User Stories

  • “Hikikomori and Beyond”: Navigating Social Withdrawal in a Digital Age

    “Hikikomori and Beyond”: Navigating Social Withdrawal in a Digital Age

    Navigating the Maze: Understanding Self-Social Isolation Many of us have experienced it – that pang of loneliness after a long day alone or the awkwardness of entering a crowded room. However, for some young people, social withdrawal becomes a more persistent pattern, a maze they struggle to navigate. This self-imposed isolation, distinct from introversion or…

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  • Advancing Behavioral Healthcare through VR & Machine Learning: A Conversation with Dr. Marc Lanovaz

    In this riveting interview, we have Dr. Marc Lanovaz, a University of Montreal professor at the forefront of integrating data science and machine learning in behavioral healthcare. We discuss the impact of cultural relevancy in behavior analysis, how machine learning can improve clinical decision-making in mental health, and a groundbreaking virtual reality application simulating the…

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  • From Battlefield to Society: The Lasting Impact of War on Mental Health and Human Behavior

    From Battlefield to Society: The Lasting Impact of War on Mental Health and Human Behavior

    War has long been recognized as a catalyst for significant societal changes. From the devastation it inflicts on physical landscapes to the trauma it leaves on individuals, the effects of war reverberate long after the last battle has been fought. Among the many consequences of war, one of the most significant is its impact on…

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  • World Mental Health Day – The Right to Mental Health Care

    World Mental Health Day – The Right to Mental Health Care

    The first time I heard the word “depression” was in my late teens, however, I had experienced it for most of my life. I grew up in an environment where nobody really talked about mental health except when trying to describe schizophrenia (they say that the person is mental). Studies have shown that people of…

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  • “Confidential” Therapy

    “Confidential” Therapy

    Made with Pixton.

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  • 5 ABA Parent Participation Success Factors

    5 ABA Parent Participation Success Factors

    At its heart, behavior therapy is a family therapy – it requires parents to learn new parenting methods (like how to set up the house for safety, use less punishment, minimize exposure to unnecessary triggers, how to have successful outings, reduce dependence on screens, increase communication and understanding, and more). Caregivers, siblings, and other family…

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  • Sensory Tigger

    Sensory Tigger

    Some children need more or less sensory input than others. Hyperactivity cannot be suppressed, only expended, and punishing children for being unable to sit still will not work. Find safe alternatives and join in!

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  • Water Is Wet

    Water Is Wet

    So, a few days ago, my mother approached me with an article she found interesting: https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/07/19/teen-suicide-plummeted-during-covid-19-school-closures-new-study-finds/?sh=1050137fdd9b. Published on July 19th, 2023, the Forbes article reports the findings of a 2016-2021 study on the rate of suicidality. Now, because I am terrible at writing coherent summaries when I actually want to, I will be using bullet…

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  • Am I Chinese Enough?

    Am I Chinese Enough?

    I have always felt embarrassed whenever I speak Chinese. Whenever I have to order food in a Chinese-speaking place, my throat closes and I get tunnel vision. Even when I do manage to speak, I’m acutely aware of how much I stutter when I speak Chinese or how often I mispronounce something. As such, I…

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  • How It Could Have Been Prevented

    How It Could Have Been Prevented

    Hear the saddening childhood of an autistic boy and how it could have been prevented. “If my grandparents had taught him how to feel, he wouldn’t be so cruel.”

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  • The Ultimate International Experience: Life As Third Culture And Cross Culture Kids

    The Ultimate International Experience: Life As Third Culture And Cross Culture Kids

    Cultural Identity and Multicultural Experiences Both my parents are Taiwanese and I was born and raised in Taiwan before moving to NZ for a significant period of my early adulthood after high school. I hold two passports and dual citizenship from two different continents. My nephew, 11-year-old, who has a Taiwanese mum and a British…

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  • ​​Rebellion Against the Model Minority Role

    ​​Rebellion Against the Model Minority Role

    “Asian Doesn’t Start With A+” In a TED talk featuring Olivia Lai’s ‘Asian Doesn’t Start with A+’ at TEDxPhillipsAcademyAndover, she shared that she had been conditioned to accept herself as nothing less than perfection. Like her other Asian-American friends, it was a shared experience among them to crumble under school and work pressures. She reckoned…

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