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.
Beyond the Couch
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 importance of feeling at home in our bodies and cultivating curiosity rather than criticism from a young age. Drawing from her work with young people, Steph highlights how early body narratives form and the impact of cultural and societal messages on identity. Throughout the episode, Diana and Steph address common body image myths and discuss how media messages contribute to pressures to conform to beauty standards. Steph offers insights into fostering a positive self-image and navigating these challenges with compassion.
Steph Ng (she/her) is a mental health advocate, entrepreneur, and Ph.D. researcher whose work aims to foster caring conversations on body image and mental health issues. She is the founder of Body Banter, a registered charity in Hong Kong that empowers youth voices in body image conversations, and the author of “Big Bites Break Boundaries”, a new book that recounts her personal experiences with an eating disorder and her professional experiences in Hong Kong’s mental health landscape.
Connect with Steph:
- @themightymunchkin
- @bodybanter
- @bigbitesbreakboundaries
- https://themightymunchkin.weebly.com/
- https://www.bodybanter.com/
Bridges Mental Health connects Asian, Pacific Islander, South Asian Americans (APISA) with culturally responsive mental health professionals and resources. We hope to make mental health care more accessible and approachable across the Asian diaspora.
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