From Caving In To Crushing It by Drew Deraney

May 17, 2025 Episode 132 - Trisha Choi - From Breakdown to Breakthrough: How (F)unemployment, Forgiveness, and Creativity Sparked a New Life.

This episode: From Breakdown to Breakthrough: How (F)unemployment, Forgiveness, and Creativity Sparked a New Life.

Here’s what you’ll learn about:

Reconnecting and Reflecting on Past Experiences (0:00)

Host Drew Deraney reminisces about their past work together at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan, specifically in the patient experience department.

Drew thanks NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital for introducing them and reflects on how they have evolved since their initial meeting.

He discusses the linear nature of life and how external circumstances can derail it, categorizing people into three types: those who live on autopilot, those who blame external factors, and those who take opportunities to grow.

Drew identifies Guest Trisha Choi as a woman who takes opportunities to grow and challenges her to share her defining moment that led to her personal and professional transformation.

Trisha's Journey to Self-Awareness (3:24)

Trisha shares her first defining moment, where her uncle in the Philippines advised her to forgive herself for being human and imperfect.

She recounts her struggle with bipolar disorder, her family history of the disorder, and her anger towards her circumstances.

Trisha discusses her second defining moment, when her colleague and boss, Emily, supported her taking time off to seek treatment for self-medicating with alcohol.

She reflects on how these experiences shaped her into the person she is today, emphasizing the importance of self-forgiveness and self-awareness.

The Role of Forgiveness and Self-Acceptance (6:01)

Drew emphasizes the importance of forgiving oneself and recognizing that we always have a choice in our actions.

Trisha admits that it took her many years to truly forgive herself, especially during her time at Duke University Hospital during COVID-19.

She shares her experience of breaking the cycle of domestic violence and finding the strength to end an unhealthy relationship.

Trisha reflects on how her new relationship and spiritual connection with her partner have helped her achieve self-acceptance and purpose.

The Concept of (F)unemployment (14:20)

Trisha introduces the term "(f)unemployment," describing it as a mindset that allows her to enjoy her time off and engage in activities she loves, such as playing golf, bowling, and singing in an acapella group.

She explains how this mindset led her to start her own company, Bahay Kubo, which focuses on creating fun and engaging experiences for executives and professionals.

Trisha describes the concept of Bahay Kubo, a portable and lightweight space within conferences where executives can engage in creative activities to foster innovation and transformation.

She highlights the importance of injecting fun into serious conferences to enhance creativity and productivity.

Bahay Kubo and Its Impact (17:20)

Trisha provides details about Bahay Kubo, including its name, which means "homemade of bamboo and leaves" in Filipino, and its purpose of creating a space for self-reflection and creativity.

She explains the various activities that can take place in Bahay Kubo, such as music, finger painting, karaoke, and yoga, to help participants engage in creative and transformative experiences.

Trisha shares an example of a recent event at Duke University, where participants chose from four different experiences to bring their parents, fostering connection and reflection.

She emphasizes the importance of looking inward and making changes to improve oneself and the world around us.

Trisha's Partner and the Toll House Game (23:46)

Trisha introduces her partner, Spirit, who is an artist and iconographer, and describes his work in creating a tabletop game called Toll House.

She explains the concept of Toll House, which is based on Spirit's near-death experience and includes three levels of difficulty and 16 ways to play.

Trisha highlights the game's ability to connect people of all ages, especially grandparents and grandchildren, and its role in fostering connection and play.

She reflects on how the Toll House game and her relationship with Spirit have influenced her approach to fun employment and personal growth.

Advice for Young Trisha (25:42)

Drew asks Trisha for advice she would give to her younger self, prompting Trisha to share the advice her father gave her: to try everything once.

Trisha emphasizes the importance of experiencing new things and being open to new opportunities, even if they are challenging.

She shares her own experience of starting her own company and the lessons she learned from her previous attempts.

Trisha advises young entrepreneurs to face their fears and challenges head-on, knowing that they have a safety net of supportive people in their lives.

Final Thoughts and Encouragement (28:21)

Drew thanks Trisha for sharing her journey and for her vulnerability in discussing mental health and personal growth.

Trisha expresses gratitude for the support and connections she has made throughout her career, including with Drew.

Trisha encourages others to embrace their inner child and bring fun and creativity into their lives and work.

Drew concludes the conversation by encouraging the audience to take care of themselves and to reach out to Trisha for more information about her retreats and services.

To learn more about Trisha’s mission, go to her LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/trishachoi/

or her website www.bahaykuboretreat.com

Trisha Choi Bio

Trisha Choi is a seasoned leader with 25 years of experience in healthcare, specializing in patient experience, leadership coaching, and organizational transformation. Her career has spanned various roles in top institutions, including Duke University Hospital, Cone Health, and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where she has made a lasting impact on patient care, team development, and system-wide policy creation.

At Duke University Hospital during the pandemic, Trisha led initiatives that maintained top decile patient experience scores for three years, managing a team of 100 across multiple departments while coaching C-suite leaders and ensuring service excellence.

She was instrumental in building cross-hospital collaboration and prioritizing care and kindness for both patients and staff.

Trisha's role as Senior Manager of Patient Experience at Cone Health expanded her expertise in managing surge plans and developing communication tools for the broader healthcare community. Her extensive experience at NewYork-Presbyterian spanned over 17 years and included roles in patient experience, volunteer management, and program development, including the build of the Inpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department and residency programs at Weill Cornell and Columbia Medical Centers.

With a background in Public Relations, Marketing, and Personal Assistance to celebrities, Trisha's transition to healthcare is marked by a unique blend of leadership and service excellence. She holds a Master of Arts in Change Leadership from Columbia University and a B.A. in Health Education from the University of Mount Saint Vincent.

About your host: I'm Drew Deraney, the proud father of three children. For most of my life I've been concerned with what people thought of me and how I was supposed to act. I learned not to be my authentic self and instead became a people pleaser, a man wearing a mask.

In a 9-month span a few years ago, I endured four faith-shaking life events that caused me to question my existence.

I became determined to find a better way to live. Through intense self-reflection and awareness, I realized that in order to be happy, I must adhere to my standards of honesty, integrity and truth and needed to break free from the belief system that was anchored in me for close to 50 years.

I now believe that success happens when we find a better way and are willing and able to share it. HOW I do that is by challenging the status quo and thinking differently. Ultimately, WHAT I bring is a way to contribute and add value by having an impact on the lives of others.

My company, Profit Compassion LLC consists of 3 paths:

The Mindful Man Movement: men’s self-discovery coach, speaker, podcast host, author. For Men Seeking Answers Within: Imagine having crystal clear knowledge of your purpose in life where you make confident decisions, and are assertive, productive, and at peak mental health. Corporate executives hire me to guide them to tap into their natural power through self-discovery so they may write their own story and live the life they want to live.

The Caregiver Coach: coach for fathers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). For Caregivers who are open to a conversation about how I can support you on your caregiving journey: I help caregivers find balance, build resilience, and rediscover their own well-being. Through personalized coaching, I provide practical strategies, emotional support, and the tools to reduce burnout, strengthen relationships, and navigate the challenges of caregiving with confidence. My goal is to empower you to care for yourself as compassionately as you care for your loved one.

Business Solutions: health/wellness and financial services to support individuals and businesses.

Join me in transforming challenges into opportunities for growth. Let’s embark on this journey together.

HOW TO CONNECT WITH COACH DREW:

Website: https://profitcompassion.com/

Email: [email protected]

Book a discovery call: https://link.mavericksystems.online/widget/bookings/netweaving/connect30

Pick up a copy of Drew’s book: https://amzn.to/40dsbyR or https://bit.ly/BandNDrew

You Tube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@profitcompassion/videos

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