What are emotions? We don’t usually think about what they are or where they come from. We usually either express or suppress emotions. Dana Wang, MD, is a board certified adult psychiatrist and one of the founders of RIVIA Medical, a mental health clinic in New York City. She chats with us today on how emotions manifest from our “templates'' - formed from our previous experiences, preconceived notions, and belief systems. Because we are usually not aware of these templates, we are unable to reflect on our emotions and manage them in a way that serves us better. Dr. Wang discusses how and why certain emotions like guilt and fear surface in the unique transition to motherhood. She explains how our parenting strategies may be influenced by our own childhood, external and internal expectations, and innate instincts to keep our baby alive. 

Dr. Wang is devoted to delivering the best care for her patients and advocating for emotional wellness as preventative care. Dr. Wang completed her psychiatry residency training at Harvard Medical School, during which she also completed a fellowship in psychodynamic psychotherapy at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. She has presented her work at local, national, and international conferences, and co-authored book chapters and peer-reviewed articles. She is a passionate advocate for addressing stigma and mental health service disparities in Asian Americans. She is currently affiliated with the cross-cultural student emotional wellness center as an executive committee member at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Connect with her at www.riviawellness.com

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