Asians Do Therapy

In this conversation, I speak to Michelle MiJung Kim.  She is a queer Korean American immigrant woman writer, speaker, activist, and entrepreneur. She the author of the award winning, The Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real ChangeMichelle is the first non-therapist I have on the podcast for some time. I have been inspired by her advocacy and activism, specially so in the last several weeks as it relates to Palestine. We talk about her lived experiences and how they have shaped her relationship to silence and speaking, her holding and oscillating between compassion and criticality for herself and others. We also talk about DEI work, her thoughts on how it relates to social justice, and the cognitive dissonance of the private and the corporate.Michelle also shares about her first session in therapy, which I think many of us can relate to.I hope our conversation help spark reflections on your relationship to speaking and silence.  And, that perhaps it moves you to speak (more) and (continue) take action when you feel called for, even if new, uncomfortable or even risky at times. Let Michele and I know how our conversation resonates with you. It helps us keep going.  And, share this conversation with others. @michelekimkim@asiansdotherapySpecific Michelle's IG post mentioned:https://tinyurl.com/e3wem6skhttps://tinyurl.com/yeyu7hbchttps://tinyurl.com/5n7rurywThe documentary mentioned is called The Occupation of the American Mind:https://tinyurl.com/3m33cj7mMichelle MiJung Kim (she/her) is a queer Korean American immigrant woman writer, speaker, and activist. She is the award winning author of The Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change and co-founder ofAwaken. Michelle has been a lifelong social justice activist and currently serves on the board ofAsian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality. Her work has appeared on world-renowned platforms such as Harvard Business Review and The New York Times, and she was named LinkedIn's Top Voice in Racial Equity and Medium's Top Writer in Diversity. She lives in Oakland, CA.If you enjoyed the podcast, give it a 5 star review on Spotify and Apple Podcast.

In this conversation, I speak with Dhwani Shah, MD (he/him) who is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst. Some highlights of our conversation:what psychoanalysis is and is not; some realities and misconceptions of ithow love and hate exists in all of our relationshipshow therapy is a listening practice above allthe intersection of therapy and culturethe collective racialized fantasies of "Asian American" I really appreciated Dhwani's openness in sharing his thinking, his background, and how he became a psychoanalyst.  I think he captured the beauty of the psychoanalytic encounter and its emancipatory potential.Let me know what you think of our conversation.  Dhwani Shah, MD (he/him) is a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst currently practicing in Princeton, NJ. He is a clinical associate faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and a faculty member at the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia.  He has authored articles on topics ranging from neuroscience, mood disorders, and psychoanalysis. Dr Shah's book entitled The Analyst's Torment: Unbearable Mental States in Countertransference was recently published by Phoenix Publishing House and was featured in Brett Kahr's “Top Ten Books of 2022.  dhwanishahmd.com A plug for a project that I am working on, bringing Asian Americans and Psychoanalysis together, The Asian American Center for Psychoanalysis, visit taacp.org for more information and follow on Instagram.

In this episode, I speak with Vickie Ya-Rong Chang (she/her). I got connected to Vickie because I wanted to speak to a clinician who had been working with clients and had expertise on climate anxiety and despair. The psychological and emotional impact of climate change is irrefutable. We don't need research to know that we can't be doing well when our home, our planet is on fire and flooding. But research does show that with increased temperatures, our baseline level of distress also increases. There are specific research showing that higher temperatures lead to higher levels of suicide, aggression and violence. Not to mention the acute trauma and post traumatic stress of climate disasters that destroy lives and livelihoods. Vickie mentions a few ways that we can “treat” climate anxiety. The courage it takes to face and feel what we have done and how we can stay present while taking action. And, our conversation takes me to an unexpected place. Vickie, in her being and wisdom, reminded me of the earth of my body and that maybe, like many others, my greatest attachment wound is the disconnection and alienation from mother earth. I hope you enjoy our conversation and it speaks to something in you. The daughter of Chinese immigrants, Vickie Ya-Rong Chang (she/her) was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. In her work as a psychologist and group facilitator, she is dedicated to personal = collective liberation. A core team member of East Point Peace Academy, her work focuses on the Fierce Vulnerability Network, a national constellation of direct action teams positioned at the intersection of climate justice and racial healing. In her individual and group support work, she works primarily with BIPOC and Asian immigrants, offering awareness and somatic practices. She is strengthened by her connection to the Chinese ancestral lineage including Wudang Mountains; and to the people, culture, and land of the Sangre de Cristo mountains in New Mexico and Arunachula in Tiruvannamalai, India. To connect to her, visit www.vickiechangphd.com and learn about her work at East Post Peace Academy https://www.eastpointpeace.org/retreat_reflections.Resources:APA report. Mental Health and Our Changing Climatehttps://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/03/mental-health-climate.pdfSpeaking of Psychology Podcast. How to cope with Climate Anxietyhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/40hfsum6RhkOk932h1aZ2eHow to Save a Planet Podcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/1KzrasExlM5dgMYwgFHns6If you like this podcast, leave a review or share with a friend!

In this episode, I speak with Rosa Lim (she/her) who is a clinical psychologist based in NYC.We cover a lot in 45 minutes. Rosa and I talk about: ·       the difference between eating disorders and disordered eating,·       how eating disorders is a disorder of disconnection, ·       the correlation of trauma and eating disorders,·       how eating disorders develop,·       the kinds of treatments available and what healing looks like,·       what to look for in a clinician,·       what could be helpful in preventing eating disorders,·       and how our experiences of immigration, food, and language intersects with the development and treatment of eating disorders.If you are struggling with an eating disorder, there might be information in this episode that might evoke strong reactions. At times you might feel understood and hopeful; and at other times, you might feel defeated and scared. Whatever this conversation brings up, my hope is that you can be gentle with yourself and know that healing is possible even if challenging. Eating disorders are a serious condition. Bulimia and anorexia can be life threating. As with any health condition, there is not a single, sure way to address it.  Please do your research and enlist friends and family to help in the process whether reading books, listening to podcasts, or finding a clinician or clinicians.Here are the resources that Rosa mentions on the podcast:·       National Eating Disorders Association·       Academy of Eating Disorders·       Eating Disorder AnonymousRosa Lim, PhD, (she/her) is a licensed clinical psychologist in NYC who has worked in private practice and in college counseling for the past 20 years. Currently, she is involved with the William Alanson White Institute's Eating Disorders, Compulsions, and Addictions program, as both a member of the steering committee and as guest faculty.  She can be contacted at rosa.lim@gmail.com.If you found this podcast helpful, share it with friends and/or leave a review.Follow Asians Do Therapy.

In this conversation, I speak with Dr. Jenny Tzu-Mei Wang (she/hers) about her new book, Permission to Come Home. Reclaiming Mental Health as Asian Americans. Some of what we talk about in this conversation:How the book came to beHow she weaved in the personal, the educational and the practicalHer journey off the well marked pathHer experiences in therapyHer love for Asian and Asian AmericansI hope this conversation inspires you to start, to continue on your path to health, to home. Jenny Tzu-Mei Wang, PhD is a first generation, Taiwanese American psychologist, author, speaker based in Houston, TX.  She is the founder of @asiansformentalhealth on Instagram and the Asian therapist directory,  https://asiansformentalhealth.com. Her book, Permission to Come Home is launching May 3, 2022.If you like this podcast, leave a review! Follow Asians Do Therapy on Instagram or Facebook.

In this conversation, I speak with Dr. Valerie Yeo (she/her), a psychologist who specializes in religious and racial trauma based in Portland, Oregon.Our discussion is within the context of the Evangelical church. Some of what we discussed:Adverse religious experience and religious trauma. How are they different?When folks are deconstructing their faith, what might they be experiencing?The intersections of Christianity, white supremacy and the Asian American experienceWhat resources are available for folks who in the process of deconstructingWhether you are someone in the process of deconstruction or have friends or family going through it or whether you are a therapist working with someone who is deconstructing, I hope you find this episode helpful.Dr. Valerie Yeo (she/her) identifies as Singaporean-Chinese-American, and is a licensed psychologist in Portland, OR. She has a private practice in which she values holding space for BIPOC individuals, with emphasis on those in the Asian-American community who have experienced racial and religious trauma. Her role as a psychologist includes providing individual therapy and immigration-based assessments, as well as teaching, supervising, and mentoring future mental health providers. Dr. Yeo believes strongly in honoring our full selves—emotional, somatic, mental, spiritual, and social, within our present and historical contexts. She will be offering Moving Through Religious Trauma, a workshop for Asian-Americans starting in April 2022. To connect with Valerie, follow her at @asianexvangelical and https://valerieyeopsyd.com/Additional resources:Liberated TogetherYour Favorite Heretics Ex-vangelical PodcastReligion DispatchesReclaiming My Theology PodcastProgressive Asian American Christians (PAAC)Follow Asians Do Therapy on Instagram or Facebook.

In this conversation, I speak with Linda Thai (she/hers). Linda is a Vietnamese Australian trauma and somatic therapist currently living in Alaska. I was very intrigued by Linda's work. She is writing and researching about the intersections of trauma, healing and adult children of refugees, specifically Vietnamese refugees. Some of what we touched upon in this conversation:Naming the losses of adult children of those who sought refugeThe need for clinicians to have "a bigger frame" in which to understand our experienceWhat somatic therapy is and what it might look like The importance of reclaiming cultural strengths and recognizing our resilienceI hope this conversation moves you. And, that it provides you with some understanding and compassion of your experience, of the experience of Vietnamese folks, and of those who have sought and continue to seek refuge. Linda Thai (she/her) is a trauma and somatic therapist. After surviving post war Vietnam, her family sought refuge in Australia.  She is a storyteller, freelance educator, an adjunct faculty member at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and assists Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, an internationally renowned psychiatrist and trauma expert, in his workshops.  Linda also offers her own training and workshops. One of her trainings is called, Unnameable Losses: The Unmetabolized Ambiguous Grief of Adult Children of Refugees. You can find Linda at www.linda-thai.com and https://www.facebook.com/LindaThaiCoachingConsulting.Follow Asians Do Therapy on Instagram or Facebook.

In this conversation, Navin shares with me his experiences in therapy and answers some of my questions:Why talking to a therapist has been different for him from talking to family and friendsWhy feeling his emotions has been so valuableWhat happened when he started working with an Asian American therapistWhy was it important for him to tell his parents about being in therapy. Navin provides a very helpful, 2 part decision matrix so you can decide if you want to tell your parentsWhy feeling dependent on his therapist has actually been a good thingWhat has changed for him after being therapyI really enjoyed my conversation with Navin. He shared so many valuable insights in what has come up for him in therapy as an Asian American. I hope our conversation gives you a better understanding of what can happen in therapy.Navin Kadaba (he/him) identifies as a South Asian American man. As a child of Indian Immigrants growing up in predominantly white environments, he's been on a lifelong journey to explore and experience his full self as an Asian-American. Navin's background in science & technology brought him to Google with aspirations of building products, but his passion for people and values of empathy and equity led him to People Operations where he manages an HR team. Both inside and outside work, Navin enjoys connecting with people and having tough conversations about racial identity, cultural context, and civic engagement. At home, Navin dedicates himself to caring for his partner (involving a lot of cooking) and tending to their canine companion.#AsiansDoTherapy #NoStigma

In this conversation, I speak with Hatty about what brings our Asian and Asian Americans clients into therapy specifically as it relates to family. We talk about how early childhood experiences and family dynamics impact our clients in their present lives. We talk about parentified children, childhood trauma and neglect, the pressure and threats that adult children experience, intergenerational grief and what happens in therapy can be helpful to clients. We also address two questions that folks had sent in towards the end of the episode:How to get away from parents who guilt children into overwork for the sake of the family and the idea that I must make lots of money to make my ancestors proud?How to deal with family members who knows you are in therapy but are not supportive and ask “why one session hasn’t cured you”?I hope our conversation normalizes some of your experiences you might have had and/or continue to have in your families. And, that while not easy, relief and healing is possible. Hatty J. Lee (she/her) is a marriage and family therapist and Brainspotting practitioner who has been practicing for over a decade. As the founder of a thriving group practice in Los Angeles, California, she has met with over a thousand people from diverse backgrounds in psychotherapy, counseling groups, and wellness workshops. She supports people to deepen connection with themselves and the most important people in their lives. She is the co-creator of @indwell.guide (a guidebook on navigating your mental health) and also writes about various mental health topics on her Instagram account @hattyjlee. Her work has been featured in multiple editorials, including Women's Health Magazine and Reader's Digest.Follow Asians Do Therapy. And, if you found the podcast helpful, leave a review!

In this conversation, I speak with Michelle. Michelle is a writer, a mental health advocate, a partner, mother, an immigrant, a takeout kid. And, she was diagnosed with bipolar I disorder in her early 20s. We talked about her family dynamics, the legacy of trauma and abuse she experienced, how the mental health system failed her and what can go wrong in the therapist / client relationship.We also discussed the difference between treated and untreated mental illness and why it’s so important to separate trauma from culture. It is a very honest conversation and I so appreciate Michelle for her openness and vulnerability.I hope this conversation helps to normalizes mental health, mental illness, being in therapy and/or taking medication. #AsiansDoTherapy #NoStigmaMichelle Yang (she/her) MBA, is a mental health advocate who speaks and writes about the intersection of Asian American identity, feminism, and mental health. Tired of the stigma, she is empowered to humanize and normalize mental illnesses as another part of the human condition. Born ethnic Chinese in South Korea, Michelle immigrated to the US at the age of 9, therefore straddling different cultures and navigating identities is her default. She is a proud "takeout kid," who grew up working in her family's Chinese restaurant honing a scrappy, entrepreneurial spirit. Her articles have been featured in InStyle, Reader's Digest, HuffPost, Shondaland, National Alliance on Mental Illness, and more. Michelle is also busy at work on her memoir, How a Fat Asian with Bipolar Found Love. Michelle identifies as a body-positive, cis-gendered woman. She is in a fulfilling and committed opposite-sex marriage with her grad-school sweetheart. They are raising a hilarious 7-year-old nature wizard and an incorrigible rescue pup. Follow Michelle @michelleyangwriterFollow Asians Do Therapy on Instagram or Facebook.

In this conversation, I speak to with Jenjee Sengkhammee PhD about the diversity in the Asian American identity and experiencesthe range of responses from Asian people to the Black Lives Matter movement how white supremacy affects Asian Americans the position we have been placed within the white supremacy system. Dr. Jenjee Sengkhammee (she/her) identifies as a Hmong American woman raised in the United States. As a woman of color from a poor refugee family, her experiences of culture and racial identity have shaped her understanding of the world. She is a licensed psychologist in Portland, Oregon. She owns a private practice, Heart & Mind Cultural Counseling and Training, where she provides culturally-oriented psychotherapy with individuals and couples, consults with mental health agencies, and supervises psychologist trainees. Dr. Sengkhammee is interested in understanding the role of culture and identity in our life experiences, addressing racial trauma and microaggressions therapeutically, and the role of mental health self-care in living and healing. http://www.drjenjees.com/For more context of this conversation and additional reading and listening resources, check out this medium article.Follow Asians Do Therapy on Instagram or Facebook.

In this conversation, I speak with Anneliese Singh PhD, LPC (she/they) about racial healing strategies from her book, The Racial Healing Handbook. Dr. Singh says that racism is the greatest trauma that we live with and that navigating racism is not sufficient. We need to wake up, we to learn about racism, we need to grieve and we need to hope.We discuss racial identity development, racial socialization, the grieving process, race in the therapy room, and what fuels Dr. Singh’s hope for racial liberation for all. We also get personal and share our own experiences of race, racism and where we are in our racial healing journey.Anneliese A. Singh (she/her/hers and they/them/theirs) PhD, LPC, is currently serving as the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and professor at the University of Georgia's Department of Counseling and Human Development and will be the Chief Diversity Officer/Associate Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity at Tulane University in July of 2020. Dr. Singh's research, practice, and advocacy center on racial healing, resilience of trans and non-binary people (e.g., people of color, youth), survivors of trauma, immigrants, South Asian survivors of child sexual abuse, social justice and empowerment training, and diversity, equity, and inclusion work in higher education. Anneliese is a prolific writer, with more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and other professional publications. Her books include The Racial Healing Handbook and the Queer and Transgender Resilience Workbook.Follow Asians Do Therapy on Instagram or Facebook.

Jenny and I talk about what anxiety is, how it manifests and offer some concrete suggestions on how to lessen it during this pandemic. Dr. Jenny Wang is a first generation, Taiwanese American licensed psychologist in Texas and North Carolina. She earned her undergraduate degree with honors in finance and psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Her passion for psychology and the realization that few Asian Americans pursued psychology as a lifelong career led her to pursue her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. During her graduate training, she was a teaching assistant, graduate student mentor, and Chief Resident of the clinical psychology graduate program. After completing her PhD, she went on to complete her postdoctoral training at the Duke University Medical Center where she was also on faculty. Dr. Wang currently has a private practice in Houston, Texas where she works exclusively with women’s mental health issues across the lifespan. She is extremely passionate about reducing the stigma surrounding mental health in Asian communities and runs the Instagram account, @asiansformentalhealth, to promote awareness regarding Asian American mental health needs and unique immigrant experiences. If you are looking for an Asian / Asian American therapist, visit the directory Jenny spearheaded at https://www.asianmhc.org/apidaAnd, if you have trouble finding a therapist, email me at asiansdotherapy@gmail.com and I can try to help you find one. Follow Asians Do Therapy on Instagram or Facebook.

Aimée and I talk about her journey in therapy with five different therapists and the various seasons of therapy.We talked about blue M&Ms, her Chinese father’s view on therapy, what didn’t work for her in therapy, how she chose her current therapist of six years and what has been helpful to her in therapy. Aimée Suen (she/her) is a mixed raced (Chinese, French, Canadian, Norwegian, Irish) multifaceted creator and practitioner. As a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, she helps people cut through the noise of the health and wellness world to find what truly works for them and their bodies, one small step at a time. She does this through one on one client work and through her podcast, The Small Steps Podcast. You can find out more about Aimée at her website and follow her on Instagram. For questions, email asiansdotherapy@gmail.com.Follow Asians Do Therapy on Instagram or Facebook.

Welcome to Asians Do Therapy, conversations with Asians and Asian Americans on both sides of the couch!What to expect from the podcast.Send your questions to asiansdotherapy@gmail.com.