Beyond the Couch

This week, Christie and Diana chat with Dr. Jenny Wang about her new book, Permission to Come Home: Reclaiming Mental Health as Asian Americans. Dr. Wang talks about the terrifying yet healing process of writing this book, sharing her own family history, and moving through failure, vulnerability and grief. Together they explore the power of converting silence into vulnerability, healing intergener...

This week, Diana chats with Dr. Rosa Lim about disordered eating and relationships with food in the Asian American community. As a clinical psychologist, Dr. Lim discusses the connection between eating disorders and cultural messages around bodies, emotional expression, achievement, and intergenerational conflict. Additionally, Dr. Lim maps out various disordered eating symptoms and shares insight...

This week, Sam, Diana and Christie chat with Shanni Liang, LCSW, about her name story. Shanni shares how her name evolved through her emigration from China to the U.S., and how she explored different parts of herself by experimenting with her name as an adult. Together, they discuss how we can relate to our name stories with shame and loss and also through play and creativity. Shanni Liang (she/he...

This week, Christie chats with Hui Ting Kok, LMHC, about understanding our thoughts, feelings and behavior through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Hui Ting discusses ways to reframe unhelpful thought patterns such as fortune telling, catastrophizing, mind-reading, and jumping to conclusions. Together they discuss the pitfalls of making assumptions and offer tools to communicate with ourselves,...

This week, Christie chats with Dr. Priyanka Upadhyaya about burnout and the effect of chronic stress on our minds, bodies and emotions especially through the pandemic. While illustrating how burnout bleeds into every other part of our lives, Dr. Upadhyaya offers insights on grounding in micro-moments, cultivating equitable partnerships, and setting boundaries with toxic work environments. Addition...

This week, Sam chats with Dr. Michelle Chung about the development of healthy Asian American identity. Together they discuss the subconscious impacts of internalized racism, the model minority myth, and avoiding shame. In addition, Dr. Chung offers wisdom and guidance for combating comparison culture and low self-esteem through acceptance, celebration and intentional (re-)parenting. A clinical psy...

This week, Christie chats with Jieun Ko about her experience of reclaiming her name. Jieun discusses how her name was appropriated as ‘Chi’ as a child, and how her reclamation took place alongside the rise of Asian representation in media, anti-Asian hate and the Atlanta spa shootings, and through her own work in therapy. Inspired by Jieun’s story, Christie also reflects upon the history of her Am...

This week, Sam, Diana & Christie reflect upon the anniversary of the Atlanta spa shootings as well as the increased anti-Asian sentiment and reported hate crimes over the past couple of years. They discuss safety, collective trauma and loss as well as personal experiences of harassment within and beyond NYC. Along with sharing their ongoing work to cope in both personal and professional spaces...

This week, Christie chats with Robin Mele, LCAT, about dance/movement therapy and the nonverbal language of being in our bodies. As a queer, biracial therapist, Robin discusses how they intentionally work to be a safe enough person for teens within a hospital setting. Robin offers insights on how they navigate systems of power, protect themselves through the difficult work, and cultivate curiosity...

This week, Christie chats with Nita Batta, LMSW, and Tiffany Momoko Kindred, LMSW, about their intersecting experiences being Asian in the U.S. They discuss the contrast between Tiffany’s experience of culture shock moving from Japan to the U.S. and Nita's experience growing up in suburban Pennsylvania with parents who emigrated from India. Despite their unique identity stories, they all conn...

This week, Sam, Diana & Christie discuss the dance of cultivating friendships in adulthood, experiencing shame and loneliness, and the vulnerability of building connection.   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 approacha...

This week, Christie chats with Yu-Kang Chen, PhD, about his experience being one of the few Asian male therapists from graduate school to his work now. They discuss gender imbalances in the field, emotional labor and vulnerability, and getting his parents’ support on choosing this career. Yu-Kang Chen is a licensed psychologist with a private practice focusing on providing individual and couple th...

This week, Christie chats with Raina Wadhawan, LMHC, about her journey as a South Asian therapist, mental health and privilege at home in India versus here in the U.S., as well as her passion for working with South Asian woman on navigating intergenerational trauma, perfectionism, and authenticity. Raina Wadhawan, LMHC, is a licensed psychotherapist at a private practice in New York City offering...

This week, Sam, Diana & Christie discuss different ways to engage in therapy aside from traditional talk therapy. They discuss the benefits of getting out of our intellectual, adult brains and into non-verbal, physical, and creative ways to explore trauma, our inner child and healing. Plus, Diana gives an update about working abroad and the best food she’s had in Mexico so far. Mentioned in th...

This week, Christie chats with Alena Kwong, LMSW, who is a psychotherapist and member of the Bridges Clinician Community. Alena discusses how the natural shift in seasons can lead to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or the winter blues, and offers guidance on practicing mindfulness, coping individually and with others, and the importance of going with the new rhythm rather than fighting against i...

This week Sam, Diana, and Christie discuss the importance of healthy terminations in therapy, the many feelings that can come up on both the client's and therapist's end, and ultimately how difficult goodbyes can be for all of us.   Bridges Mental Health  connects Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian Americans (APISA) with culturally responsive mental health professionals and resources....

For our first episode of 2022, we welcome our first guest on Beyond the Couch, Dr. Vivi Hua. As a clinical psychologist and a success coach for international students, Dr. Vivi discusses the difficult process of navigating a new cultural landscape, caring for mental health, and skill-building for Asian-identified international students to thrive in the US. Dr. Vivi is a clinical psychologist and a...

In the last episode of 2021, Christie, Diana and Sam reflect upon a year of growth, pushing their limits, and preferring rest over setting goals for the new year.  Wishing everyone rest and warmth through the holidays. We'll be back with new episodes in January!   Bridges Mental Health  connects Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian Americans (APISA) with culturally responsive mental health pr...

This week Sam, Diana, and Christie share about their own identities as Asian Americans, how they felt in their communities growing up, and their ongoing work as adults and therapists with APISA clients.   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 mor...

This week licensed therapists Sam, Diana and Christie discuss stress and burnout, the societal pressures of productivity, and the joy of saying no.   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...

This week Sam, Diana, and Christie discuss the challenging process of finding a therapist (even as licensed therapists themselves), why so many therapists don't accept insurance, and offer tips for finding the right fit. Resources for affordable therapy: The Loveland Foundation Soar Over Hate Open Path Collective     Bridges Mental Health  connects Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian America...

This week licensed therapists Sam, Diana, and Christie reminisce about eating Asian foods during the holidays, fielding comments from our grandmothers, and offer practical tips for navigating boundaries and self-care throughout the holiday season.   Bridges Mental Health  connects Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian Americans (APISA) with culturally responsive mental health professionals and reso...

In this episode, licensed therapists Sam, Diana, and Christie explore perfectionism in podcasting, procrastination and taking risks as well as tips for moving towards self-acceptance.   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 ap...

In the first ever episode of Beyond the Couch, licensed therapists Sam, Diana, and Christie reflect upon starting their (at the time of recording) untitled podcast, settling into the fall season, and their own energy as therapists in NYC.   Bridges Mental Health  connects Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian Americans (APISA) with culturally responsive mental health professionals and resources. We...