Conversations With Your Chinese Auntie

Okay, it's time to get real. You have probably seen posts on social media, or your therapist has told you that you need to heal your inner child. Maybe you’ve even done the work with them, but your inner child is still running and maybe ruining your life.

When new clients come and see me, and they share that they have done inner child work, I find that they missed one crucial step. Listen to this episode to find out what are some t...

What a heartwarming conversation with my dear friend Thérèse Cator.

In this episode, Thérèse and I discuss the effects of assimilation on our bodies, healing, identity, and more. We also discuss how healing can emerge when we are in spaces where we can be in our full humanity and don't have to be in a state of hypervigilance.

Bio:

Thérèse Cator is the founder of Embodied Black Girl, a global community that centers the healing and l...

In this episode, Kimen and I share how we met and the challenges we have encountered in our 18-year relationship.  We talk about the importance of doing our own healing work so we can show up for each other and not repeat our parents' unhealthy marriages.  We also share the non-negotiables in our marriage. 

As always, advice from Your Chinese Auntie, Yiyi, is at the end of the episode. 

Give up everything you think you know about r...

My guest today is my dear friend, Lara Therrien Boulos. I met Lara through our dear friend Carmen Spagnola, as we were both Questers and Carmen's students. This episode discusses Lara's trip to Egypt, capitalism, Quest and the Return, and self-initiation. We talk about how the pandemic is like an initiation and that we are now in the Return. It will all make sense when you listen to this episode.

At the end of the episode, I disc...

My guest is Roxanne Francis, the award-winning CEO of Francis psychotherapy and consulting services. She runs a busy group practice and is a keynote speaker, leadership coach, and corporate consultant who addresses topics related to women's issues, such as race and equity, mental health, parenting, and wellness at work. She is also the founder of The Therapist's Lounge, which helps private practice social workers and psychotherapis...

I am thrilled to welcome Taraneh Erfan to the show. In this episode, Taraneh talks about growing up in Iran during the Iran-Iraq war, recognizing our privilege, how to decolonize our practice, and how to show up human with one another. Of course, we talk about our puppies.   We discuss whether it is ethical to volunteer abroad, and we talk about patriarchy, lessons learned, white supremacy, colonization and much more.

I did then wh...

I am so excited for you to meet Henry M. Pittman. Henry is a licensed therapist and counsellor. Henry assisted in my Somatic Experiencing (SE) three-year training. The training was all online except for the last level, so we met in person last year in Atlanta. Henry is passionate about his work; he is wise, knowledgeable and a great storyteller. Oh, and funny! In this episode, we talk about a lot of things! He explains how to do M...

My guest today is the founder of Feeding Mama - Mona En Ting Stilwell. I first heard about Mona from my Chinese Medicine colleagues and friends who know Mona.

Feeding Mama is dedicated to nourishing new postpartum parents with premium quality essential foods carefully cultivated through the centuries-long sciences of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

If you know anyone expecting in Vancouver, BC, I highly recommend gifting them Mona's ...

Menopause? Estrogen? Progesterone? Who's in perimenopause? Me!

My guest today is Shirley Weir, the founder of Menopause Chicks. Although this podcast mainly features BIPOC folks, I invited Shirley as I have admired her work since we met in 2017. She has done so much to educate the world about menopause. Shirley is a fierce advocate for women’s health. 

In this (mini) master class, we talk about hormones, the healthcare system, how ...

My guest today is Dr. Debbie Lee. Debbie is a Registered Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine. She is a mama to two adorable little humans and is one of my close friends with whom I can talk about my feelings and emotions. 

In this episode, we talk about our Chinese mothers who used to make us drink herbal decoctions, and we might or might not have poured the decoctions down the sink when our mothers were not paying attention. My...

What do we give up as immigrants and refugees? What do we yearn for and can be so hard to find?

In this episode, Luna and I talk about the Kampung spirit, the concept of Gaginang, and the importance of red eggs in Chinese culture. 

A kampong (kampung in Malay and Indonesian) is the term for a village.

Gaginang means (my/our) own people.

Luna's Bio: Luna 月愛心 (They/them/their) is a multiracial, non-binary, neurodivergent, disabled ...

Happy Lunar New Year! 新年好!

This episode is part two of my Lunar New Year series. If you missed part one, please listen to episode 8. 

In this episode, I imagine that Luna and I are sitting at a hawker center, eating foods we desperately miss, and talking about everything from our experiences growing up in Singapore, Lunar New Year traditions, including going to the Kuan Yin temple, red packets, Buddhism, and much more. 

Luna 月愛心 (T...

Lunar New Year falls on Saturday, February 10, 2024. This is the year of the Wood Dragon. In Chinese culture, the dragon is considered lucky, magical, powerful, and noble. On February 4th, we also transition to the Period 9.

In this episode, I talk about some rituals that are essential to prepare for the new year. I also discuss the significance of food and what we usually eat for Reunion Dinner. 

If you are an Asian immigrant wh...

My guest today is Dr. Sanae Suzuki. Sanae is a trauma-informed integrative primary care practitioner focusing on mental health. She has over a decade of experience in holistic medicine. 

She received Functional Medicine training at The Institute for Functional Medicine and Apex Energetics, Functional and Integrative Psychiatry training through Psychiatry Redefined fellowship, Trauma Therapy training at Somatic Experiencing Internat...

In this episode, we talk about Wanjîkū's tribe, the tribe's arrival story, the meaning of her name and her clan's name. We talk about lands that feel like "home" to us. For Wanjîkū, it's Santa Fe, New Mexico, and for me, it's Spain. We also share our little adventure at Atlanta's airport. I ask Wanjîkū how she looks after herself. Spoiler alert: she naps! 

Listen to the end of this episode as she shares a beautiful prayer. 

In this...

My guest today is Diane Hua-Stewart. Diane is a colleague and friend from grad school. We talk about Diane's path, Brainspotting, food policies, how food affects our health, food in Asian cultures, and the Vietnam War, where Agent Orange was used. We also discuss the scarcity mindset that can be common in immigrants. In case you have not heard of Agent Orange, it was a powerful herbicide used by U.S. military forces during the Viet...

In this intimate, funny and honest conversation with Dr. Alice Crawford, she shares her path from electrical engineering to computer science to being a therapist. We talk about her 41 years of marriage, racism, and raising a Black son. She shares advice for BIPOC therapists starting in the mental health field, and we discuss hope. 

Dr. Alice Crawford has a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology and is a Licensed Clinical Professional C...

I am delighted today to welcome my dear friend and sister, Paola Baca.  At the start of the episode, I share why I address people I love as sister, brother, auntie, or uncle. 

This episode is intimate and emotional. Paola shares her story of immigrating from Peru to Canada. We talk about our experiences with belonging and fitting in, being intentional when making new friends, and how to be in community with one another.

Paola has m...

I am delighted today to welcome my dear friend and sister, Dr.Tanya Gee. This episode discussed Tanya's path, Traditional Chinese Medicine, concubines, and ancestral healing work. It's a juicy episode! You also get to hear Tanya's belly laugh; it's one of the best things in life! She also shares two pearls of wisdom at the end of the podcast. 

Tanya is a veteran Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with 30 years of private ...