Ep. 18: Mastering Pressure: How Athletes Thrive Under Stress

Ep. 18: Mastering Pressure: How Athletes Thrive Under Stress

Just in time for this summer’s major championship sporting events, this episode of Wellness in Today’s World features host Dr. Debra Kawahara in conversation with sports psychologist Dr. Sara Hickmann about the growing mental health pressures facing athletes at every level of competition. Drawing from her experience working with professional teams including the Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Clippers, New York Jets, and Brooklyn Nets, Dr. Hickmann explores topics such as perfectionism, burnout, performance anxiety, “the yips,” and the mental difference between clutch performances and choking under pressure. The conversation also examines the impact of NIL culture, social media, and constant performance expectations on young athletes, while highlighting practical tools such as visualization, self-talk, reset routines, and cognitive flexibility that can help athletes and non-athletes alike navigate stress, adversity, and high-pressure situations.

Ep. 17: “The Chair and the Valley”: Rewriting Your Story After Trauma

Author Banning Lyon engages in a profound conversation about his memoir, The Chair and the Valley, in this episode of Wellness in Today’s World. He and Dr. Debra Kawahara explore themes of trauma, healing, and the transformative power of nature. Banning shares his personal journey through hospitalization, the challenges of writing about his experiences, and the importance of agency in therapy. He emphasizes that trauma does not have to define one's identity and discusses how punk rock and nature played crucial roles in his healing process. The conversation concludes with reflections on parenthood and the ongoing journey of wellness.

Ep. 16: Transforming Inherited Pain into Care and Courage

In this compelling episode of Wellness in Today’s World, psychotherapist, activist, and author Satsuki Ina reflects on intergenerational trauma, cultural identity, and the power of collective healing, drawing from her lived experience as a child born in a World War II incarceration camp and her decades of clinical and community work. Grounded in her memoir, The Poet and the Silk Girl, Ina shares how uncovering her parents’ letters and diaries illuminated both the depth of their suffering and the silence that shaped her upbringing, emphasizing how trauma is passed down not only through stories but through unspoken behaviors, embodied anxiety, and relational patterns.   The conversation explores the limitations of individual therapy in addressing collective trauma and highlights the importance of community-based healing practices, including storytelling, healing circles, and “compassionate witnessing,” as pathways to reclaim voice, identity, and agency. As part of Mental Health Awareness Month and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, this episode invites listeners to view mental health as both a personal and collective journey, encouraging them to honor their histories, engage in community healing, and stand as witnesses to injustice.

Ep. 15: Beyond Grit: A New Framework for Resilience

Dr. Sherry Hamby, author of the new book Stronger Than You Think: Building Lifelong Resilience, joins Dr. Debra Kawahara for this episode of Wellness in Today’s World. Dr. Hamby shares her journey from victimization research to the development of the Resilience Portfolio Model, emphasizing a comprehensive, culturally responsive approach to resilience that goes beyond toughness to encompass meaning-making, interpersonal strengths, environmental factors, and regulation. Discover how this model is applied globally and how it can help individuals and communities build lifelong resilience.

Ep. 14: The Science of Supercommunication: Building Connection Through Better Conversations

Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of Supercommunicators, joins Dr. Debra Kawahara to explore the science behind meaningful communication. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and behavioral research, Duhigg explains how communication is not just about words but about connection.  The conversation introduces three types of conversation: practical, emotional, and social, and how misalignment between them can lead to misunderstanding. Duhigg shares actionable strategies for improving communication, including the “matching principle,” asking deep questions, and practicing active listening through techniques like “looping for understanding.”  They also discuss the role of vulnerability in building trust, the importance of curiosity in navigating difficult conversations, and how strong relationships are foundational to overall health and well-being. The episode offers listeners practical tools to become more effective communicators and build deeper, more meaningful connections in both personal and professional settings.