Beyond the Couch

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 o...

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 ot...

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 medic...

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...

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 betw...

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,...

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 fath...

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 naviga...

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...

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 purpos...

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....

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 t...

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,...

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 me...

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 st...

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...

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 c...

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 Ketami...

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 a...

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...

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-advo...

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 b...

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 an...

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,...

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...