Mental health, identity, and personal growth are often left unspoken in Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) communities. Cultural expectations, silence around emotional well-being, and the pressure to succeed can make it difficult to pause and ask: Am I okay?
On May 28, 2025, at 6:00 PM ET, Breaking Barriers: APIDA Conversations on Growth, Habits & Mental Health will create space for that question—and many more. Led by psychiatrist Dr. Krysti Vo and psychiatric nurse practitioner Connie Yip, this free live event offers real-time coaching and meaningful dialogue. It’s designed for those ready to rethink the pressures they’ve absorbed, the habits they’ve formed, and the support they may not have realized they need.
Why These Conversations Can’t Wait Any Longer
According to the National Latino and Asian American Study, only 8.6% of Asian Americans reported seeking mental health support, compared to 17.9% of the general U.S. population. That difference isn’t due to a lack of struggle—it reflects barriers like stigma, generational silence, and limited culturally responsive care.
At the same time, findings from the Asian American Psychological Association show how deeply racial invisibility, intergenerational expectations, and the pressure to overachieve affect emotional well-being. These overlapping stressors often lead to high-functioning burnout—exhaustion masked by performance and perfectionism.
This event meets those realities head-on. It’s a starting point for reflection, where participants can learn how to navigate these challenges with context, compassion, and science-backed strategies.
What to Expect: Coaching, Clarity, and Real Talk
This won’t be your usual lecture.
The session opens with a short grounding practice, followed by reflections from Dr. Krysti Vo and Connie Yip, NP, who bring both clinical insight and cultural understanding into the conversation. You’ll hear real examples, thoughtful perspectives, and tools you can apply—even if you’re starting from overwhelm.
There will be space for live questions and honest answers, but more than that, you’ll have a chance to pause, listen, and consider what growth means to you—outside of anyone else’s expectations.
Whether you’re there to ask, learn, or simply sit with people who get it, this hour is designed to meet you where you are.
Hidden Systems Behind Burnout and Self-Doubt
So much of what we do each day runs on autopilot—and those patterns often come from what we were taught to value: hard work, humility, sacrifice. Research from Duke University shows that about 43% of our daily actions are habitual, not intentional. If those habits were shaped in high-pressure environments, they can easily reinforce stress.
In the APIDA experience, those patterns often come from survival—where rest feels indulgent, emotions are muted, and achievement becomes a form of safety.
At this event, Dr. Vo and Connie will unpack how those patterns form and how to begin shifting them. Drawing from James Clear’s Atomic Habits and BJ Fogg’s Behavior Model, they’ll explain how behavior change becomes possible when we start small, align with our values, and adjust the environment around us.
This isn’t a conversation about perfection. It’s an opportunity to reimagine your routines—and your relationship with yourself.
Who This Is For (and Why You’ll Want to Show Up)
This space is for the high achiever who quietly wonders when it will feel like enough. It’s for the caregiver who’s always available for others but never themselves. It’s for anyone who’s been operating in overdrive for so long, they can’t remember what rest looks like.
- If you’ve ever felt like your challenges weren’t valid because someone else had it harder…
- If you’ve worked so hard to hold it all together but still feel like something is off…
- If you’ve been trying to build better habits but keep falling into the same patterns…
- This is your space.
Whether you’re early in your mental health journey or looking to reconnect with your goals in a way that feels true to who you are, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of your own patterns—and a few ideas for how to move forward with more clarity, care, and community.
Event Details
Date: May 28, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM ET
Where: Online (link provided after sign-up)
Speakers: Dr. Krysti Vo, Connie Yip, NP
Cost: Free