Featured Columnists
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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…
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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…
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I love you. How Asian Parents Express Love.
One of our volunteers thanked me for believing in her and “I love you.” I was taken aback for a moment because she’s Asian, and we Asians don’t tell each other, “I love you!” 😠Only Westerners and movies do that mushy emotional stuff. We only dream about it. Asian parents give kids food…
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Under the Weight of Expectations
Everyone needs help from time to time—even the people who seem to have everything going for them. Sometimes, it is especially the ones who do well at school/work, the ones who don’t make a fuss, the ones who mask their symptoms well who need your time and care. I work with a wonderful and growing…
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Stand Up Against Smothering Anxiety
I’ve had some anxiety growing up—the stress of exams and ever-growing workload—but never to a point where it prevented me from sleeping or other physical ailments. Actually, that’s me in denial. I have TMJ and acid reflux periodically, but stress and anxiety have become so prevalent in our society that we accept them as the…
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The Role of Expectation Management in Success
At its core, expectation management is about aligning hopes with reality. We’re taught to manage customers’ or employees’ expectations so they don’t become unwieldy, but the goal isn’t to settle for mediocrity; instead, it’s about being mutually transparent about what is realistically achievable. Managing expectations is a vital skill that can make the difference between…
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Are you biased and making assumptions?
These are trick questions. Of course, you are. We all make assumptions, mostly subconsciously and automatically. They are mental shortcuts for our brains to help us learn and navigate the endless complexities of social interaction and decision-making in life. Assumptions are based on our past experiences or cultural influences, and Because they are different, we…
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People Danger is Real
The rat race starts young now! And it’s easy to get caught up in it. As a parent of college-bound teens, I live the frenzy that often results from students (and parents) thinking that the rest of their lives are dictated by their college acceptance letters. High-achieving teens aim, at the very minimum, to maintain…
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2024 Can Be A Year For Healing
My 2024 started with morning cycling and an afternoon 5-mile hike with family. My dad is the one in the picture below. This is what 80 can look like. My father has traveled every continent and still adventures. My kids nicknamed my dad “cheetah grandpa”👴 for obvious reasons. He is now semi-retired but still goes…
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4 Steps to Creating Success
At a recent holiday gathering, a family member said his son “must go to one of the top 10 schools” to do well and have options in life. Like many well-meaning parents, this dad arranged a robust early reading and math instruction regimen, enrichment activities, and daily homework to build discipline. I was asked to…
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Does your economic output = your value? (The Source of Loneliness)
When I was little, my family moved every two or three years for my dad’s businesses, and each move killed my friendships and social life. Have you tried comforting your kids when they’re bullied or excluded? (Or maybe you know, from personal experience, how horrible it feels that you even take matters into your own…
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Are you enough for you?
Did you miss out on Black Friday deals? Every click of the buy button is an endorphin pump–but STOP scrolling and looking. You probably don’t really need whatever you’re looking for, and if you’re shopping for gifts, remember that anyone who deserves a great gift from you would value and desire your attention and time…
