, reflect, and move away from binary thinking, and how talking openly about struggles or perfectionism can help us all feel supported and less alone. Dr. Matt Poon (he/him) is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing virtually in NYC. His practice specializes in wor...
Dec 13, 2023•30 min•Ep. 103
This week, Christie is joined by NYC-based clinical psychologist, Dr. Yun Chen, to discuss what it’s like to have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help mitigate the pain that might come with living with OCD. They explore the ways in which the tenets of ACT can help people live fuller lives through learning to address and cope with negative thought patterns, as well as accept and make the best of their situation. Christie and Dr. Chen also di...
Dec 06, 2023•40 min•Ep. 102
This week, Diana (@therapywithdiana) sits down with Pallavi Ankolekar (@healingwithpallavi) to talk about how growing up as a child of immigrants can the ways we navigate our finances. They discuss how generational differences in attitudes towards work and rest also translate into how we use money for bare necessities vs pleasure. They also talk about the guilt that can arise from using money on ourselves, and how a scarcity mindset often prevents folks with immigrant backgrounds from taking car...
Nov 14, 2023•25 min•Ep. 101
This week, Sam is rejoined by Minji (our very own Bridges intern) for the second installment of the Grad School Diaries mini-series. Minji shares updates from her second and final year of her program, what it’s been like to see clients for the first time, and the joys and challenges of practicing therapy in the real world. She also opens up about personal lessons she’s learned from being on the other side of the room as the therapist. After nearly a decade in the creative industry, Minji (she/he...
Nov 08, 2023•29 min•Ep. 100
This week, Christie sits down with Jiaming Ju to chat about the value and deep wisdom of traditional east Asian medicine. Jiaming shares how she went from her long career as a longevity economist to joining the work of her father at Kun Health. They talk about eastern medicine’s individualized approach to every person, the shortcomings of western views on health and food, and how traditional medicine can become more accessible to younger generations. They also discuss what it means to “eat your ...
Nov 01, 2023•40 min•Ep. 99
This week, Sam reunites with Samuel Shin to chat about how people-pleasing shows up specifically for Asian men, and the importance of men tending to old wounds and connecting to their inner worlds. Samuel discusses his methods and techniques for helping Asian men heal, get in touch with their authentic selves, and regain their agency. He shares his thoughts on how masculinity and toxic masculinity have become conflated in the discourse of today, and how he aims to help redefine and reclaim what ...
Oct 25, 2023•34 min•Ep. 98
This week, Christie talks with Jonathan Blazon Yee, LCSW, about how his work as a psychoanalyst was first inspired by an experience of feeling deeply seen in therapy. Jonathan shares how contemporary psychoanalysis tunes into the relational worlds between client and therapist, and allows one to explore the question of “Who am I?” Together, they explore the importance of addressing differences between oneself and others especially as Asian therapists working with Asian American clients. Jonathan ...
Oct 18, 2023•30 min•Ep. 97
