Asians Do Therapy

Michelle MiJung Kim. Silence and Speaking

Yin J. Li, LMFT Episode 14

In this conversation, I speak to Michelle MiJung Kim.  She is a queer Korean American immigrant woman writer, speaker, activist, and entrepreneur. She the author of the award winning, The Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change.

Michelle is the first non-therapist I have on the podcast for some time.

I have been inspired by her advocacy and activism, specially so in the last several weeks as it relates to Palestine.

We talk about her lived experiences and how they have shaped her relationship to silence and speaking, her holding and oscillating between compassion and criticality for herself and others. We also talk about DEI work, her thoughts on how it relates to social justice, and the cognitive dissonance of the private and the corporate. 

Michelle also shares about her first session in therapy, which I think many of us can relate to.

I hope our conversation help spark reflections on your relationship to speaking and silence.  And, that perhaps it moves you to speak (more) and to (continue) take action when you feel called for, even if new, uncomfortable or even risky at times.

Let Michelle and I know how our conversation resonates with you. It helps us keep going.  And, share this conversation with others.

@michellekimkim
@asiansdotherapy

The specific Michelle's IG post mentioned:

https://tinyurl.com/e3wem6sk
https://tinyurl.com/yeyu7hbc
https://tinyurl.com/5n7ruryw

The Occupation of the American Mind is the documentary mentioned.

https://tinyurl.com/3m33cj7m

Michelle MiJung Kim (she/her) is a queer Korean American immigrant woman writer, speaker, and activist. She is the award winning author of The Wake Up: Closing the Gap Between Good Intentions and Real Change and co-founder of Awaken. Michelle has been a lifelong social justice activist and currently serves on the board of Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality. Her work has appeared on world-renowned platforms such as Harvard Business Review and The New York Times, and she was named LinkedIn’s Top Voice in Racial Equity and Medium’s Top Writer in Diversity. She lives in Oakland, CA. https://www.michellemijungkim.com/

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