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The “Other Things” That Protect My Mental Health
THE “OTHER THINGS” THAT PROTECT MY MENTAL HEALTH With all the injustice and economic uncertainty happening in the United States, I’ve noticed my mental health taking a hit. In my rearview mirror, I can see my depression slowly creeping closer. In the...
Let’s Laugh Together
LET'S LAUGH TOGETHER: TURNING SURVIAL HUMOR INTO COLLECTIVE HEALING I’ve spent years talking about mental health in rooms that were quiet. Sometimes it’s painfully quiet. Quiet because people were listening. Quiet because people were hurting. Quiet because, in...
From Self-Loathing to Self-Celebration
FROM SELF-LOATHING TO SELF-CELEBRATION ““You’ve survived too much to ever doubt your worth again.” — Unknown A few weeks ago, I did something wildly outside my comfort zone and completely off-script from my usual patterns. I celebrated myself. Even though I’ve...
The Tutor Who Changed Everything
As I continue on the journey of learning to grieve my past losses, I have started journaling about the events and experiences that shaped me. The losses I write about are not always about death. They can be a career change, a significant life transition, or the end of...
We are Bamboos
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking at the Pacific Clinics Multicultural Family Center, where I shared parts of my journey with mental health and immigration. One of my talks was titled “We Are Bamboos – Thriving Between Two Worlds.” This blog is an...
Learning to Grieve
LEARNING TO GRIEVE Grief is an innate human experience. Yet, it’s something that people often don’t like to discuss or don’t know how to process. Traditionally, grief is defined as deep sorrow associated with death. The way I define grief encompasses changes, both...
Stressed, Again? A Mid-Year Reflection
Why was I So Stressed again? A Mid-Year Reflection Stress is a pulse in our chest, a tension in our shoulders, a fog in our brain, and impatience with our reactions and behaviors, as well as the people around us. Last year, I wrote about stress from a deeply...
Reflections on Our Journey with Healthy Communities
Reflections on Our Journey with Healthy Communities: Bridging Faith and Mental Health Over the past few months, I’ve had the profound honor of hosting and facilitating six sessions of Healthy Communities: Faith and Mental Wellness (HC). This initiative was more...
Reframing Uncertainty: Finding Clarity in a Chaotic World
REFRAMING UNCERTAINTY: FINDING CLARITY IN A CHAOTIC WORLD Lately, nearly everyone I talk to has been experiencing some level of anxiety. The world feels heavy. Change is constant, and uncertainty is the norm. Many Americans are deeply anxious about the economy,...
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