Emotional Wellness
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Cipher in the Snow
I grew up in a little farmhouse, outside a small midwestern town. Being the seventh of eight children, one would think that, in spite of being 10 miles/16km from town, perhaps my socialization did not suffer so much. After all, I was surrounded by seven siblings. Right? … Wrong! The eldest five were born one…
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Over Twenty Years of Struggling with Unnecessary Guilt
In July, the midnight sun of Northern Europe stretches the beauty of the city into 20 hours everyday. Enamored with such a summer, I often wander aimlessly around the city even at 11 p.m. One day during one of these leisurely walks, I received a rejection letter for a job I had previously applied for.…
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I love you. How Asian Parents Express Love.
One of our volunteers thanked me for believing in her and “I love you.” I was taken aback for a moment because she’s Asian, and we Asians don’t tell each other, “I love you!” 😭 Only Westerners and movies do that mushy emotional stuff. We only dream about it. Asian parents give kids food…
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My Journey with AI in Mental Health: A Therapist’s Hopeful Perspective
Let’s begin by talking about our wonderfully complex brains. You know those times when you make a decision and later think, “Wait, why did I do that?” Well, you’re not alone! We all have these things called cognitive biases. They’re not just us being silly; they’re actually our brains taking shortcuts that sometimes lead us…
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Understanding Attachment Styles: The Invisible Threads Shaping Our Lives
Have you ever found yourself wondering why you react a certain way in relationships, or why some of your interactions seem to follow the same old script? The answer might lie in your attachment style, which is formed long before your first relationship. Let’s dive into the fascinating world of attachment styles, how they manifest…
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Under the Weight of Expectations
Everyone needs help from time to time—even the people who seem to have everything going for them. Sometimes, it is especially the ones who do well at school/work, the ones who don’t make a fuss, the ones who mask their symptoms well who need your time and care. I work with a wonderful and growing…
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Root Causes of Problems at School
When kids encounter difficulties at school, it’s not always due to academic issues. Often, behavior problems are the root cause of their struggles. Students might disrupt the class, become withdrawn, or skip school altogether. To assist these students, schools utilize a tool called Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) to identify and understand problematic behaviors and to…
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Navigating the Candy Shop of Therapy: Finding the Right Therapist in a Sea of Choices
If you’ve ever been to an ice cream shop or a candy store, you know how hard it is to pick just one treat out of the many options. For me, and probably for many of you, finding the right therapist feels just as overwhelming. In today’s digital age, the variety of therapists—from cognitive-behavioral to…
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Understanding Emotional Dysregulation in Looked-After Children: A Caregiver’s Perspective
What started as a fun karaoke night turned into one of the saddest tales I’ve ever experienced. The lyrics felt so sad and hopeless, and for the first time, I saw them without the masks they often wore. They let their guard down, and I felt the pain they had been trying to cover for…
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Stand Up Against Smothering Anxiety
I’ve had some anxiety growing up—the stress of exams and ever-growing workload—but never to a point where it prevented me from sleeping or other physical ailments. Actually, that’s me in denial. I have TMJ and acid reflux periodically, but stress and anxiety have become so prevalent in our society that we accept them as the…
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The Role of Expectation Management in Success
At its core, expectation management is about aligning hopes with reality. We’re taught to manage customers’ or employees’ expectations so they don’t become unwieldy, but the goal isn’t to settle for mediocrity; instead, it’s about being mutually transparent about what is realistically achievable. Managing expectations is a vital skill that can make the difference between…
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Are you biased and making assumptions?
These are trick questions. Of course, you are. We all make assumptions, mostly subconsciously and automatically. They are mental shortcuts for our brains to help us learn and navigate the endless complexities of social interaction and decision-making in life. Assumptions are based on our past experiences or cultural influences, and Because they are different, we…
