Conversations With Your Chinese Auntie

Our marriage - The Ups and Downs, Conflicts, Repairs and LOVE.

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 relationships, and listen to your partner.
Patricia's website
Kimen's podcast

Quest, Self-Initiation & Egypt with Lara Therrien Boulos

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 discuss self-initiation and, yes, as always, advice from your Chinese Auntie. 
For those of you who are curious, The Numinious Quest was a self-guided solo wilderness retreat. 
Bio:
Lara Therrien Boulos is a community planner, facilitator, gardener, writer, witch, and artist of Egyptian and French-Canadian ancestry. She weaves all these threads of her life through her creative and spiritual practices and her animist orientation toward the world. She's also a cat lover and a Virgo.

Roxanne Francis on Navigating Life as a Person of Colour, and How Social Media Affects Your Teen's Mental Health.

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 psychotherapists meet their needs for community wellness and business support. 
In this episode, Roxanne and I discuss how to navigate life as a person of colour, how accent affects how we are viewed, and how we scan for safety. We also talk about how to navigate social media, especially for youths. 
Bio:Roxanne Francis is an adjunct professor at the School of Social Work at the University of Toronto, and in 2020, she was recognized as one of Canada’s 100 Black Women to Watch. She is a sought-after podcast guest who shares her mental health expertise in print and online publications like Essence Magazine and Today’s Parent Magazine, as well as multiple local and national media outlets, including CTV, CBC News, and Breakfast Television.
You can follow Roxanne on social media and her website. 

Taraneh Erfan on Recognizing Our Privilege & Showing Up Human

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 what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.~ Maya Angelou.
Bio:
Taraneh Erfan is a Registered Clinical Counsellor, Certified Expressive Arts Therapist, published author, passionate poet and yoga and meditation teacher. 
Her book Conscious Grieving: The Path of Awakening Through Loss helped me immensely to process my grief after my mother died. I recommend her book to friends and clients when they are in the grieving process.
Follow her on Instagram for insightful posts and beautiful poetry. 
Learn more about Taraneh's offerings on her Website 

Mardi Gras, Family Secrets, Therapy & more with Henry M. Pittman

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 Mardi Gras properly. He shares his journey and how he realized when he was in an abusive relationship, and he gives excellent advice for new therapists.  Listen to the end as he does this jazzy trombone thing; I think it's called scat. It's awesome. 
Bio:Henry M. Pittman is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, and Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist licensed by the State of Texas Medical Board. Nationally, he holds the designation of National Certified Counselor (NCC), Master Addiction Counselor (MAC), and Substance Abuse Professional (SAP). Clinically, he is a Certified Anger Resolution Therapist, Certified EMDR Therapist Candidate, Certified Parent Coordinator, and Certified Somatic Experience Practitioner.Henry's website

Feeding Mama with Mona En Ting Stilwell

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 nourishing and nutritious meals.
Mona is a Chinese and Portuguese settler residing on the stolen lands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. A former Project Manager in software dabbling in filmmaking on the side, her priorities shifted after the birth of her twins. To have viscerally experienced the power of healing through food and connecting to community care in new ways, she then focused her attention on addressing this much-needed (and lacking) resource for families around her by founding Feeding Mama.
 
Follow Feeding Mama on Instagram
 

Menopause Master Class with Shirley Weir - Let's Crack Open the Conversation

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 it affects folks who identify as BIPOC, and what we can do to be more proactive about our journey. 
Shirley launched Menopause Chicks 12 years ago onto the world stage to empower women to talk openly about perimenopause and menopause, navigate midlife health information, and connect to women’s health professionals.
Shirley always begins by reminding women they deserve to feel amazing. She teaches hormone health and supports women eager to invest in their health and learn to be their best advocate. 
Based in Vancouver, Menopause Chicks reaches over 300K women in 10 countries. She hosts a popular private community with over 54K members.
Links:Menopause Chicks
Article: Women’s Experience with the Healthcare System in BC 25 years of research shows insidious effect of racism on Black women’s menopausal transition, healthBook: Estrogen Matters 

Growing Up With Chinese Mothers, Allergy Season & Menopause with Dr. Debbie Lee

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 mother never found out, but Debbie got caught. :)
We also discuss herbal medicine, how COVID affected the businesses in Chinatown, especially herbal stores, how to strengthen your body with the upcoming allergy season, and what one can do as one enters menopause.
Dr. Debbie Lee is a Registered Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Her studies include completing a two-month practicum at Taiwan’s China Medical University Hospital, the leading teaching hospital in the country. Debbie has a special interest in treating auto-immune disorders. Incorporating her Kinesiology background, she effectively treats any pain issues, including sciatica, shoulders, neck and back pain, headaches and migraines, to name a few.
Debbie's website
Referenced in this episode
Book: The Menopause Manifesto: Own Your Health with Facts and Feminism by Dr. Jen Gunter
Instagram account AlterEgo Health
 

Luna Aixin on Community, the Kampung Spirit & Red Egg

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 settler, community planner, facilitator and artist with ties to Southeast Asia, specifically Nusantara cultures and Pacific Islanders. As someone who was born into a colonized society, Luna has been researching through imagination, learning and understanding ways of being that are decolonial and “kampong-like" - accepting, caring, inclusive, celebratory and supportive of each other. As a neurodivergent person, Luna loves multimodal ways of creative expression and experiencing the joy of witnessing others “play with imagination” on “very serious matters”. They work with local governments, non-profits, community organizations and personal projects through GaGiNang Productions (自己人创作) on ways to create equitable, just and safe systems and practises that can better serve our communities. They currently reside on the stolen and unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
Luna's website
Article: Keeping the kampung spirit alive in modern Singapore

Lunar New Year (Part 2): Traditions, Food & Growing Up in Singapore with Luna Aixin

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 (They/them/their) is a multiracial, non-binary, neurodivergent, disabled settler, community planner, facilitator and artist with ties to Southeast Asia, specifically Nusantara cultures and Pacific Islanders. As someone who was born into a colonized society, Luna has been researching through imagination, learning and understanding ways of being that are decolonial and “kampong-like" - accepting, caring, inclusive, celebratory and supportive of each other. As a neurodivergent person, Luna loves multimodal ways of creative expression and experiencing the joy of witnessing others “play with imagination” on “very serious matters”. They work with local governments, non-profits, community organizations and personal projects through GaGiNang Productions (自己人创作) on ways to create equitable, just and safe systems and practises that can better serve our communities. They currently reside on the stolen and unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
Luna's website