This week, Sam chats with Cathay Che, LCSW, about how addiction impacts and shows up in the AAPI community. They discuss misconceptions about substance use and addiction, and how stigma and shame impact the way addiction is perceived within the AAPI population. They dive into the various ways addiction impacts the family network and how addiction can be addressed in both conventional and creative, novel ways. Cathay Che is a Japanese American and Native Hawaiian LCSW, with a virtual Private Prac...
Oct 11, 2023•44 min•Ep. 96
This week, Christie is back with Clarice Hassan to continue their conversation about new parenthood in the AAPI community, this time focusing on fathers and paternal mental health. They talk about the different challenges that new fathers face as they try to balance their new roles with the expectations of traditional masculinity from previous generations. They explore the different ways AAPI fathers might express affection, and they discuss the relative lack of support and community for new fat...
Oct 04, 2023•37 min•Ep. 95
This week, Christie sits down with Clarice Hassan to discuss mental health within the context of new motherhood. Clarice shares how her own personal experiences of becoming a mother informed her passion to focus her work on maternity mental health. They delve into the challenges of balancing one’s aspirations and desires with the demands of this new, life-changing role. They also talk about navigating the differences in parenting values from those of the previous generation and how empowering it...
Sep 27, 2023•36 min•Ep. 94
This week, Christie chats with Suzanne Eng about being in partnership with someone with ADHD. They talk about the challenges and strengths that ADHD brings to the relationship, as well as the various misconceptions surrounding the diagnosis. Suzanne shares her own experiences with a spouse with ADHD, and she offers ways to help others have greater empathy, better understand, and resolve conflicts more effectively with one another in order to thrive as a couple living with ADHD. Suzanne Eng (she/...
Sep 20, 2023•37 min•Ep. 93
This week, Christie, Diana and Sam catch up on what they’ve been up to as they enter into the fall season. They reminisce about the feelings they used to get as they started a new school year, and Christie and Diana share what they’ve been realizing through their language classes. They all discuss their evolving relationships to work and productivity, and the importance of having a sense of purpose and personal definition of success. Bridges Mental Health connects Asian, Pacific Islander, South ...
Sep 13, 2023•23 min•Ep. 92
This week, Diana sits down with Priscilla Chin to talk about psychoanalysis, its misconceptions, and the differences between psychoanalysis and other modalities. They discuss the various techniques and interventions that are used in analysis; how it can help explore our internal worlds, past, and unconscious thoughts; and how it can empower people of color to take control of their own narratives. Priscilla Chin, LCSW (she/her) is a therapist, psychoanalyst, and a group practice owner for a cultu...
Sep 06, 2023•22 min•Ep. 91
This week, Christie, Diana, and Sam share their views on the moral and ethical questions posed in a couple therapy-related posts from Reddit’s “Am I the A*hole” thread. They discuss one person’s dilemma about sharing details from his therapy session to his concerned mother, and another case in which the poster is concerned about the changes he is noticing in his partner after she begins seeing a therapist. Bridges Mental Health connects Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian Americans (APISA) with...
Aug 30, 2023•24 min•Ep. 90
This week, Diana is back with Lynn Min to talk about money and how our finances shape so much of our identity, sense of freedom, and, ultimately, our ability to return to our true selves. They discuss their relationships to money and the ways in which they’ve crafted their money stories throughout their lives. Lynn Min (she/her), LMHC, is a licensed mental health counselor, a certified life coach, a pastor, and a mom of three. Connect with Lynn at lynnmin.com or @soulmattersllc Bridges Mental He...
Aug 23, 2023•38 min•Ep. 89
This week, Christie, Sam, and Diana talk about their relationships to each of their ancestral languages and the grief they feel from not being as fluent as they’d like. Christie and Diana share what they’ve been learning through their respective language classes and explore what it means to be connected (or not) to a culture through language. Sam reflects on her recent trip to Japan and what it meant to be able to have even some simple conversations, as well as how she’s navigated her biracial i...
Aug 16, 2023•24 min•Ep. 88
This week, Christie is rejoined by Nita Batta and Tiffany Momoko Kindred to discuss what it’s like for children to try to make sense of their identity, grow up between multiple cultures, and balance individual and others’ needs. They also talk about redefining familial relationships and how to retain a sense of self and leading with curiosity as a parent. Nita Batta, LMSW | The pull lies in the strength of the familiar; the push is an urge to create space and jump into the unfamiliar. As an indi...
Aug 09, 2023•32 min•Ep. 87
This week, Christie, Diana and Sam drop in to say hi and tease upcoming episodes for the rest of the year. Tune in to hear what themes we’ll be discussing with both new and returning guests! Bridges Mental Health connects Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian Americans (APISA) with culturally responsive mental health professionals and resources. We hope to make mental health care more accessible and approachable across the Asian diaspora. Find a Therapist Join our Clinician Community Write to us ...
Aug 02, 2023•4 min•Ep. 86
This week, Diana chats with Nicole Cruz about changing careers and listening to yourself in order to live bravely and pursue your biggest goals. They talk about how to overcome your fears and move away from fear as a motivator. They also dive into how to differentiate your own beliefs from others’ and confront your inner critic with compassion. Nicole (she/her) is a certified life and leadership coach and the CEO of Nicole Cruz Coaching, the first coaching company to cater specifically to the ne...
Jul 26, 2023•24 min•Ep. 85
From Toni Kim (she/her): My practice embodies a holistic and integrative approach that incorporates wisdom from the world of neuroscience, as well as, more esoteric and intuitive traditions. I believe that the process of healing and the subsequent result of personal growth and transformation is a sacred and courageous journey that I feel honored to be co-facilitating and co-creating through Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) experiences. I hope to offer a loving presence and a compassionate c...
Jul 19, 2023•29 min•Ep. 84
This week, Diana reunites with Dr. I-Ching Grace Hung to catch up on how Dr. Hung’s return to her motherland, Taiwan, has been so far. They talk about cultural perspectives of values, time and productivity, and relationships to family. They also share their personal experiences navigating changes and how their feelings about their identity and attitudes towards embracing uncertainty have shifted as a result. Dr. I-Ching Grace Hung (she/her) is a licensed psychologist and coach, offering telether...
Jul 12, 2023•27 min•Ep. 83
This week, Christie, Diana, and Sam get together to talk about the differences between therapy and coaching, outlining what each offers and who might benefit from them. For the latter half of the episode (starts at 15:00), Sam sits down with Catherine Kim, LMHC to discuss the challenges of straddling two different cultures as an APISA-identified individual and how to navigate these multiple senses of identity. Catherine Kim (she/her), LMHC, specializes in supporting individuals who are experienc...
Jul 05, 2023•30 min•Ep. 82
This week, Sam sits down with Steph Kim to chat about navigating the process of forging a fulfilling career as a person of color. They talk about how imposter syndrome especially impacts women and POC, as well as how the immigrant experience adds an additional layer of challenges in the career journey. They also discuss the importance and difficulties of finding the right balance between self-advocacy and honoring family dynamics and expectations throughout the process. Steph Kim (she/her/hers) ...
Jun 28, 2023•38 min•Ep. 81
This week, Christie, Sam, and Diana get together for their last discussion about pursuing a career in mental health. They talk about post-grad life, what the path looks like after graduation, and their favorite and not-so-favorite parts about their jobs. They address the financial realities of a mental health career, pros and cons of various paths you can take, and how to assess which path might be right for you. For mental health professionals, recent grads and those new to the field: Join our ...
Jun 21, 2023•28 min•Ep. 80
This week, Christie chats with Tyler Mafi (@therapywithtyler) about how his transition led to the reshaping of his relationship with his family and, as a result, more open conversations around queerness and mental health. Tyler also shares how empowering his clients to reflect on their senses of self motivated him to more actively engage with his own identity. They also dive into how to balance and hold space for the needs and desires of both oneself and one’s family. Tyler (he/him) is an NYC-ba...
Jun 14, 2023•33 min•Ep. 79
This week, Sam and Diana return to the topic of pursuing a career in mental health and answer some of your questions! They cover the work they did while in graduate school, as well as the timeline and path they took from graduate school to licensure and beyond. They also share their thoughts on their programs and how they made the most of their experience. Bridges Mental Health connects Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian Americans (APISA) with culturally responsive mental health professionals ...
Jun 07, 2023•26 min•Ep. 78
This week, Sam sits down with Amy Chin to discuss the benefits of CBD and/or cannabis for anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. They talk about how to incorporate plant medicine into one’s routine as a way to lead a fuller, healthier, and less stressful life. They also explore the nuances of cannabinoid use as it pertains to each person, and the importance of continuing to challenge the stigmas around the use of plant medicine, especially among moms/parents and the Asian community...
May 31, 2023•29 min•Ep. 77
This week, Christie, Sam, and Diana get together to continue their discussion of the drama triangle and how to extricate yourself from it. They go into examples of the different roles (victim, rescuer, and persecutor) as they might appear in a hypothetical immigrant/2nd gen family. They share some tactical solutions that can be reached through non-violent communication, self-reflection and -awareness, and shifting of one’s role within relationships. Mentioned in this episode: Drama Triangle exam...
May 24, 2023•23 min•Ep. 76
This week, Christie and Shelby Remillard, LMHC, discuss how individuals can mend and build healthy relationships through a closer understanding of their interconnectedness to their communities, their pasts, and themselves. They talk about how folks can process their wounds and learn what feels grounding to them within the safety of the therapeutic space, and how therapists can serve as the first model for healthy relationships so clients can recognize them outside of session. They also discuss d...
May 17, 2023•36 min•Ep. 75
This week, Christie and Diana (@therapywithdiana) share their respective paths to their therapy careers and answer questions they’ve received about how to enter into a mental health career. They go into factors to consider when applying to and choosing programs, what accreditation means for schools, and the many career options there are once you have entered into the world of psychology. They also talk about what they wish they knew before entering grad school. Mentioned in this episode: Asian W...
May 10, 2023•35 min•Ep. 74
This week, Diana chats with Nira Shah about what compassion-focused therapy entails and how practicing mindfulness can cultivate self-compassion and better emotional regulation. They discuss the importance of examining one’s emotions, especially those that are uncomfortable, in order to tend to them. They also talk about the struggles with a harsh inner critic that many people undergo and how to begin to quiet that voice and/or rewrite its narrative. Nira (she/her), LMHC/LPCC, is an individual a...
May 03, 2023•24 min•Ep. 73
This week, Christie, Sam, and Diana get together to continue their conversation on codependency and people-pleasing. They discuss a common dynamic that can happen in families and other relationships, called the “drama triangle,” in which each individual takes on and/or moves through playing a “rescuer,” “victim,” or “persecutor” role. They walk through an example scenario of how this scene can play out and explain what can happen when this triangulation is perpetuated and not quelled at some poi...
Apr 26, 2023•19 min•Ep. 72
This week, Christie is back with Natalie Hung to talk about ancestral healing, how to cultivate a relationship with our ancestors, and how these relationships can help heal us and help us feel a stronger sense of belonging. They dive into the distinction between “well” and “unwell” ancestors, and how ancestral healing fills in some parts of psychology and therapy that are missing. Natalie shares her personal journey to finding ancestral healing, her initial resistance to leaning on her ancestors...
Apr 19, 2023•36 min•Ep. 71
This week, Christie, Diana, and Sam get together to talk about the tension between codependence and independence, and how to get closer to a middle ground, interdependence. They go into the challenges of balancing cultural values, personal values, and family values, and offer ways to maintain your own peace, as well as the peace of the family. They also discuss ways that they themselves have gotten closer to carving out their own sense of self amongst external obligations. Mentioned in this epis...
Apr 12, 2023•34 min•Ep. 70
This week, Christie sits down with Chi Young Kim and discusses the importance of becoming reconnected with our ancestors. They talk about ways that we can return to direct engagement with our ancestors and how this connection can strengthen our sense of intuition, and heal in a much deeper way than we might realize. Chi Young Kim (she/her) is a ritual facilitator dedicated to helping people reclaim relationship with their ancestors, one’s self, and to the larger community of the living Earth tow...
Apr 05, 2023•32 min•Ep. 69
This week, Christie, Sam, and Diana get together to discuss the recent wave of layoffs that their clients have been experiencing recently and how they’ve been coping with the various levels of anxiety, confusion, and guilt that come with it. They address the scarcity mindset and fear of losing security that, as children of immigrants, many APISA-identifying folks might have. They also go into how the right community and support system can help assuage the ups and downs of this stressful experien...
Mar 29, 2023•25 min•Ep. 68
This week, Christie chats with Dr. Monica Band about the existential process of figuring out who we are, our purpose and fulfillment in life, and, ultimately, our sense of belonging. They talk about the introspection it takes to hone in on the self as social beings and be in tune with our emotional worlds, as well as embracing the anxiety, ambiguity, and vulnerability that naturally comes with this search for meaning. Dr. Monica (she/her) is an award winning licensed mental health professional, ...
Mar 22, 2023•36 min•Ep. 67
