Claim OwnershipBeyond the Couch with Bridges
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Beyond the Couch is a podcast exploring the intersection of Asian Pacific Islander South Asian American identity and mental health. Hosted by three therapists, Diana Liao, LMHC, Samantha Waldman, LMHC, and Christie Kim, LMHC, who got together in the hopes of demystifying therapy and uplifting stories from our community. Tune in every Wednesday as we unpack topics from burnout and boundaries to perfectionism and collective care with fellow therapists, experts, and community members. Bridges is a stigma-free hub for Asians, Pacific Islanders, and South Asian Americans (APISA) to discuss, navigate, and seek mental health care. Instagram: @bridgesmentalhealth
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In this week’s exploration of identity, Sam is joined by dear friend and fellow therapist Anjali Jacob, LMHC, who shares her own journey of investigating South Asian identity, belonging, and the search for answers in the face of disconnection. Anjali shares her personal reflections on navigating the complexities of caste, religion, the colonial legacy embedded in last names, and the profound sense of isolation when experiencing something that feels unnameable. Together they offer ways to tune...
This week, Sam is joined by comedian and author Youngmi Mayer to discuss their unique experiences being biracial. While Youngmi grew up in Korea and Saipan and Sam was raised in the U.S., the two connect over memories of being othered both within and outside of their respective families, and delve into how their lives reflect larger forces of immigration, culture and privilege. Youngmi shares how her identity work influenced the writing of her upcoming memoir, "I'm Laughing Because I'm Crying...
Welcome to Season 3 of Beyond the Couch! We're back with a fresh look and a revamped structure. Join us as we dive deep into a new theme each month. With May being both Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re starting off with the theme of identity. This week, Sam, Diana and Christie catch up on how transitions and travel during the break have allowed for their own exploration, and discuss what’s to come this season. Tune in every Wednesday as we explore...
Content warning: family abuse, sexual abuse, self-harmThis week, Christie, Sam, and Diana get together to reflect on the past year, and share which of the 104(!) podcast episodes they have recorded were some of their favorites. Then, Sam speaks with Heawon Hake about how family secrets can affect and damage a family. Heawon describes the difference between good and bad secrets, which types of secrets must be disclosed, and the types of ego defenses that result from a festering family secret.H...
This week, Diana chats with Dr. Matt Poon about growing up with Asian parents, the pitfalls of perfectionism, and how we can expand our mindset to live a fuller and more balanced life. Dr. Poon shares how he helps clients slow down, reflect, and move away from binary thinking, and how talking openly about struggles or perfectionism can help us all feel supported and less alone.Dr. Matt Poon (he/him) is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing virtually in NYC. His practice specializes in w...
This week, Christie is joined by NYC-based clinical psychologist, Dr. Yun Chen, to discuss what it’s like to have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help mitigate the pain that might come with living with OCD. They explore the ways in which the tenets of ACT can help people live fuller lives through learning to address and cope with negative thought patterns, as well as accept and make the best of their situation. Christie and Dr. Chen also...
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 ourselves, and how a scarcity mindset often prevents folks with immigrant backgrounds from taking ...
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 other side of the room as the therapist.After nearly a decade in the creative industry, Minji (she/...
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 medicine can become more accessible to younger generations. They also discuss what it means to “eat yo...
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 have become conflated in the discourse of today, and how he aims to help redefine and reclaim wh...
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 between oneself and others especially as Asian therapists working with Asian American clients.Jonatha...
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, novel ways.Cathay Che is a Japanese American and Native Hawaiian LCSW, with a virtual Private Pr...
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 fathers might express affection, and they discuss the relative lack of support and community for new ...
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 navigating the differences in parenting values from those of the previous generation and how empowering...
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 more effectively with one another in order to thrive as a couple living with ADHD.Suzanne Eng (sh...
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 purpose and personal definition of success. Bridges Mental Health aims to connect Asian, Pacific Island...
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.Priscilla Chin, LCSW (she/her) is a therapist, psychoanalyst, and a group practice owner for a cul...
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 therapist. Bridges Mental Health aims to connect Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian Americans (A...
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, a pastor, and a mom of three. Connect with Lynn at lynnmin.com or @soulmattersllc Bridges Mental ...
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 meant to be able to have even some simple conversations, as well as how she’s navigated her biracia...
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