I find these articles, books, and podcasts useful – they provide a lot of information and help you reflect on and make change in various aspects of your life. I am a contributor to some of the resources listed below.
Articles, blogs, and websites (external links)
Healing through Social Justice – a blog by The Psychology of Radical Healing Collective – Drs. Helen A. Neville, Hector Y. Adames, Nayeli Y. Chavez-Dueñas, Della V. Mosley, Bryana H. French, Jioni A. Lewis, and Grace A. Chen. Our team discusses the psychology of healing from racial and ethnic trauma.
Asian American History Resources – PBS compilation of multimedia resources
Zinn Education Project – website dedicated to Teaching People’s History – the materials “emphasize the role of working people, women, people of color, and organized social movements in shaping history”
Greater Good in Action: Science-based Practices for a Meaningful Life – website that provides science-based practices to incorporate in everyday life (open access)
Podcasts (external links)
I discussed Radical Self-Care and Liberation with Dr. Helen Neville on her Liberation Lab podcast. Radical self-care is about a mindset – to be our authentic selves in community with others. (May 2021)
I talked about Asian American women and mental health with Angie Suh on Asian Fail – we talked about a range of topics from the Model Minority Myth to anti-Asian harassment to self-advocacy and assertiveness. (September 2020)
Drs. Hector Adames, Bryana French, Helen Neville, and I represented the Psychology of Radical Healing Collective in a podcast interview with The Psychologists Off the Clock to discuss steps we can take at the individual and community level to heal from racial trauma and oppression. (August 2020)
Therapy for Black Girls – licensed psychologist, Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, discusses mental health and personal development
Session 118: Making Friends as an Adult
Session 199: Maintaining Digital Boundaries
We can Do Hard Things – discussions about life with Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle
Episode 10/13/22: No More Grind: How to Finally Rest with Tricia Hershey
Episode 10/27/22: How to Set and Hold Boundaries with Melissa Urban
Swoon – advice about sex and relationships from a couple of sex therapists/relationship coaches
Episode #29: U Can’t Touch This: Healthy Boundaries
Episode #24: Thank you, next: How not to get into the same bad pattern again and again
Videos (external links)
The Psych Show – Dr. Ali Mattu, licensed psychologist – educational videos on mental health and psychology
Books
I recommend this book for people who are exhausted by the never-ending “rat race” of life (especially around work and career) and are seeking more meaning in life. There are exercises and reflection questions throughout the book to help the reader apply the concepts to their own life.
Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry, discusses in depth how rest is the foundation to resisting racial and social injustices and valuing collective well-being over productivity. Resting allows us to dream and reimagine our future.
Tim Clark, Alexander Osterwalder, & Yves Pigneur (2012)
This book provides a useful framework for those who want to explore their career options – it helps the reader identify values, interests, and skills and translate them into creative career options. The layout of the book is easy to read with plentiful graphics and real-life examples of career shifts.
One of the biggest challenges people face in their path to wellness is a tendency to be too hard on themselves. Dr. Neff includes reflection questions and exercises for the reader to apply to themselves throughout the book. Her website includes a wealth of resources.
Brené Brown’s translation of her research on shame and vulnerability into everyday language is powerful and relatable. Essentially she is talking about how to live authentically and from a place of uncertainty (which is part of being human). Her 2019 Netflix special is entertaining but doesn’t explain the concepts as well as her Daring Greatly and Living with a Whole Heart podcast conversations with Oprah on SuperSoul Conversations.
Now a Netflix show, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, this book is still worth a read since it outlines the concepts in more detail than the show format allows. While the focus is on organizing the material aspects of one’s home, Marie Kondo’s approach and philosophy of joy and meaning can be applied throughout one’s life.
This book is conceptual and easily applied to one’s life. Pema Chodron’s thoughts on acceptance and mindfulness are well-aligned with current cognitive-behavioral therapy’s embrace of mindfulness, but with more heart.
Martha Davis, Elizabeth Robbins Eshelman, & Matthew McKay (7th ed., 2019)
For people who like hands-on exercises, this book includes basic cognitive-behavioral techniques to manage stress and anxiety as well as an array of relaxation and mindfulness exercises. I suggest incorporating relaxation exercises on a regular basis proactively, rather than only in response to stress.
Similar to the relaxation workbook above, this anxiety workbook by Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D. is good for people who like hands-on exercises and want to work through anxiety and panic attacks.
Grace A. Chen, Ph.D. 