Being Human

They describe themselves as "just five guys from Malaysia, looking to (try) grow the most lush moustaches for a worthy Movember cause: mental health." These five guys - Ariff, Haris, Kaiza, Seth and Sul - are collectively known as the Movembros, and they have been putting their creative minds together to pull off some amazing fundraising work to support Relate Malaysia's work and mission. These ma...

Kavin Jay is one of Southeast Asia's finest comedians, and his 2019 Netflix special, Let’s Get Ready to Grumble!, took him to even greater heights as he showed off his talents to a worldwide audience. Onstage, Kavin struts his stuff as a force of nature, a funnyman in control of the room and his audience. And yet, he has found difficulty for much of his life with navigating the anxious struggles o...

As we get settled into the New Year, Dr Chua Sook Ning - founder of Relate Malaysia and host of the Being Human podcast - joins mindfulness author, Star columnist, and counsellor, Sandy Clarke, as she reflects on her journey as a psychologist, and the journey of mental health in Malaysia. The three-time TEDx Speaker talks about what attracted her to pursuing a career as a clinical psychologist, wh...

Self-harm (or self-injury) has been defined as the "intentional direct injury of one's own tissues without a suicidal intention", and is more common than we realise, primarily among young people who self-harm as a means of emotional release. A 2019 survey by YouGov (a British market research company) found that a quarter of Malaysians surveyed experienced suicidal thoughts, and 26% disclosed self-...

Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) focuses on the idea that our personal relationships are at the heart of our psychological problems. Although issues themselves might not be caused by relationships, our problems affect our connections with others and can worsen our situation. By learning to communicate better with people, IPT helps clients to address relational issues that contribute to problems s...

Suicide rates in Malaysia over the past 10 years have been rising, particularly among young people...but what drives them to such pain in the first place? In this informative episode of Being Human, Dr. Chua Sook Ning is joined by Frederick Leong, a professor of psychology at Michigan State University. An eminent psychologist with an illustrious career spanning 40 years, he is the editor-in-chief...

What thoughts come to mind when you look at yourself in the mirror? We all have a body image - a sense of how we see and feel about our physical self - and many people feel they're not good enough, strong enough, or pretty enough compared to others. What affects our body image? What happens to us if we have a negative body image? And what role do our parents, friends, and the media play in shaping...

There has been a growing awareness of the need to understand suicide prevention in Malaysia, due to the rise in suicide rates over the past ten years - but what are some of the practical ways that we can offer our help and support to people experiencing suicidal thoughts and feelings? In this episode of Being Human, Dr. Chua Sook Ning is joined by Pheh Kai Shuen - a clinical psychologist and the H...

It's a question all good counsellors and clinicians ask themselves: What can I do to make my practice more effective for my clients? People seeking mental health support have a similar question in mind. They wonder what good therapy - and a good therapist - looks like. Answering these questions and more in this episode of Being Human, Dr. Chua Sook Ning is joined by Prof. Bruce Wampold, Emeritus P...

Did you know that 1 in 13 people around the world experience anxiety? When we think about being anxious, it can be something we want to avoid or get rid of - but is anxiety really the bad guy it's made out to be? In this illuminating episode of Being Human, host Dr. Chua Sook Ning speaks to Jon Abramowitz who is a professor in the department of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Nort...

When we want to make changes, we often rely on goals alone to take our lives in a positive direction. According to Prof. Steven C. Hayes, that's not enough - our goals need to be driven by values if we want to live a meaningful life. In Episode seven of Being Human, Dr Chua Sook Ning and Prof. Hayes discuss the importance of going beyond goal setting to create values that empower us to live life i...

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 70 million people worldwide have an eating disorder. And yet, many people throughout the world don't receive effective treatment for these complex issues. In episode six of Being Human, Dr Chua Sook Ning is joined by Dr. Ellen Fitzsimmons-Craft - a prominent researcher in eating disorders from the Washington University School of Medicine - as they...

What motivates us to do our best in some areas of life, while in others we only give the bare minimum to get the job done? And how can individuals, as well as business leaders and coaches, develop environments that inspire people to give and be at their best? In this insightful episode of Being Human, Prof. Richard Ryan joins host Dr. Chua Sook Ning to talk about three fundamental needs that drive...

Many of us know the importance of looking after our mental health and how counselling or psychotherapy can improve our emotional well-being. But what does good therapy look like - and how do we benefit from it?  Answering these questions and more in Episode 4 of the Being Human podcast is Prof. Alvin Ng - Head of Psychology at Sunway University. Alvin joins Dr Chua Sook Ning to discuss the qu...

Mental health has come along way in Malaysia over the past 20 years, with more awareness, education and services made available to people throughout the country.  How can we keep that momentum going, and what role can communities, business leaders and employers play to invest more in our mental health and well-being? Joining Dr. Chua Sook Ning to explore these questions is Y.B. Michelle Ng, a...

Why is psychology important...and why should we care about it? In this episode of Being Human, Dr. Chua Sook Ning is joined by MY Psychology founder and clinical psychologist, Gary Yap. They discuss the importance of psychology and how we can benefit from learning how it affects our lives, leading us to a better understanding of what makes us who we are and how we behave. For more information on R...

Sometimes it's difficult to understand our emotions, let alone make friends with them. In this first episode of 'Being Human', Dr. Chua Sook Ning is joined by Professor Jeanne Watson from the University of Toronto. Professor Watson is a major exponent of humanistic-experiential psychotherapy and has contributed to the development of Emotion Focused Psychotherapy. She shares some fascinating insigh...