Media

Design/UX

Empathy in design, leadership, and pretty much everything else / Evenings at the Loft – Santa Monica, CA

Here’s the talk I did at Headspace Headquarters as part of the Evenings at the Loft event with my friend Bernadette Irizarry of Velvet Hammer Design.

Parenting

Being a good enough parent is really good enough / Happily Family Conference 2017

Thanks to Jason and Cecilia Hilkey from Happily Family for letting me share our conversation from the Happily Family Conference in May 2017. The focus of the conference was “the Heart and Science of Parenting.”

In our talk, we cover a wide range of topics from neuroscience, nurture vs nature, the importance of warmth of relationships, how self-worth is not the same as self-esteem – and how they all are related to being a “good enough” parent.

How to help when kids are mad / Redondo Beach, CA

After Cecilia Hilkey from Happily Family and I talk about the purpose and value of emotion, we dive deeper into one of the most challenging emotions to master – anger.

Going through adolescence is the way to wellbeing / Hermosa Beach, CA

Here’s a one hour talk I did for the P.S. I Love You Foundation, talking about the purpose of adolescence (and there is good reason we all go through this). Specifically, I talk about how understanding this important phase of life lays the foundation for social and emotional intelligence, for creative and critical thinking, and for positive relationships in the future.

It’s not raging hormones, but deliberate brain changes.

Why Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is best for children (and adults) / Happily Family Conference Fall 2017

Jason and Cecilia Hilkey from Happily Family and I have a historical and science based conversation as to why a social-emotional approach to parenting and education is best. We also discuss why a behaviorally focused approach isn’t.

The Power of Parenting – Why We Don’t Punish / Happily Family Conference Spring 2018

We talk about how parenting styles can both positively and negatively affect future predisposition for aggression and violence. Positive strategies to use instead of corporal punishment are also discussed. We also discuss traditional gender expectations, toxic masculinity, and social emotional development.

Asian America – The Ken Fong Podcast July 2018

I had the honor of being a guest on the popular podcast Asian America: the Ken Fong Podcast, speaking on some familiar topics such as mental healthiness and parenting. However, what was different about this experience was that I was able to also share from the perspective of some important aspects of my personal identity as an Asian American and as a Progressive Christian.