Category: Featured Columnists

  • Parenting Is Hard. The Advice Is Confusing. What’s the Real Solution?

    Parenting Is Hard. The Advice Is Confusing. What’s the Real Solution?

    Parenting: A Life-Diminishing Factor?

    I couldn’t believe it when a colleague told me that research suggests parenting is one of the most stressful roles an adult can take on. It made me pause—how could something so deeply meaningful also be so exhausting? But then I looked around: parents today are juggling work, life, guiding kids through social pressures, dealing with screen time addiction, and somehow squeezing in time to teach them resilience, discipline, and self-regulation.

    And then there’s the smartphone dilemma. Should you give your child a phone, knowing it opens them up to cyberbullying, social media pressures, and potential addiction? Or do you withhold it, risking their social isolation and exclusion from peer groups? These are the kinds of impossible decisions that parents today have to make—on top of everything else.

    TpUGNlI 1 curaJOY

    Between work, family obligations, school, extracurricular, PTA politics, puberty, first relationships, college applications, first jobs—it’s an endless barrage of emotional and behavioral challenges (or learning opportunities, depending on your perspective). It’s no wonder many parents feel like they are barely holding it together.

    According to a 2023 American Psychological Association (APA) report, over 70% of parents say they are overwhelmed by the responsibilities of raising children, and nearly half report feeling completely burned out. A separate survey by curaJOY found that 9 out of 10 adults wish their parents had been more aware of emotional wellness when they were growing up. This underscores the lasting effects of childhood emotional neglect and how a lack of parental understanding can shape a child’s long-term well-being.

    When parents are overwhelmed and lack adequate support, they struggle to recognize or address their child’s emotional health needs—perpetuating a cycle where social and emotional needs are left unspoken or untreated.

    Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, put it best:

    “In modern society, parenting is often portrayed as a less important, less valued pursuit. Nothing could be further from the truth.”

    Yet, despite its importance, 48% of parents report feeling completely overwhelmed. They aren’t just struggling to keep up—they’re drowning in the noise of conflicting advice, overwhelming expectations, and little systemic support.

    Parenting isn’t just an individual responsibility—it directly shapes a child’s development. Parents are their children’s first and most influential role models, shaping how they navigate relationships, handle emotions, and build resilience. Research in child psychology confirms that co-regulation—the process where children learn to manage their emotions by interacting with calm, supportive caregivers—is essential for developing strong social-emotional skills.

    But when parents are stressed, exhausted, or unsupported, their ability to provide this emotional stability is compromised, making behavioral challenges more likely. curaJOY’s research found that more than half of respondents believe they would have benefited from therapy as children but never received it, often because their parents didn’t know where to turn, lacked awareness of mental health resources, or were struggling with their own emotional burdens.

    The Gap in Parent Training and Behavioral Health Support

    Research confirms that parent involvement in behavioral health interventions leads to significantly better outcomes for children.

    • A meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found that parent training programs improved behavioral outcomes in children by up to 40%.
    • A 2023 study from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reported that children whose parents received structured behavioral training showed higher emotional resilience and lower rates of anxiety and depression compared to those whose parents did not participate in such programs.

    Yet, most parents never receive any formal training on how to support their child’s emotional development.

    The data from curaJOY’s research further emphasizes this gap–Many parents struggle to find effective resources, with over half turning to short-form online content like YouTube, TikTok, and Google for parenting advice. But short-form content doesn’t provide the depth and guidance parents need—and for those who don’t use online resources at all, the barriers to finding the right help can feel overwhelming.

    Why Aren’t More Parents Receiving Support?

    Despite the clear need for behavioral health and parenting education, many parents struggle to access the right resources. curaJOY’s Parenting Resources Survey revealed several key barriers:

    • Lack of awareness – Many parents don’t know what to look for or where to start.
    • Time constraints – Work, caregiving, and financial pressures leave little room for structured training.
    • Cost concerns – Parents ranked affordability and customization as the most important factors when choosing a parenting resource, yet many traditional programs are expensive and rigid.
    • Preference for in-person support – Some parents feel that digital resources lack the depth and interaction they need.

    As a result, most parents aren’t receiving the parent training they need to effectively support their child’s emotional development.

    A Smarter Way to Support Parents: AI-Powered Guidance That Works in Real Life

    curaJOY is proud to have Dr. Geetika Agarwal presenting at the Shaping AI Summit 2025. Dr. Agarwal is an inspiring mother, professor, and clinician with extensive experience in behavioral health across both clinical and educational settings. With a unique perspective gained from working with international populations, she brings invaluable insight into how AI can bridge gaps in parent training and behavioral health support worldwide.

    Parenting is hard, and parents are busier than ever. How do we get parents the support they need—without adding to their stress? curaJOY is bridging this gap by integrating clinician-supervised AI into behavioral health support—empowering parents with real-time, evidence-based guidance that fits into their daily lives.

    • Accessible: On-demand, mobile-friendly tools allow parents to get support anytime, anywhere—without long waitlists or rigid schedules.
    • Actionable: AI-powered guidance translates behavioral science into clear, step-by-step strategies parents can use daily.
    • Continuous: AI adapts in real time, helping parents track progress and adjust their approach based on their child’s evolving needs.
    • Scalable: By leveraging technology, curaJOY’s approach extends the reach of clinicians, making expert guidance available to more families.

    The problem isn’t a lack of tools—it’s too many conflicting methods, overwhelming information, and no clear path forward. Parents today are bombarded with expert opinions, parenting styles, and digital distractions, all while struggling to find the time to actually apply what works.

    That’s why curaJOY is bringing behavioral health support directly to them—on their phones, in their daily routines, and in a small chunks throughout the day when they most need it.

  • Leaning In on Nonprofits in Uncertain Times

    Leaning In on Nonprofits in Uncertain Times

    Sometimes, the world just sucks. Jobs disappear overnight, bills skyrocket, and each day seems to usher in a new crisis. I’ve witnessed firsthand how these harsh realities—the uncertainty of 2025—can knock the wind out of families and erode our sense of hope. But I’m not here to wallow. It’s clear people need help, and our education, healthcare, and other critical systems urgently need improvement. So, how do we move from merely surviving and reacting to proactively building a future that empowers everyone?

    A Vision for Empowerment Amidst Chaos

    I see the impact of these challenges every day. Families confronting unexpected job loss experience financial stress, shaking their children’s confidence and sense of security. Teachers and therapists repeatedly emphasize that academic and behavioral issues are deeply interconnected with underlying issues like combative divorces, substance abuse, and financial instability. When neighbors and classmates struggle with mental health, the consequences ripple out, affecting the safety, productivity, and well-being of you and me. For example, ensuring the health and mental wellness of children at our local schools directly benefits each of us by creating safer, more productive communities. This isn’t just about one family or one community—it’s about our collective future.

    You might assume I’m a bleeding-heart liberal because I started and funded a nonprofit, but the truth is, I don’t hand money to panhandlers at freeway exits—not because I don’t care, but precisely because I care deeply. I see the severity of their suffering, and how that weighs down on those who love them.  I care too much to give out bandaids that won’t fix gaping wounds. I’d rather invest in making sure individuals don’t have to show up at freeway exits tomorrow because they’ve found employment or conquered addiction. True empowerment is about solving problems at their root, not offering temporary relief.

    The Daunting Scope of the Problem

    Traditional charity—like soup kitchens or holiday gift drives—is no longer sufficient to meet today’s complex demands. Behavioral health and educational needs have exploded, intertwined with deep-rooted socioeconomic causes. Income inequality in the U.S. is at a 50-year high (Pew Research, 2020), and nearly 40% of Americans report serious mental health challenges (American Psychological Association, 2019). Nonprofits tackle these problems head-on, precisely because they aren’t easy or profitable enough for private businesses or governments to prioritize. These issues cannot be ignored—doing so exacerbates social instability, crime, and economic strain. Ignoring behavioral health issues today means paying more tomorrow—in higher taxes, lost productivity, overcrowded emergency rooms, and strained social services.

    From Corporate Leadership to Nonprofit Innovation

    Before founding curaJOY, I spent 25 years managing global teams in the electronics industry, navigating intense product life cycles, rigid hierarchies, and top-down decisions. Yet, chasing endless growth left little room for family well-being or ethical considerations. However, my daughter’s severe behavioral health and educational challenges forced a radical reassessment. I realized curaJOY needed to operate as a nonprofit because effective solutions cannot ethically depend on people’s continuous struggles. For instance, traditional for-profit models can sometimes lead to unintended conflicts of interest, where timely and comprehensive care may be inadvertently deprioritized due to financial pressures or cost management priorities.

    Initially, I brought my corporate playbook into the nonprofit space—after all, people naturally do what they know. Yet, when I crunched the numbers, it became clear that standard scaling methods were unsustainable. Running a nonprofit with integrity isn’t free; it costs significantly to avoid short-term temptations like monetizing user data or pushing unnecessary services. We faced complex social issues others had already failed to address adequately, and traditional financial models couldn’t generate resources without compromising our core values.

    It became clear we needed to think differently about how nonprofits create value and build sustainability.

    The Epiphany: We Are Worth More Than Our Bank Accounts

    curaJOY needed bold innovation to prioritize both integrity and impact. Nonprofits must recognize and cultivate their unique value by building strategic alliances. Rather than simply paying a cloud service provider hundreds of thousands of dollars, we could partner with them to reduce their internal absenteeism and legal challenges, creating mutual benefit far beyond a simple transactional relationship. curaJOY pivoted to a dual solution model addressing both problem scale and sustainable, ethical change.

    Rethinking Value: Harnessing Community Co-Creation

    curaJOY’s greatest asset is our community. Since 2023, over 458 community contributors—including licensed behavioral health professionals, software engineers, and data scientists from 16 countries, plus corporate volunteers from Atlassian, Okta, Walmart, VMware, and White & Case—have come together to build our flagship behavioral health solution, MyCuraJOY. Community co-creation is more than a buzzword—it’s transformative, though not always easy. Initially, I assumed everyone naturally knew concepts like SWOT analysis or obtaining multiple bids. I quickly learned otherwise. Rather than giving up, we invested in understanding and upskilling our community, enabling genuine contributions and meaningful involvement in solutions. Our community multiplies our impact far beyond financial resources alone.

    Embracing Ethical AI as an Essential Equalizer

    Traditional methods cannot overcome systemic problems such as provider shortages and escalating behavioral health crises. Our healthcare system faces a vicious cycle: shortages lead to burnout, causing further shortages and leaving critical behavioral health needs unmet. AI, under experts’ supervision and ethical stewardship, offers our best hope of interrupting this escalating crisis. At curaJOY, our clinician-supervised AI has proven 30% more effective at identifying root causes and recommending appropriate interventions than licensed clinicians alone. This model empowers non-specialists to collect clinically relevant data, extending expert reach without compromising professional integrity.

    Because we’ve integrated families, providers, and educators from the start, we could realistically address systemic bottlenecks with supervised AI, allowing timely, accurate support for those who need it most.

    Building a Circular Impact Model & Strategic Partnerships

    I envision a new nonprofit model—one creating ecosystems where every stakeholder participates in solutions. Instead of viewing vendors merely as expenses, we transform them into strategic partners, jointly benefiting from mutual successes such as reducing absenteeism and minimizing risk exposure. This approach doesn’t just save resources—it cultivates a committed network invested in our collective mission. Nonprofits work to solve challenges for the common and greater good. One can even argue that charity exists out of self-interest and preservation because we’re all ultimately interconnected. Take infectious diseases as an example—it’s in my direct interest to ensure the kids at my children’s school are healthy and infection-free because I don’t want my own family to get sick. Similarly, addressing behavioral health issues directly benefits everyone’s safety, productivity, and quality of life.

    Rethinking Metrics for True Impact

    Traditional metrics like lines of code or referral numbers don’t reflect meaningful impact. If your metrics are wrong, you’re incentivizing people for activities that don’t align with your goals. We’ve abandoned counting lines of code or referrals made because they don’t reflect quality and impact. Bad, inefficient code or service referrals without services being rendered say nothing about how we’ve improved families’ social-emotional wellness. Instead, we focus on:

    • Clinician Involvement: The number actively training and supervising our AI, reflecting true clinical effectiveness.
    • Validity: How accurately our solutions align with expert clinician outcomes.
    • Community Upskilling: Tracking community members’ successful transitions to full-time tech positions, showing sustainable empowerment.

    These are some of the metrics that we track to better illustrate the transformative change curaJOY aims to achieve.

    A Call to Band Together

    In these uncertain times, as challenges intensify, we must lean into innovative nonprofits that address root causes, not just symptoms. By leveraging technology, fostering genuine partnerships, and embracing community co-creation, we can tackle what once seemed impossible. Join curaJOY. Together, let’s reimagine charity, transforming entitlement into genuine empowerment. Share your ideas, participate in our work, and help drive the systemic change our communities desperately need.

  • The Hardest Thing to Build: An Ecosystem Where People Stay

    The Hardest Thing to Build: An Ecosystem Where People Stay

    During my interview with Twilio for Transform Together, I was asked “What metrics tell you that you are succeeding at your mission?”

    I had metrics that should impress:

    • The 45 psychoeducational assessments we’ve digitized.
    • The research-backed 30% increase in behavior function identification accuracy (discovering the root causes of challenging behaviors).
    • The multi-cloud and multi-modal AI product that we have built and the number of releases, new features.

    All of that matters. Each of our team operates with quantifiable metrics—OKRs, KPIs, and data-driven goals that ensure we aren’t just doing good work, but the most effective work possible. I envision a new breed of nonprofits that are even more efficient and innovative than for-profit or any kind of organization for them to make meaningful impact in urgent, prevalent societal problems where others have failed.

    But if you ask me what metric is closest to my heart? It’s the people–the volunteers who don’t just contribute, but who invest in this work as if it were their own. That kind of dedication isn’t accidental—it means we’re building something people truly need.

    As of last November, 458+ volunteers have actively helped build curaJOY’s product since 2022, and they keep coming back—year after year.

    That’s not normal. People don’t volunteer weekends and nights on top of their full-time jobs unless it truly matters to them. They’ve looked elsewhere, tried other solutions, and found them lacking. curaJOY offers something different—something they couldn’t find anywhere else. And they don’t just contribute; they own it. They shape it. They pour their time, expertise, regrets and love into curaJOY—not because they’re paid to, but because it’s solving a problem they deeply care about.

    This is what most organizations miss: When people help build something, they don’t need to be convinced to use it—they already believe in it.

    And that’s why curaJOY isn’t just a product—it’s a movement.

    The People Have Spoken–curaJOY Is What They Need

    There are thousands of mental health and behavioral support programs out there. So why do people choose to contribute to curaJOY?

    Because they know firsthand that what already exists isn’t working.

    • Clinicians are drowning in paperwork instead of helping people, struggling with reimbursement hurdles, workforce shortages, and retention challenges. Non-billable hours pile up, making it harder to sustain quality care while meeting administrative demands.
    • Parents are exhausted from fighting for support that never comes.
    • Teachers are expected to handle behavioral challenges without training or resources.
    • Students who struggle are either ignored or punished, rather than supported.

    93% of behavioral health workers and 44% of k-12 teachers experience burnout, many leaving the field.  57% of parents experience burnout, and unlike professionals, they can’t leave the field. This chronic stress impacts not just their well-being, but also their children’s mental health, increasing the likelihood of adverse developmental outcomes, emotional struggles, and long-term behavioral challenges. 30% of mental health claims are initially rejected, causing behavioral health practices to lose ~10% of their revenues.

    curaJOY works because we don’t just serve communities—we empower them to build the solutions they need. We’re playing the long game—co-creating with the communities who need these solutions, training volunteers, and refining our technology to ensure it actually works in real-world settings. This takes time, but it also ensures lasting impact.”

    That’s why volunteers don’t just contribute; they stay. Because when something is designed for you, by people like you, it feels different. It feels like yours.

    From Users to Builders: The People Who Power curaJOY

    Many behavioral health and education interventions have failed not because they weren’t well-intentioned, but because they didn’t truly involve the people they were meant to serve. They were built only for efficiency, not effectiveness. At curaJOY, we prioritize sustainability over quick fixes, knowing that true change requires deep investment and community ownership.  So while most organizations struggle to keep users and employees, we proudly have people who refuse to leave. Many of them have since landed full-time jobs in AI, tech, and behavioral health because of the experience they gained here.

    Jessica Teng, a seasoned designer and mom of two, joined curaJOY to deepen her skills in UX/UI design for our mission.  curaJOY gave her the opportunity and structured pathway to learn the technologies behind the AI product she’s helping to design. Her participation in the AI4C Health Cohort accelerator really touched me because it requires waking up at 5:30 AM! She embodies the dedication and continuous learning we cultivate at curaJOY, proving that innovation starts with understanding the technology you’re building.

    Her takeaway? You can’t innovate if you don’t understand the technology behind what you’re building.

    A Ram Kim, an economist with a PhD and substantial industry experience in South Korea optimizing consumer spending behavior, is using her expertise to build retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) models for curaJOY—helping people heal, not just sell them more products. 

    Dr. Anthony Pajot, Senior Director and Global Project Head for Vaccines at Sanofi, is a curaJOY board member with a career dedicated to leading high-stakes, global-scale healthcare initiatives. His expertise in vaccine development mirrors curaJOY’s mission—both require long-term investment, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a commitment to solving urgent global health challenges at scale. On top of managing a multi-billion-dollar vaccine portfolio and pipeline, he leverages his strategic vision and scientific expertise to help curaJOY become a trailblazer that mobilizes communities to address the $6 trillion global economic burden of mental health issues (WHO, 2023).

    curaJOY isn’t just a solution; it’s changing the way solutions are built. We are designing a system where communities don’t just receive help—they drive the innovation that shapes their future.

    I often think of you and the impact you’ve had on me. Your guidance and the things I learned from you still resonate with me. I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am for your influence, and for the things I learned from curaJOY

    -Sunny H.

    “curaJOY’s mission is important to me because emotional wellness is at the heart of strong families and communities. I believe that prioritizing emotional health can create a ripple effect of positive change, and I’m passionate about being part of something that directly improves lives.”

    -Rija S.

    Growing up in a Vietnamese-American household, emotional wellness and mental health was not as prioritized in comparison to other factors such as academics, finances, etc. I was the “odd” one out of my family. I wanted to be able to create more positive interactions with them and be more open-minded to all the endless thoughts, opinions, actions, etc. curaJOY can really make a big impact on people’s lives.

    -S. Nguyen

    The Most Important Metric

    A lot of companies talk about “community-driven solutions,” but most only conduct usability testing and focus groups after the major decisions have already been made. The difference? We embed our communities into the design and development process from the start, ensuring their needs drive the evolution of curaJOY. But very few actually create the conditions for people to participate meaningfully. People can’t solve a problem they don’t fully understand and when they don’t have the tools, experience, or skills to solve it.

    That’s why curaJOY doesn’t just build solutions—we build people. We don’t just ask for feedback—we invest in people so they can actively build the solution with us. We empower them to recognize systemic issues, ask the right questions, and become part of the change.

    Most solutions fail at true engagement because they only seek input—not ownership. Most companies build first and test later. We do the opposite. At curaJOY, volunteers—from clinicians, high schoolers to parents to AI engineers—aren’t just passive participants; they are actively learning, questioning, and shaping the product. And that’s what makes our approach slower, but infinitely more sustainable.

    When people help create something, they don’t abandon it. They invest in it, advocate for it, and improve it over time. Parents proudly display their children’s imperfect drawings, cherishing them far more than any mass-produced art. Why? Because they have ownership. They were part of its creation. The same is true for curaJOY—when people build something, they care about it more, they advocate for it, they refine it. Ownership isn’t just emotional—it’s the key to sustainability

    curaJOY is proof that real co-creation isn’t just possible—it’s essential. We recognize and elevate the expertise of every volunteer—whether it’s a retired engineer mentoring young data scientists or an artist helping refine the emotional intelligence of our AI models. Every contribution, no matter how unconventional, has a place in curaJOY’s evolution.

    Success Isn’t Measured in Dollars—It’s Measured in the People Who Refuse to Leave

    Most companies measure success in revenue, downloads, or funding rounds. curaJOY’s success is measured in something far more powerful:

    • The volunteers who keep coming back.
    • Our program graduates who launch careers in tech because of curaJOY.
    • The parents, clinicians, and educators who feel seen and heard for the first time.

    Anyone can build technology. Many AI companies today are just repackaging existing models, but curaJOY is far more than an LLM wrapper. Our work spans AI-driven customer experience (CX), MLOps, and process orchestration—creating truly intelligent and adaptive behavioral health solutions that evolve with the people who use them. But to build something that people willingly commit years of their lives to, with no financial incentive—that’s rare.

    And that’s why I know curaJOY is making an impact.

    The Future Belongs to Those Who Build

    Every year, millions of children and families fall through the cracks of an overburdened, understaffed system. Over 169 million people in the U.S. live in areas with mental health professional shortages, leaving them without access to essential care. (Source: HRSA, 2023) Behavioral health provider shortages have left entire communities without access to care. Schools struggle to support students with mental health and learning needs. Without adequate intervention, these gaps lead to rising crime rates, increased substance abuse, chronic unemployment, and homelessness. The inability to access timely behavioral health support often sets off a domino effect, impacting not just individuals but entire communities, further deepening social and economic inequities. We don’t have the luxury of waiting for someone else to fix this. The time for action is now.**curaJOY isn’t waiting for someone else to fix the broken behavioral health and education systems.

    We’re building the solution—together.

    And the people who stay, build, and grow with us? They are the real proof that curaJOY is here to stay.

  • Unlocking Better Behavioral Support: How AI is Transforming Functional Behavior Assessments

    Unlocking Better Behavioral Support: How AI is Transforming Functional Behavior Assessments

    Imagine a child struggling with severe emotional outbursts in school, a teen engaging in self-injurious behaviors, or an adult with autism experiencing daily frustration due to communication barriers. Families and educators often feel overwhelmed and unsure of how to help, leading to trial and error approaches that can frequently cause more harm than good. This is where Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) come in: an evidence-based approach to understanding why behaviors occur and how to support positive change.

    What Is an FBA?

    A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is a process used to identify the underlying reasons for challenging behaviors. Rather than just addressing surface-level actions, an FBA digs deeper, uncovering the motivations behind behaviors and providing data-driven strategies for meaningful support.

    FBAs are widely used in schools, clinics, and homes to support individuals with developmental disabilities, autism, ADHD, and other behavioral or emotional challenges. By identifying the “why” behind behaviors, professionals can create effective, personalized intervention plans that lead to better outcomes, improved quality of life, and reduced frustration for families and educators.

    The Positive Impact of FBAs

    A well-conducted FBA can lead to:

    • Decreased problem behaviors – Reducing behaviors like aggression, self-injury, or disruptive actions that take away from a student’s ability to learn and engage with peers.
    • Increased skill development – Teaching functional communication, emotional regulation, and self-advocacy to name a few.
    • Better academic and social success – Helping students stay engaged in learning and build stronger relationships with teachers, peers, and family. 
    • Reduced reliance on restrictive interventions – Preventing unnecessary suspensions, exclusionary discipline, restraints, or even hospitalizations.

    FBAs empower individuals by providing personalized, evidence-based, and effective strategies that focus on skill-building rather than punishment.

    The FBA Process: Breaking It Down

    1. Identify the Target Behavior – Clearly define the behavior of concern (e.g., “hitting others when denied access to an item”).
    2. Gather Data – Observe when, where, and how the behavior happens, looking at patterns over time.
    3. Analyze the Function – Determine the reason behind the behavior (e.g., escape from demands, seeking attention, sensory needs).
    4. Develop an Intervention Plan – Create strategies that teach alternative behaviors while addressing the root cause.
    5. Monitor and Adjust – Continuously track progress and refine the plan as needed.

    This process is essential but often time-consuming, inconsistent, and inaccessible—especially in underfunded schools, rural areas, and low-income communities.

    How curaJOY is Making FBAs Smarter and More Accessible

    At curaJOY, we believe every child deserves access to quality behavioral support, regardless of location or resources. Our AI-powered platform is revolutionizing the FBA process by:

    • Streamlining data collection – Using AI to assist in gathering and analyzing behavioral patterns efficiently.
    • Providing real-time insights – Helping educators and caregivers identify trends faster.
    • Generating tailored intervention suggestions – Offering personalized, evidence-based strategies to replace problem behaviors.
    • Increasing equity in behavioral support – Making high-quality FBAs accessible to families, educators, and clinicians everywhere.

    With curaJOY’s AI-assisted FBA flow, we’re reducing the burden on overworked professionals, empowering caregivers with actionable insights, and giving children the support they need to thrive.

    Join the Movement

    FBAs are a powerful tool for understanding and addressing behavior, but they must be accessible to everyone—not just those who can afford specialized services. curaJOY is bridging that gap, using AI to bring smarter, faster, and more equitable behavioral assessments to families and professionals worldwide.

    Let’s make behavioral support available for all—because every child deserves a chance to succeed.

  • Unlocking Functional Behavior Assessments Funding

    Unlocking Functional Behavior Assessments Funding

    A mother once told me she felt like she was fighting battles on multiple fronts, barely holding on. Her 11-year-old son, bright and curious, had been labeled ‘disruptive’ at school. He wasn’t misbehaving on purpose—he just couldn’t sit still or follow directions like his classmates. When he pushed or shoved, she had to leave work to pick him up. Every phone call from school brings dread.

    She tried everything the teachers suggested—behavior charts, rewards, consequences—but nothing worked. Some staff hinted at alternative placements. Others suggested medication. Then came the moment that broke her: The school talked of suspension. ‘We just don’t have the resources to manage his behaviors,’ they said.

    That night, she sat at her kitchen table, staring at a stack of disciplinary notices, exhausted and defeated. She questioned everything—was it ADHD, something sensory, her parenting, even autism? Why was no one trying to understand his behavior instead of just punishing him for it?

    Desperate for answers, she turned to parent forums, disability Facebook groups, and school district websites. That’s when she came across something she had never heard before—Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA). And for the first time, she had a name for what her son needed.

    But knowing about FBAs was only the first step. Now, she had to fight to get one.

    What Is a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)?

    A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is a data-driven evaluation used to identify the reasons behind a child’s behavioral challenges. Instead of punishing behavior, an FBA helps schools and caregivers develop effective intervention plans tailored to the student’s needs.

    Why is this important? Research shows that early behavioral assessments significantly reduce school suspensions, improve academic performance, and provide students with long-term coping skills.

    Why Are FBAs Underutilized?

    I hear stories like this all the time. Parents don’t usually find out about FBAs until they’re in crisis. Schools rarely bring them up unless a parent specifically asks, and even then, they might be told there aren’t enough staff to conduct them. They want to support students, but usually the staffing and specialty required to conduct an FBA is not there.

    Too many families go through years of frustration or resort to hiring educational advocates before learning FBAs even exist. That’s not okay. Understanding a child’s behavior shouldn’t be a privilege reserved for the wealthy or those who know what to ask for. Every child is entitled to an education that meets their needs, and it is the responsibility of our educational system to ensure equitable access to appropriate support and services.

    New Federal Guidance on FBAs & Funding Availability

    Stories like this are why behavioral assessments aren’t just a ‘nice-to-have’—they’re essential. And policymakers are starting to recognize this too. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Education have recently emphasized the importance of early, proactive behavioral assessments to reduce disciplinary actions, improve academic outcomes, and support students’ social-emotional development.

    Additionally, new guidance from the U.S. Department of Education encourages schools to utilize FBAs more broadly to understand and address behaviors that interfere with learning. This guidance highlights various federal funding sources that can support the training and implementation of FBAs, including Titles I, II, and IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as well as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

    While Medicaid and school districts have traditionally been primary payers, families and educators should be aware of additional sources of funding.

    FBA Funding Sources to Explore

    1. Private Insurance Companies

    Many health insurance plans cover FBAs under Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy benefits, but coverage applies mainly to individuals with autism or developmental disabilities.

    💡 Tip: If your insurance denies coverage, don’t take the first ‘no’ as final! Appeal the decision, ask your provider for a Letter of Medical Necessity, and check state mandates—many require insurers to cover ABA services, including FBAs.

    2. State and Federal Education Programs

    • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Schools must conduct FBAs for eligible students with disabilities. IDEA Part B funds can cover FBA costs within an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
    • Section 504 Plans (Rehabilitation Act of 1973): Students without an IEP but needing accommodations may have FBAs funded through general education budgets.
    • Titles I, II, and IV of ESEA: These programs offer funding to support behavior interventions, teacher training, and school-wide behavioral support initiatives.

    3. Early Intervention & State Medicaid Waivers

    • Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waivers: Some states fund FBAs for children at risk of institutionalization or those needing intensive behavioral support.
    • Early Intervention Programs (EI): State-funded programs may cover FBAs for children under age 3 when behavior impacts development.

    4. State-Funded Behavioral Health Programs

    Mental Health Block Grants (MHBGs): Federal SAMHSA grants fund behavioral health services, including FBAs, in some states. Others provide additional children’s mental health initiatives or crisis intervention programs that fund FBAs.

    5. Regional Center

    In some states, Regional Centers fund FBAs for individuals with autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, or other developmental conditions. They usually act as a last-resort payer when Medicaid or private insurance cannot cover costs. Families should work with a service coordinator to determine eligibility and request funding under an Individual Program Plan (IPP) or Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).

    6. Private Pay

    Families can privately fund an independent FBA if they disagree with a school’s assessment. (It’s how I got my daughter’s first FBA ten years ago when we were still living in Taiwan!) Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) may help offset costs.

    7. Juvenile Justice & Foster Care Systems

    Juvenile justice programs fund FBAs for at-risk youth needing behavioral interventions. Child welfare agencies also may fund FBAs for children in foster care.

    Expanding Access to FBAs

    Organizations like curaJOY are committed to expanding access to behavioral health support for marginalized communities. Some nonprofits like Autism Speaks, The Arc, Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) also provide grants to families needing FBAs.

    If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. Navigating the system to secure an FBA (or any psychoeducational support) can be exhausting, and sometimes, it feels like doors are closing left and right. But here’s the thing: your child deserves the right support, and you have options. Keep asking questions. Connect with local parent advocates and nonprofits. If one funding source doesn’t work, try another. And if you need guidance, get in touch.

    Take These Steps Today:

    👁️ Check your school district’s policies—Some districts list FBA request procedures online.
    ‼️ Submit a formal written request—Verbal requests can be ignored; written ones trigger legal timelines.
    ✅ Explore alternative funding sources—If your school won’t conduct an FBA, look into insurance, Medicaid, or grants.

    Have you successfully secured funding for an FBA? Share your experience in the comments or reach out—I’d love to hear what worked for you!

  • Breakthrough in AI for Behavioral Health

    Breakthrough in AI for Behavioral Health

    In a world where demand for mental and behavioral health services is at an all-time high, access to qualified care remains a significant barrier, particularly outside North America. With only about 4.7% of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs)—specialized practitioners who assess and treat behavioral challenges—practicing outside the United States and Canada, millions of individuals, families, and schools worldwide face limited access to essential behavioral health support.

    Addressing a Global Behavioral Health Challenge

    Behavioral health, unlike mental health, focuses on how behaviors impact overall well-being and includes conditions that involve observable actions, such as autism, ADHD, and substance use disorders. Mental health typically centers on emotional and psychological well-being, while behavioral health addresses behaviors that can influence both physical and mental health. A crucial part of behavioral health care involves Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs), which analyze patterns to identify root causes and guide effective interventions.

    However, conducting FBAs is labor-intensive and time-consuming, requiring certified practitioners to observe and interpret complex behavioral patterns. This challenge is exacerbated by the shortage of BCBAs globally, especially in regions with limited resources. That’s where curaJOY’s latest research comes in. Our team developed an innovative solution using Chain-of-Thought prompting with Large Language Models (LLMs) to automate and streamline FBA analysis. Our AI model has achieved 82% accuracy in identifying antecedents (the events or conditions leading up to a behavior) and 72% accuracy in labeling consequences (the events following a behavior). These results surpass current human providers, marking a significant leap forward in automating behavioral assessments and expanding care access.

    How This Technology Works

    Our approach breaks down complex behavioral narratives into manageable steps that AI can analyze with high accuracy. This method, known as Chain-of-Thought prompting, guides the model to logically work through each step of the behavioral analysis, resulting in a level of precision previously reserved for human practitioners. By automating parts of the FBA process, our AI technology reduces the time practitioners spend on data collection and analysis, enabling them to focus more on designing individualized, effective interventions—ultimately improving the quality of care while expanding access to those in need.

    Empowering Behavioral Health Professionals Through Upskilling

    curaJOY’s commitment goes beyond developing AI-driven tools. We believe that true impact comes from empowering the people at the heart of behavioral health care. That’s why we’re actively working to upskill behavioral health professionals by providing them with knowledge and training in AI and machine learning. By involving practitioners directly in the AI development process, we ensure that our models align with clinical needs and support real-world applications.

    This upskilling initiative does more than just refine our technology; it builds an ecosystem where behavioral health experts help shape the AI solutions they use, fostering trust, ethical application, and sustainability. In this way, AI becomes a complementary tool that enhances human expertise, helping close skill gaps and creating a more resilient approach to care.

    Why This Breakthrough Matters

    curaJOY’s AI-driven approach addresses a critical equity issue in behavioral health: lack of access to qualified practitioners. Starting with psychoeducational assessment, we open the door for regions with limited resources to conduct high-quality behavioral health assessments without requiring in-house BCBAs. This impact is especially transformative for rural and underserved communities, where individuals and families often face limited access to specialized behavioral health services. curaJOY’s solution doesn’t just make assessments faster—it brings meaningful support closer to those who need it most.

    A Step Toward Equitable Behavioral Health Access

    As curaJOY’s technology evolves, we see it playing a vital role in democratizing behavioral health care. By using advanced AI tools to address gaps in global health access, we’re helping make high-quality behavioral health services a reality for all communities, regardless of geographic or economic barriers.

    We are honored that this work has been recognized by the 23rd IEEE/WIC International Conference on Web Intelligence and Intelligent Agent Technology. curaJOY’s data team lead, Jeevan Beedareddy, will present our research at WI-IAT’s AI for Social Good workshop this December. This recognition is a testament to curaJOY’s commitment to using AI for positive social change and to empowering communities worldwide.

    What’s Next for curaJOY?

    Looking ahead, we are excited to continue refining and expanding this technology. We’re exploring partnerships with educational institutions, health organizations, and community groups to pilot our solution in underserved areas. Our ultimate goal is to contribute to a world where every person has access to the behavioral health resources they need, regardless of location or socioeconomic status.

  • Breaking the Entry-Level Hiring Cycle:

    Breaking the Entry-Level Hiring Cycle:

    A Call for Employers and Young Professionals to Collaborate

    We have a system that isn’t set up for the benefit of either job seekers or employers. On the one hand, recent graduates are desperate for a foot in the door; on the other, employers face a deluge of applications and quiet quitting, and without a clear way to evaluate cultural fit or soft skills.

    Recent grads spend 6 months to a year trying to land that first job, often competing (unsuccessfully) with those who have more experience. It’s even tougher for non-US citizens and bootcamp grads.

    A volunteer recently said to me: “I’m not aiming high. Just trying to find any entry-level job in the field, but every posting requires 1-3 years of related work experience. But how are we supposed to have work experience if we can’t get hired for an entry-level job?”

    I hear this often because I work with a lot of young professionals through curaJOY —many without real work experience in their desired field.  And it takes a tremendous effort to upskill youth and others taking non-traditional paths into tech. But this effort is crucial if we want a future where technology remains responsible and AI stays ethical. curaJOY is building an ecosystem where diverse communities are empowered to shape the future of tech, education, and wellness. We need more people and companies to help.

    👟 In the Shoes of Job Applicants

    “I applied to 1,000 jobs and got one callback!” 

    “My parents sent me to grad school in the US, and I haven’t talked to them for a month because I don’t know how to explain why I still don’t have a job.”

    These sentiments are shared by many here. Our volunteers are talented: over 84% hold a Master’s degree or higher, and they come from reputable schools like UC, Carnegie Mellon, and Rutgers. They’ve been to career fairs, networked, and still face rejection after rejection–often without feedback, so they have no idea how to improve or move forward.

    This week, I took a group of volunteers, who all happen to be job hunting, to dinner. They shared networking tips and exchanged sources for “hidden jobs.” The despair was palpable and contagious. They felt they were doing everything “right”—but it wasn’t working. I’m reminded of Einstein’s famous quote: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results.” But what should they be doing differently?

    I wish there was a way to get them all hired.  No single organization can absorb all the applicants out there. So for now, curaJOY provides volunteers with real projects where they can prove their skill sets—where they can show, not just tell, what they’re capable of. It doesn’t have to be the current cycle of frustration—an unyielding loop where bright young minds are left feeling inadequate, hopeless even, as they struggle to get their foot in the door. 

    🏢 In the Shoes of Employers

    Sometimes I catch myself grumbling about the amount of training newcomers need. Workplace etiquette, standard approval flows, and the basics of navigating corporate culture. And then I remind myself that my daughters will be in that adulting phase of job hunting soon and how lucky I am not to be a job hunter today.

    For employers, investing time in interviewing or training sometimes feels like poor ROI. Applicants are desperate; they’ll often say and agree to anything to get a job, and yet you can’t truly know how they’ll perform until they’re hired.

    And there’s the problem of the sheer volume of applicants. We’ve even shut down volunteer recruitment because we couldn’t manage the volume—over 500+ unread applications. And this is for unpaid volunteer opportunities!

    🚀 What Can You Do?

    Let’s break the cycle of despair and frustration that so many recent grads find themselves in. It’s about fostering resilience, community, and change—both as job seekers and as employers. Whether you’re a job seeker or an employer, here are some steps we can all take to make this landscape a little less daunting:

    For Job Applicants:

    1. Invest in Learning: An investment in yourself is never wasted. Upskilling doesn’t have to mean expensive courses. (In fact, I recommend not investing both time and money into BootCamp or similar programs in the current economy.) Use platforms like Coursera, edX, or even YouTube. Show employers that you’re proactive, curious, and ready to learn.
    2. Take on Challenges: Don’t wait for opportunities—create them. Employers want tangible proof of your skills, and a strong track record speaks volumes. Get beyond the fluff–tackle difficult projects, redesign, performance improvement, or coordinate international cross-functional teams–anything that demonstrates your adaptability and capability at the caliber your dream employer seeks.
    3. Volunteer to Prove Yourself: Volunteering may not be paid, but you can use it to show what you’re capable of. Seek out opportunities that help you grow and build your resume and network. At curaJOY, we’ve seen many volunteers go on to secure amazing opportunities after proving themselves through real-world projects. If you’re going to spend your time on anything, see it to the end and always aim for something measurable that can be attributed directly to your efforts.

    For Employers:

    I’ve been on the hiring side for over two decades, including a stint in C-suite headhunting early in my career. I understand the struggle of finding the right people. Today’s generation of workers comes with a unique set of strengths and challenges. Loyalty often seems fleeting, skillsets can be uneven, and there’s no easy way to predict how someone will fit with your team until they’re in the trenches.

    But here’s what I’ve also learned over the years: People are the heartbeat of every organization. They can make or break a company. The challenges in hiring are undeniable, but rather than lamenting them, let’s focus on practical solutions that can help us navigate this ever-evolving landscape.

    If you’re an employer struggling to find the right candidate, consider contract hiring one of our skilled curaJOY volunteers. They come with strong qualifications, hands-on project experience, and, importantly, the kind of resilience and adaptability that isn’t easily taught. (I can tell you how dedicated they are when they’re not paid, and you’re guaranteed to get more from them on payroll.) They’ve proven themselves in real projects with tangible outcomes.

    Test the waters, see firsthand what they bring to the table, and assess how well they fit into your company culture—all without the full commitment of a permanent hire. Many of our volunteers are ready and eager to make an impact. They’re motivated, adaptable, and already accustomed to working under guidance and with diverse teams—traits that are crucial for success in today’s collaborative work environments.

    People may not come ready-made, but with the right environment and the right opportunity, they can grow into exactly what your organization needs. We just need to be willing to take that first step together.

    Employers, interested in giving contract hiring a try? Drop me a message if you’d like to discuss which one of our skilled volunteers can help meet your organization’s needs on a flexible basis. (Agencies, do not contact me for business opportunities. We are a tech nonprofit creating behavioral health/wellness solutions. There is zero desire to get into any placement business.)

  • The Waiting Game of Ghost Networks in Behavioral Healthcare

    The Waiting Game of Ghost Networks in Behavioral Healthcare

    There’s an unspoken game all the rage in behavioral healthcare–ghost networks. It is a silent crisis that is largely overlooked but causing real damage to families seeking care. Despite assurances that behavioral healthcare is accessible, these ghost networks make it nearly impossible to get the help we need.

    Two years ago, my family was hit hard by a wave of losses—deaths and illnesses of people close to us. To make matters worse, just a week before school started, one of my daughter’s teachers tragically committed suicide. I knew firsthand how difficult it would be to secure an appointment (having been down this road too many times), but given how much we needed grief counseling, I steeled myself for the inevitable wild goose chase. The emotional toll was simply becoming too much.

    The Frustration of Ghost Networks

    Our pediatrician gave us a list of mental health providers, and I reached out to our insurance company for an appointment. They handed me yet another list of providers. My kids’ school also sent out communication, assuring all parents and students that grief counseling was available. Armed with these resources, I began calling. I contacted 15 different providers and agencies. Out of those, three had automated messages saying they weren’t accepting new clients. I actually spoke to just two, both of whom placed us on a waitlist.

    Ghost networks—providers who are either no longer part of the insurance network or may never have existed—are a harsh reality. A Senate Finance Committee investigation found that an astounding 80% of Medicare mental health providers were “ghosts,” unreachable, not in-network, or not taking new patients.

    Real-Life Impact on Families

    Fast forward to today, and my daughter is still waiting to talk about her dead teacher, along with a lot of other issues that have piled up in the meantime. I’m a parent who deeply values emotional wellness and I’ve made countless calls, and dedicated endless hours to navigating this broken system. The school says there’s grief counseling, but there’s no clear way to schedule an appointment, and no one is available. What happens to children whose parents cannot play this waiting game?

    Insurance policies and mental health legislation promise that we are guaranteed a non-emergency behavioral health appointment within two weeks of a request. But who’s holding them accountable? How is this being tracked? I thought about doing an exposé on this impossible journey of getting mental health care for my family. But with children who still need help, I realized I couldn’t afford to make enemies of a system I still depend on.

    The Gap Between Mental Health Legislation and Reality

    Today, my kids are home sick, and I’ll be speaking with their pediatrician through a video visit in a few hours. (Yes, there is a big difference in getting care for physical illnesses that can quickly accompany prescription scripts.) She may ask me again why I haven’t arranged ongoing weekly therapy for them. After all, she’s made the referral several times. Once again, I’ll be the “good mom” and start calling through every provider on the list. But I already know—it will take hours away from an already overstretched mom, and we’ll likely end up back where we started: waiting.

    Ghost networks are not just a glitch in the system—they are the system. The gap between the availability of mental health care and the promises of insurance companies and legislation is a deepening crisis for families across the country.

    Maybe I’ll decide to do 100% private pay just so that somebody sees us–I just always naively thought that’s what health insurance was for. No family should have to navigate an endless maze to get the mental health services they desperately need. What’s your experience been?

  • Launching MyCuraJOY: Behind the Scenes

    Launching MyCuraJOY: Behind the Scenes

    My daughter just came back from a summer at UC Berkeley. It was the first time that she stayed in a more metropolitan area where she wasn’t as sheltered. She asked me to buy her pepper spray. In fact, she carried one in each hand whenever she went out. A homeless person came up to her, saying that she didn’t have enough money for food and asked, “Can I have some change?” My daughter was picking blackberries from bushes at the time. She’s a big nature buff. She said to the person, “I don’t have any money, but I have plenty of blackberries. Would you like some? They’re really good.” And the woman walked away.

    The Power of AI and Emotional Wellness: MyCuraJOY - Behind the Scenes

    At that moment, I thought to myself, “This is why the world needs curaJOY. This is why we’re doing this work.” We’re making a solution that gets down to the root causes of behavioral problems and leveraging AI to give people enough practice so that change is actually possible.

    Preparing for Launch

    Things are pretty hectic at curaJOY. We are a few days away from the first public launch of MyCuraJOY, and of course, I’m tired. I can see the gray hairs popping up and my family’s warning me, “Don’t work too hard.” It’s draining but exciting at the same time. Many people have said, “You have such a commercially viable product that is unique and there’s nothing like it in the market. Why would you go the nonprofit route?”

    Three years ago, when I started this, I didn’t know if it was possible to make this complex AI family wellness product with a team of volunteers. I mean, usually, you would think money makes the world go round, but the people at curaJOY are truly special.

    The Mission Behind curaJOY

    I remind myself that we’re fighting a battle against the global crises of loneliness, stress, and anxiety. These issues aren’t going away on their own. I feel really special to be a part of this team and to be leading them.

    There’s so many people who talk the talk but then do nothing. We’ve got capable people. You guys are amazing. You care, you have talents, and you make me feel not so alone—not like some crazy woman who’s attempting to change the world by herself. Thank you, Joymakers.

    In these challenging times, it feels crucial that we provide people with practical tools to improve their mental well-being and social skills. MyCuraJOY is more than just a project; it’s a movement. This isn’t just my journey; it’s ours. Here’s to making a real difference together.

    Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Your support means the world to us.

    This blog post serves as a heartfelt reflection and a rallying cry for the dedicated community committed to making real change. It celebrates the origins, mission, and impact of curaJOY, all while highlighting the personal experiences that underscore the importance of their work.

  • I love you. How Asian Parents Express Love.

    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 or buy kids stuff.

    What Asian Parents Hear VS. what you say

    Growing up, my parents never said “I love you”—not to me and not to each other. Just the same way their parents never said it to them. They will say “good job,” and sometimes even “I’m proud of you” when I perform well or win an award. And that kind of felt like love to the kid me, so I spent decades chasing achievements, trying to outdo myself each time, trying to impress them, trying to get as close to “I love you” as I could. 

    I’m glad this volunteer surprised me with the “I love you.” “I love you too,” I told her. Sometimes, when I’m pulling in my 13th hour at work and wonder whether I should have just stayed in retirement comfort, going to my yoga classes and massages—I see my teammates striving right alongside me, and my heart is filled with love and gratitude.  Immediately, I remember what we are fighting for—the support we wished we had, the unconditional love that we all need, and how our children are raised and nurtured in the future. For social-emotional wellness and behavioral health. We are brothers and sisters in arms, fighting a world that’s trying to tear us down. 

    We are a family.

    I’m not great at verbalizing emotions, especially face to face. Maybe it’s a little scary, or maybe I’m afraid I would embarrass myself.  But I told her, “I love you,” just like I did many kids who came for play dates when my daughters were younger. They would often spend more time talking to me than playing. They wanted someone to share their lives with, someone to talk to, and someone who wasn’t too busy. Ten years ago, I realized that a lot of kids are lonely. Everyone in their family is busy—too busy for each other. Our society seems to have gotten caught up in having more–being able to afford a bigger house, an even better car, and more and more trophies that we lost our ability to enjoy and treasure one another.

    Let’s wake up, and do things differently.

    I’m so fortunate to have found people to wake up with me. I love you, Joymakers!  Our wonderful growing family.  You guys give me hope.

  • Under the Weight of Expectations

    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 group of volunteers at curaJOY. Since 2021, we aim to increase equity, accessibility, and effectiveness of behavioral health support for everyone. We focus especially on multicultural families, caregivers, people with disabilities and low-income populations, but then another surprising population came—the people who you might believe have it all—advanced degrees, prestigious schools, families intact, and high achieving.

    Here are some of what our clients shared.

    “When I broke down and told my mom I wanted to kill myself she told me lots of people would kill to be where I’m at and that I hadn’t suffered enough to even deserve to die.”  

    “When I learned that my mom was traveling on a business trip close to my boarding school, I was very excited about the visit, and stayed in the dorms waiting for her call. But she called to tell me that she just drove PAST my school, and hoped I was doing well.”

    “My parents only cared about my grades. I wished my parents know more about me, my characteristic, my interest. And wished we interacted with each other like we are friends, and explored the world together.”

    Yet to everyone else, all these people seem all right. Yes, they probably spend every effort trying to appear fine until they break down, turn to alcohol, escape into drugs, or die. But stress, loneliness, and mental suffering have a heavy cost. Nobody is too privileged for the essential healthcare which includes behavioral healthcare. 

    For instance, Asian Americans are frequently portrayed as the silent success narrative compared to other racial minority groups. This stereotype can create resentment among non-Asian American and Pacific Islander peers, and place an unfair burden on Asians to meet the expectations of the model minority myth, which can result in loneliness and bullying of AAPI individuals.  In fact, the pressure to succeed and live up to expectations is one of the main sources of distress for Asian American youth.

    It is good to accept help. Not only are you being kind and loving to yourself when you accept help, you also show those around you that needing help doesn’t make you defective, lose face, or shame your family—it simply makes you human. 

    In 2021, only 25% of Asian adults who had experienced any mental illness in the previous year reported receiving mental health services, compared to 52% of White adults.  However social-emotional support is an urgent need for this population.  Suicide is the primary cause of death for Asian and Pacific Island teenagers in 2020, and suicide death rates in this group more than doubled from 2010 to 2020!  

    Here are just a few instances of underserved communities with specific needs—each of which could be effectively supported through proactive, preventative, and growth-focused social and mental healthcare support. 

    Addressing these issues early on is both cost-effective and crucial before children develop harmful coping strategies, parents transmit generational trauma, and individuals begin to harm themselves or others. People’s social and emotional wellness equips them to make informed decisions regarding education, nutrition, climate change, and social matters, impacting all aspects of their lives. In the upcoming weeks, I will emphasize the distinct needs of varied communities. Comment and follow curaJOY to raise awareness about the need and importance of social and mental health!

  • Stand Up Against Smothering Anxiety

    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 norm—downplay their danger and ignore our bodies telling us that something’s not right.

    I probably would have continued that way if not for my daughter’s crippling anxiety. She has been battling acid reflux from anxiety, insomnia, and other little acts of self-harm ever since she was seven. We’ve “escaped” out of parties, schools, and groceries due to her panic attacks more times than I can count. But her body still surprises the both of us.  I recently learned that her anxiety has contributed to her almost legally blind level of nearsightedness. Her ophthalmologist discovered her eye pressure spikes dangerously whenever someone approaches—for someone with chronic anxiety, that means years of compressed eyeballs, this weakened eyesight.

    Despite the lies we tell ourselves, the body knows. Our bodies rebel in the form of gastrointestinal problems, sleep disturbances, and even nearsightedness to beg us to notice. Broken hearts, loneliness, and trauma can alter our health, impair our memories, and even shrink our brains. Healing is possible, but it takes a lot of work. So, our first act of self-love should be to acknowledge our emotions, sensations, and pains and take care of our whole selves.

    Back to my anxious daughter, we’ve tried medications, herbs, essential oil, Tibetan singing bowls, and massages, and continue to explore every hope of remedy from the anxiety’s stronghold. Sometimes I wonder whether it’s something I’ve done as a parent to cause such crippling anxiety. Did I force her out of her comfort zone too fast? Was life just moving too fast?

    The late founder of Atlas Sound, Lloyd Ivey, said to me, “Caitlyn, you’re not a Type A personality. You’re an A+.” That may be who I was or still am, but we need to accommodate each other for a family to thrive.

    To remind myself, I hang this non-functional clock in my bedroom. Our family spent weeks putting this mechanical clock together from 320 wooden pieces and gears a few years ago. There are gears of different sizes that propel the next gears. Together, they turn the clock hour after hour. I focused on the gears that I considered more important, but the larger or faster gears were not better. Each gear needs to move at its own speed, otherwise, the whole clock halts. That’s exactly what happened to our clock. Remember, the little gears that are so frequently and easily overlooked are essential.

    Eight years since the onset, her anxiety still hasn’t gone away. It is a wave that ebbs and flows. Right now, finals and AP exams are stressing many students out. My two teenagers are going to Stanford and Berkeley for undergraduate classes in a few months. This might be a situation that many would envy, but I see anxiety insidiously creeping, and it keeps me grounded. I tell my kids I’m proud of them in mundane moments. I tell them I would rather you be happy, healthy, and driven with purpose than stressed out, addicted, ivy-league educated, and six-figure salaried. You don’t need to impress me because I love you already. Since the very beginning, I just want you. I want you to love me. I want you to still visit and enjoy spending time with me when I’m old and useless. I want you to still be ok after I’m gone.

    We all deserve this kind of love and security. Maybe you’re not there yet, or maybe you’ve never been shown unconditional love, so you aren’t great at it yet. Start by announcing to yourself that you deserve total acceptance and love. Stand up and make a conscious effort to acknowledge your body and show yourself love and compassion.