Beyond the Couch
Beyond the Couch is a podcast exploring the intersection of Asian Pacific Islander South Asian American (APISA) identity and mental health. Hosted by three therapists, Diana Liao, LMHC, Samantha Waldman, LMHC, and Christie Kim, LMHC, our mission is to demystify therapy and uplift stories from our community. Join us every Wednesday as we delve into essential topics from identity and perfectionism to courageous stories of healing and collective care with fellow therapists, experts, and community members.
Beyond the Couch is a proud initiative of Bridges Mental Health, is a stigma-free hub for Asians, Pacific Islanders, and South Asian Americans (APISA) to discuss, navigate, and seek mental health care. Find a therapist, join our therapist community, and follow us on Instagram @bridgesmentalhealth.
Episodes
126 episodes
Embracing the Mess: Reflecting on Season 3
In the season three finale, Sam, Diana and Christie reflect on the revamped structure and behind-the-scenes experience of producing this season. They share standout moments, express gratitude for the incredible guests, and discuss the central t...
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Season 3
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Episode 22
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15:18
Finding Your Ikigai: A Healing Journey with Anna Li
This week, Diana chats with Anna, the visionary behind Healing Journey Retreats, who shares her powerful mental health journey and the transformative steps she took to reclaim her sense of purpose. Anna opens up about her experience be...
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Season 3
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Episode 21
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35:12
Returning to Korea and Rethinking Career Paths as a Korean-Born Adoptee with Kim
This week, Christie reconnects with Kim who courageously recounts her trip back to Korea. As a Korean-born adoptee, Kim opens up about the challenges she faced—from unrealistic expectations and language barriers to the emotional rollercoaster o...
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Season 3
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Episode 20
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44:49
Letting Go of Certainty: Making Career Changes with Will Wang
To kick off this month’s theme of career and work, this week Diana chats with Will Wang about giving himself permission to leave his corporate career in pursuit of becoming a therapist. Will reflects upon always being the ‘good kid’ or guāi...
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Season 3
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Episode 19
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24:15
Understanding Religious Trauma and Deconstructing Faith with Eugene Lee
This week, Christie is joined by Eugene Lee in exploring the complex intersection of faith, culture, and mental health within the Asian American community. They discuss the role of the church as a cultural community center for Asian Americans a...
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Season 3
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Episode 18
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41:35
Exploring the Stars: Two Conversations with Astrologers Gwen Yi and Alice Sparkly Kat
In this two-part episode, Diana delves into the fascinating world of astrology with two practitioners, Gwen Yi and Alice Sparkly Kat.In part 1, Diana chats with Gwen Yi, who explores the myths and misconceptions surrounding Western astro...
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Season 3
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Episode 17
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59:47
Navigating Religion and Culture as a Muslim Therapist with Bisma Anwar
This week, Christie chats with Bisma Anwar, a Muslim therapist who shares her journey in the mental health field and her dedication to reducing mental health stigma within the Muslim community. Bisma discusses how her dual identities as a Musli...
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Season 3
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Episode 16
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45:01
Developing Spirituality for Therapists with Nat Strafaci
This week, Sam is joined by Nat Strafaci, a licensed therapist, clinical supervisor, psychic medium, and spiritual herbalist, who shares their perspective on spirituality as a journey rather than a therapy ‘modality’. Nat offers insights into h...
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Season 3
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Episode 15
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40:38
Missed Connections and Longing in Wong Kar-wai's Chungking Express
This week, Sam, Diana, and Christie delve into Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express to close out this month’s theme of bodies and the media. They discuss the movie's portrayal of longing, pining, and missed connections amidst the bustling ...
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Season 3
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Episode 14
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25:38
Diving into Dreams & Multiple Realities in Satoshi Kon’s Paprika
This week, Sam, Diana, and Christie, explore the fascinating world of Satoshi Kon’s Paprika, aligning with the July theme of exploring bodies and the media. Discover why Paprika is a favorite of Sam’s as she shares her own exp...
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Season 3
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Episode 13
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25:44
Unlearning Diet Culture and Reconnecting with Cultural Heritage with Laura Iu
This week, Christie sits down with Laura Iu to explore the complexities of diet culture and thin privilege, particularly within Asian American communities. They discuss navigating messages from two cultures, unlearning harmful Eurocentric beaut...
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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39:00
K-Pop, The Power of Fandoms & Global Celebrity with Stephanie Choi
This week, Sam sits down with ethnomusicologist Stephanie Choi to explore the multifaceted world of K-pop. Stephanie shares what prompted her shift from studying traditional Korean music to K-pop, examining it both as performance art and as a c...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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40:17
Body Image & The Stories We Tell Ourselves with Steph Ng
This week, Diana sits down with mental health advocate Steph Ng to explore the complex world of body image. Steph shares her personal journey with disordered eating and discusses body image as a story we tell ourselves. Steph emphasizes the imp...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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44:57
Queer Relating & Healing with Bokyung Kim
This week, Christie is joined by Bokyung Kim who shares their personal experiences of queering the healing journey. They reflect upon how early love injuries and unmet needs evolved into beliefs about disconnection and belonging, as well as pat...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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41:54
Exploring Neurodiversity, Gender & Identity in Adulthood with Kim Konopka
This week, Diana sits down with Kim Konopka who delves into the interplay of identity in relation to queerness, neurodivergence, and being a transracial adoptee. Kim shares their journey of self-discovery and the profound impact of learning abo...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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42:49
Queering Identity Work Through Pleasure & Storytelling with Veronica Chin Hing-Michaluk
This week, Christie is joined by Veronica Chin Hing-Michaluk who brings in their own lived experience to illustrate a compassionate exploration of queer identity, shame, and healing from disconnection. Veronica discusses how they work in collab...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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54:20
Queer Identity Across Cultures with Sil Chen
This week, Diana chats with Sil Chen about exploring queer identity across cultures. Sil shares her personal journey growing up in Taiwan and the cultural adjustments she faced after immigrating to the U.S. She opens up about what shifted her f...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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46:23
“Asian American” Identity Development
This week as AANHPI Heritage Month comes to a close, Christie and Sam reflect upon their conversations with guests this month around biracial, South Asian, and Pacific Islander identity. They ground their reflections referencing racial identity...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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38:38
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Identity with Cathay Che
This week, Christie chats with returning guest Cathay Che about her personal experience navigating the complexities of being both Asian American and Native Hawaiian. Cathay recounts her childhood move to Hawaii, highlighting the cultural shock,...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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44:29
South Asian Identity, Caste & Religion with Anjali Jacob
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. ...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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44:52
Exploring Biracial Identity with Youngmi Mayer
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 with...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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51:51
Season 3 Premiere
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...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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18:53
The Power of Family Secrets with Heawon Hake
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, Sa...
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Episode 104
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47:05
Perfectionism & The Model Minority Myth with Dr. Matt Poon
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, an...
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Episode 103
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29:41
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for OCD with Dr. Yun Chen
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 wit...
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Episode 102
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40:03