TL;DR Breaking Barriers 2.0: Beyond Roles — Redefining Identity at Work & in Life
- What: Live online session on identity mapping with Dr. Krysti Vo + mental health panel (with Connie)
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When: Nov 6, 2025, 8:00 PM EST (Nov 7, 9:00 AM PHT)
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Why: If roles feel heavy, learn practical ways to clarify who you are and align habits with your values
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Perks: Exciting giveaways and free resources for registrants.
There’s a moment many of us know too well: you’re answering emails, moving from one task to the next, then something small—a message from a colleague, a request from home—tips the day from busy to blurry. You’re still doing the things you’re supposed to do, but your sense of you fades behind the stack of roles you carry: professional, leader, parent, student, caregiver, friend. The roles matter. They help you move through the world. But when the list grows long, it can crowd out the person who needs space to think, rest, and choose.
That’s the tension this conversation aims to tackle. On November 6, 2025 at 8:00 PM EST (November 7, 9:00 AM PHT), psychiatrist Dr. Krysti Vo and a panel of mental health experts will gather online for Breaking Barriers 2.0: Beyond Roles — Redefining Identity at Work & in Life, a live session focused on clarity, coaching, and small steps you can actually use. The guiding idea is simple: when you see yourself clearly, your habits start to make sense again.
The Weight of Titles
Titles promise clarity—“If I’m a manager, I should act like this.” “If I’m a good parent, I should do that.” The problem shows up when these rules pile up. You begin reacting to role expectations instead of responding to what matters right now. Over time, that gap creates friction. You feel productive and disconnected at the same time. You’re busy, but unsure what it’s all building toward.
In clinical settings and in leadership rooms, this shows up as fatigue, brittle focus, and a nagging sense that your day belongs to everyone else. Identity can’t breathe when everything is defined by a job description or family label.
A Clearer Lens: Identity Mapping
Identity mapping offers a practical way to see what’s actually going on. Think of it as a snapshot of three layers:
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Roles — the labels you carry (manager, teammate, parent, student).
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Values — the qualities you want to live by (honesty, steadiness, curiosity, care).
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Habits — the recurring actions that pull you toward or away from those values.
When you map these layers, patterns appear. Maybe your “team lead” role pushes constant availability, but your value is presence—being fully with one thing at a time. No wonder multitasking feels off. Or perhaps the “parent” role demands flexibility, while your value is reliability; your calendar has zero margin and every last-minute change feels like a failure. The map doesn’t judge; it just shows where roles and values aren’t lining up, and where a few small habit changes would do real good.
Try this 3-Minute Exercise
You can test the process right now:
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List 3 roles you carry this week.
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Name 3 values you want more of this month. Keep them short: “calm,” “curiosity,” “follow-through.”
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Circle 1 friction point—a spot where a role pulls you away from a value.
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Design 1 micro-habit that honors the value inside that role. Examples:
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If meetings keep you reactive, try “two minutes of notes before every meeting: purpose and one desired outcome.”
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If evenings blur, try “an 8:30 PM device drop for 20 minutes of kid check-ins or quiet cleanup.”
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If focus slips, try “one 25-minute deep-work block before opening chat.”
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Start tiny. The goal isn’t to rebuild your life tonight; it’s to signal to your brain, “This is who I want to be,” and then stack repetitions.
Breaking Barriers 2.0: Live Coaching Helps
You can read about identity mapping and still get stuck when your real life pushes back. That’s where live coaching comes in. During the session, you’ll hear honest questions from other people who are juggling the same tensions—boundary setting at work without burning bridges, carving out time for rest without dropping the ball, staying calm when schedules shift. Coaches and clinicians will respond in real time, giving you small experiments to run and language you can use the next day with your team, partner, or self.
Expect a blend of short conversation, a guided identity-map activity, and a Q&A anchored in the messiness of real schedules. The aim is not perfection; it’s movement.
What “BETTER” Looks Like
When identity leads, your calendar changes in quiet ways:
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You protect one block of focused work and communicate it clearly.
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You trade vague goals (“be better at balance”) for visible habits (“walk ten minutes after lunch,” “one no-meeting morning per week”).
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You keep a simple “success audit” at day’s end—three bullets: what mattered, what helped, what to repeat.
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You say “yes” and “no” with fewer apologies, because your choices now link to values you named on purpose.
These aren’t dramatic life overhauls. They’re small shifts that return your day to you.
Who this is for?
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People carrying multiple roles who feel stretched thin
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Managers and founders trying to lead with steadiness
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Parents and caregivers navigating shifting routines
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Students and early-career professionals shaping identity under pressure
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Anyone who wants their habits to reflect who they are, not only what’s urgent
Breaking Barriers 2.0 at a Glance
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What: Breaking Barriers 2.0: Beyond Roles — Redefining Identity at Work & in Life
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Who: Dr. Krysti Vo with a Mental Health Panel (including Connie and invited guests)
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When: Nov 6, 2025, 8:00 PM EST (Nov 7, 9:00 AM PHT)
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Where: Online (Zoom paid / Google Meet)
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Focus: Live coaching, identity mapping, and practical tools you can use immediately
You’ll receive joining details and a calendar invite once you register. To make the hour more fun, we’re lining up exciting giveaways and free resources for attendees (final details to follow).
A gentle next step...
If your roles have been steering for a while, take this as permission to pause and recalibrate. Bring a pen, one sticky situation, and a willingness to experiment. We’ll do the rest together.
Note: This live session provides education and coaching tips and isn’t a substitute for therapy or medical care. If you need personal clinical support, please reach out to a licensed provider in your area.