Beyond the Couch

This week, Diana chats with lifelong activists Pam Tau Lee and Michael Liu about their early experiences organizing within Asian communities starting in the '60s & '70s. They discuss the importance of relationships and collective care in their work, and reflect upon the evolution of activism over the decades, and offer wisdom for young organizers today.

Pam Tau Lee is an Asian radical elder whose working-class and San Francisco Chinatown roots led her to a lifelong journey dedicated to environmental justice. She is a cofounder of the Chinese Progressive Association-SF, Bay Area Asians for Nuclear Disarmament, Asian Pacific Environmental Network, Just Transition Alliance, and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines-US, and a contributor to the Principles of Environmental Justice. In her nearly 5 decades of organizing and mentorship, she strives to uplift an ideology of radical love and resistance grounded in the practice of All Power to the People, Serve the People, internationalism, and women whose presence has taught her to act with generosity and courage. Connect with Pam at [email protected] or on Instagram @pamtaulee4081.

Michael Liu is a native of Boston Chinatown and was active in numerous local anti-development, anti-war and electoral campaigns and a founding member of numerous community social justice groups including the Chinese Progressive Association Boston, Asian American Resource Workshop, and the Boston Rainbow Coalition. He later worked as a researcher for two decades at the Institute for Asian American Studies at UMass, Boston. He co-authored an interpretive history of Asian American organizing, The Snake Dance of Asian American Activism, and recently authored the first book-length history of Boston Chinatown, Forever Struggle. Connect with Michael at [email protected].

 
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.
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This week, Christie chats with Lynn Min, LMHC, about the vulnerability and tension of talking about race and social justice. Lynn shares her background in social justice and how she’s learned to cultivate inner work in pursuit of collective work. Together they discuss learning from our triggers, how energy begets energy, our brains as survival machines, and caring for all of our different selves.

Lynn Min, LMHC, is a licensed mental health counselor, a certified life coach, a pastor, and a mom of three. Connect with Lynn on Bridges or at lynnmin.com

 
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.
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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 intergenerational pain, and finding the courage to ask ourselves uncomfortable questions.

Dr. Jenny Wang is a Taiwanese American clinical psychologist, national speaker and author of Permission to Come Home: Reclaiming Mental Health as Asian Americans which is available now! Connect with Dr. Wang at www.jennywangphd.com or via Instagram @asiansformentalhealth

 
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.
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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 insights about therapy and treatment. Together they explore the pressures of fitting in, western versus Asian beauty standards as well as the dark side of ‘clean eating’. 

Rosa 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. Connect with Dr. Lim at [email protected]

Mentioned in this episode:

• National Eating Disorders Association
• Academy for Eating Disorders
• Eating Disorders Anonymous
• Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications
• Hungers and Compulsions: The Psychodynamic Treatment of Eating Disorders and Addictions

 
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.
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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/her) is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in New York City. She is a proud Asian American trauma therapist that specializes in EMDR and psychoanalysis which helps adolescents and young woman with life transitions and overcoming anxiety, depression and attachment issues that hold them back in life. Connect with Shanni on her website or via Instagram

 
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.
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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, our partners and others more effectively.

Hui Ting Kok, LMHC, (she/her) is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) in New York. Hui Ting grew up in an international setting and speaks several languages fluently, including Mandarin and Cantonese. Connect with Hui Ting at www.huitingkok.com

Mentioned in this episode:

• Hui Ting’s 5 Day Journey to Controlling Your Unwanted Emotions
• APISA Spotlight: Cassey Ho (@blogilates)

 
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.
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Write to us with comments & questions, we'd love to hear from you.
@bridgesmentalhealth
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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. Additionally, she highlights the importance of nourishing our spiritual selves as well as pursuing happiness through daily acts of purpose and meaning.

Dr. Priyanka Upadhyaya (she/her) is a South Asian psychologist with a passion in helping people navigate the challenges in love and life, transforming them into living their best life and becoming their best selves. She uses evidence-based approaches with life experience and wisdom from mind-body-spiritual practices in her work with individuals and couples. Connect with her online or via email at [email protected].

 
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.
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@bridgesmentalhealth
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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 psychologist based in New York City, Dr. Chung specializes in the treatment of anxiety, mood, ADHD and executive functioning disorders. Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Biofeedback models, Dr. Chung works with youth, families and adults in her boutique private practice with 5 other associates. She is also on the faculty of the Mt. Sinai Medical Center and runs In Practice with Dr. Michelle Chung, an Instagram online platform of courses and workshops about mental health and emotional well-being.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Asian American Racial Identity Development Model by Jean Kim
• Connect with Dr. Chung: 
  • drmichellechung.com
  • [email protected]
  • Instagram @dr.michellechung

 
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
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Write to us with comments & questions, we'd love to hear from you.
@bridgesmentalhealth
[email protected]
buymeacoffee.com/bridgesmh

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 American and Korean names. Together, they also discuss taking space, self-worth, and building community.

Jieun Ko is a multi-hyphenate — she is a first-generation, Korean American singer, songwriter, writer, artist, activist, and entrepreneur, based in Brooklyn, New York. She is also the self-proclaimed #1 fan of our podcast! Connect with Jieun through her Patreon, website, and podcast Gajeok.

Jieun hosts a monthly event called Gajeok Gatherings! Gajeok Gatherings is a safe space for Korean American and Korean diasporic women to gather via Google Meet. If you’re interested in being a part of this community, please contact Jieun at: [email protected]. She would love to include you as a part of her growing Gajeok community.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Penn State Sociology class video
• Read more of Jieun’s reclamation story on her blog post: “My Name is Jieun”

 
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
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Write to us with comments & questions, we'd love to hear from you.
@bridgesmentalhealth
[email protected]
buymeacoffee.com/bridgesmh

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, they discuss creating space for joy, rest, and community healing.

Resources for the community (This is in no way comprehensive, so if you’d like to bring more awareness about a healing offering please reach out to us!):

• New York’s Asian American Federation (AAF) - Free Empowerment Self Defense Workshops
• STB Safety (self-defense classes)
• @nycpochealingcircle (Reiki for BIPOC communities)
• The Cosmos (community rest and care for AAPI womxn)
• Soar Over Hate (resources & therapy)
• Stop AAPI Hate
• Hollaback! (bystander intervention training & resources)
• Modern Health Healing Circles
• Meals for Unity (addressing food insecurity for AAPI elderly in Chinatown)
• @tcbua (Chinatown subway support)

 
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 with comments & questions, we'd love to hear from you.
@bridgesmentalhealth
[email protected]
buymeacoffee.com/bridgesmh