Make the changes to live the life YOU want, honoring both your Asian and Western sides, together with Courage Class.
All Episodes - Season 1
Episode 1:
Therapy That Sees Us: Why Cultural Fit Matters in Mental Health Care
If you’ve ever been turned off by therapy because it didn’t quite feel right or that well-intentioned ‘list of actions’ feels generic, today’s episode is a must-listen! Dr. Ummul Kathawalla, a licensed psychologist and expert in culturally informed therapy, is here to explain why this matters for Asian American and other marginalized communities.
This conversation is a powerful reframe of healing when culture, identity, and lived experience are truly honored.
Episode 2:
Breaking the Cycle: Redefining Parenting for Ourselves and Our Kids
Dr. Laura Berssenbrugge, Co-Founder of Modern Asian Parent, shares how meaningful change in parenting begins with us, examining the strengths and challenges of traditional Asian values, emotional resilience, and the importance of validation and repair in family relationships. The conversation also offers practical insights on addressing intergenerational trauma and blending Asian and Western approaches to parenting in ways that honor both cultural heritage and modern values.
Episode 3:
Your Pain is Valid: Breaking Free from Stereotypes of Asian Women
Danielle Espinosa — therapist, PhD student, published scholar, and survivor — unpacks how historical colonialism and contemporary racialized sexual stereotypes make AAPI women more vulnerable to sexual violence, why silence persists in our communities, and concrete steps families and friends can take to prevent harm and support survivors. The episode blends trauma-informed research, clinical insight, and practical parenting strategies aimed at disrupting intergenerational patterns of shame.
Episode 4:
Beyond the Box: Redefining Success as an Asian American
Kyle Denman – nonprofit executive and award-winning fashion designer – shares about identity, leadership, and leading with love. Kyle shares his journey from being adopted from South Korea to becoming a nonprofit leader empowering thousands of youth through the arts, and reflects on being “othered,” navigating stereotypes, and using creativity as a tool for change. His story is a powerful reminder that our voices matter—and that we can create new possibilities for ourselves and others.
Episode 5:
Living the Life They Didn’t Choose for You – Creativity, Rest, and Partnership as Asian Americans
What happens when the life your parents envisioned isn’t the one you want? In this episode of Courage Class, Lindsay is joined by her husband Mike and close friends Alice Teng and Jon Eng to explore leaving “safe” careers, navigating cultural expectations, and choosing creativity, rest, and authenticity – both individually and as a couple. This conversation is for anyone balancing family expectations with the courage to build a life that feels true.
Episode 6:
Rest is Not the Opposite of Ambition: Lessons from a 6-month Sabbatical
In this deeply personal episode, Lindsay sits down with her husband Mike Hu to talk about something that’s often overlooked in ambitious careers: rest.
Together, they explore how cultural expectations, family responsibilities, and relentless work habits shaped his views on success—and why choosing to pause became one of the bravest decisions of his life.
Episode 7:
Second Spring: Reclaiming Menopause and Perimenopause
In this episode, Dr. Tamsin Lee introduces the foundations of East Asian Medicine and reframes menopause and midlife as natural transitions rather than problems to fix. Together, they explore yin and yang, seasonal living, decolonizing beliefs about aging, and the difference between rest and true rejuvenation. This grounding conversation offers practical wisdom, language, and hope for anyone navigating midlife change.
Episode 8:
Redefining Asian Masculinity and Mental Health
Lindsay speaks with Samuel Shin, a licensed therapist and men’s group facilitator, about the cultural pressures and emotional challenges faced by Asian men. Together, they explore healing, vulnerability, and identity, including Samuel’s PIE method (Process, Integration, Embodiment), along with practical ways men – and their partners – can support emotional growth. This conversation offers insight, compassion, and tools for understanding and supporting the mental health of Asian men.
Episode 9:
Beyond the Numbers: Rethinking Math for AAPI Learners
What does a truly rich math classroom look like and sound like?
Dr. Theodore Sagun – professor, researcher, and teachereducator at UCLA -joins us to dismantle the “natural math genius” myth and paint a picture of culturally responsive math instruction where students’ identities, languages, and thinking are at the center.
Episode 10:
Rising Together: Investing in the Next Generation of AAPI Girls and Women
ASPIRE leaders Sophia Lai and Michelle Chen discuss supporting and empowering the next generation of AAPI girls and women. They explore the unique challenges AAPI girls face, the power of identity-rooted mentorship, and how ASPIRE’s programs cultivate leadership, belonging, and sisterhood through a cycle of mentees becoming mentors.
Bonus Episode:
The Best Lessons of Season 1
Lindsay reflects on the lessons that stayed – about rest, ambition, family loyalty, voice, healing, and mentorship. Through stories from community leaders, creatives, therapists, and mentors, this episode reframes success as something we build with intention, context, and care, not just endurance. These are not takeaways – they are invitations to live, heal, and lead differently.
Courage Class Notes
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