Puzzle Exchange

Burnout, Belonging & Asian Caregiving with therapist Caitlin Blair and acupuncturist Dr Deb

54 min · 31. dec. 2025
episode Burnout, Belonging & Asian Caregiving with therapist Caitlin Blair and acupuncturist Dr Deb cover

Beskrivelse

In this episode of Puzzle Exchange, we sit down with Caitlin Blair, a psychotherapist and founder of Tiny Cottage Therapy, to talk about the real (often invisible) weight of burnout, cultural identity, and the unique pressure many AAPI caregivers carry. In this conversation, we cover: * Why AAPI caregiving expectations can be heavier, and how to set boundaries without collapsing into guilt * How stress often shows up first as sleep + digestion issues (and why we ignore mental signs until the body forces our attention) * Somatic tools for “always-on” urgency: mindful movement, walking, and simple bilateral stimulation exercises * How to find a therapist (and why “vibe + trust” matters more than perfect credentials) * Therapy stigma in Asian families—and the “good kid” mask that keeps us bottling everything up Caitlin Blair runs Tiny Cottage Therapy and specializes in anxiety, burnout, and cultural identity. She also facilitates an AAPI caregiver support group designed especially for adult children caring for aging parents. https://www.tinycottagetherapy.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa29GUFhaSkRSNTZob1NLZGJHUVdvcmR3SU1fd3xBQ3Jtc0tsakhpWXNVeWt2VFcxVUFDNEt2S0VmZmNJS0F5dTRBVTBJNVFSWmhGTnlCMlhnbXFLZnNlLTYyTUdoeW5CSUpxNnFpNzBvUXhyNkVOcFRDaVl0UUx4djVlNWt0NkxHS0xfZFZOWmhNaGhvc01hQmttOA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tinycottagetherapy.com%2F&v=Cv0QPZzekvw]Dr Deb is an acupuncturist from Puzzle Acupuncture at Bernal Heights, SF. Her whole philosophy is gentle care that actually works. https://www.puzzlesf.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbkR2QnNHazZtWC1iWTZQdXNHNEpVMzZ4R1YxUXxBQ3Jtc0tudk5kVnhFeUpuZjdFWW4xOXY2a0pUT3ZBazNMZXZpaVdLdUhiY1VUbVBkcmR3dnBNNXRnVFVTSWJLa1RiR2R6T2hRRkk2dTR5TkpRdnp3RXhwSDZuNWZOazl1UDRFd2xfbjhsd3VLMmk4UkJ4aTNUTQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.puzzlesf.com%2F&v=Cv0QPZzekvw]

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Alle episoder

15 episoder

episode Longevity Lab: 3 Doctors on Why Your Wearable Isn't Making You Healthier cover

Longevity Lab: 3 Doctors on Why Your Wearable Isn't Making You Healthier

Everyone in the room had a wearable. The 3 doctors on stage didn't.That gap is the whole conversation. This is the Executive Longevity Lab, the first in a new series from Puzzle Exchange. Cross discipline, clinician led, and a room small enough to actually think. 3 founders from 3 different practices sit down to pull apart what longevity has become in San Francisco, and what it actually takes.It opens with Dr. Deb leading Ba Duan Jin, a 900 year old qigong practice, and lands on the simplest advice in the room: move with people you like, try new things, and listen to your body.Chapters:0:00 A 900 year old warm up: Ba Duan Jin1:16 Meet the panel2:03 The wearable in the room: the data doesn't match how you feel3:05 Pain is information, not a verdict6:50 Why two of the doctors don't wear one10:30 A sleep score of 85 and still tired: what Chinese medicine reads11:20 Simple, sustainable, self directed: it has gotten very capitalistic13:45 Regenerative medicine and peptides: tools, not miracles16:02 Where the money should go: community, sidewalks, and food21:08 Hype vs tradition, and starting kids early30:00 The AI question: anxiety, self diagnosis, and a fragmented system36:10 Chinese medicine as the original holistic model46:56 Closing advice: move with friends, try new things, listen to your bodyThe panel:Dr. Deb Ma, licensed acupuncturist with 17 years in Beijing, now at Puzzle Acupuncture in Bernal Heights, San Francisco. https://puzzlesf.comDr. Lindsay Stephens, chiropractor and physical rehab specialist, co-founder of Motus. https://motusclinic.comDr. Veronica Jow, sports medicine physician and internist, founder of Avid Sports Medicine. https://avidsportsmed.comHosted by Jenny Chen, Puzzle Exchange. https://puzzleexchange.spaceMore from Dr. Deb on what Chinese medicine looks for instead of a score: https://puzzlesf.com/blog#Longevity #ChineseMedicine #Wellness #Wearables #Acupuncture #PuzzleExchange

24. maj 202651 min
episode Software is solved. Are we going to be okay? Puzzle Exchange No. 14 cover

Software is solved. Are we going to be okay? Puzzle Exchange No. 14

I hosted a panel in SF with a therapist, a philosopher, and an engineer. Three takes that almost agreed, then sharply didn't. David Khalili (therapist): VCs are buying therapy session data. The pitch to therapists is free premium software in exchange for access to every client session. John Coyle (philosopher and engineer): "Every question of technology is a political question." Pushed back hard on the inevitability framing. Rayyan Zahid (engineer): Spent 10 billion tokens last month. Felt more relaxed than he had in a year and a half. His agents now teach other agents. The takeaway: The future isn't optimistic. Jobs will go. Governments will give the bare minimum to survive. We should not treat any of this as inevitable. That refusal is what makes us human. Recap with interactive takes: https://puzzleexchange.space/ Subscribe to the calendar for the next one: luma.com/puzzleexchange.

18. maj 202651 min
episode Geek Therapy: How game can bring you safety and control cover

Geek Therapy: How game can bring you safety and control

00:00 Introduction 00:35 Therapeutic Approaches in Gaming 00:53 Understanding the Geek and Gamer Community 02:58 The Role of Creativity in Therapy 05:08 Challenges Faced by Gamers and Artists 07:28 Parental Perspectives on Gaming 09:40 The Impact of Gaming on Mental Health 12:16 Building Relationships Through Gaming 14:47 The Importance of Communication in Therapy 17:07 Exploring the Game: Source of Dreams 19:21 Therapeutic Role-Playing and Personal Growth 21:24 The Five Resources for Overcoming Stress https://www.puzzlesf.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbDVSc3NuQXZ6Z3BwUXdTaDNMRlQxWENhT1NYQXxBQ3Jtc0treUFOaG53aFZzYU00NklQZk1PLTlKNGZSVzNlX3VuNTUydEFLWlNyTUdrbGp5Z0RJaERCYlZidEZncUpRRThSY2VNRzh4VzB2NWtSZWtxTlhYbGF1N05WNTBEdmo2eFJmaUtITmhuUW9IczZrcVk2VQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.puzzlesf.com%2F&v=6r93pHvEDdU] https://www.hiddenquesttherapy.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGVwLUFhWWpRcy00R1UzanZ0UnM3VjkzR0JlUXxBQ3Jtc0trS0xNanFPMkdDQ0wzekl5Q3lKSjJrRmwyQ09UU1czSHA5QnB5dTUzR0MyaURxcnU0cjgyU0ljQzhKdEFpdG9ld3RFV3Z0LVphaVF2T21QWUtGSElmWmkySEo1U3FDV21STmpBTFVJbFRNcTZDem8wUQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hiddenquesttherapy.com%2F&v=6r93pHvEDdU]

13. feb. 202621 min
episode What Burnout Really Looks Like | Unpacking with Therapist & Mind-body Clinicians | Panel cover

What Burnout Really Looks Like | Unpacking with Therapist & Mind-body Clinicians | Panel

Burnout doesn’t always look like collapsing. Sometimes it looks like pushing through… until you can’t.In this panel, 3 clinicians unpack what burnout actually is, why it can be hard to recognize in time, and what helps in real life.What we cover: * How clinicians define burnout (and why it’s more than “stress”) * Why burnout can feel sneaky—and the early warning signs people miss * The “system” piece: how culture, work, and expectations shape burnout * 3 simple tools you can try today: PanelistsA clinician panel featuring a chiropractor/somatic practitioner, a homeopath, and a sex therapist. Moderate by a tech founder who's been through burnout. * Kathleen Scheible — trauma-informed homeopath * Dr. Kim Makoi, DC, PhD — mind-body chiropractor, NET expert, author * David F. Khalili, LMFT — therapist, sexologist, founder of Rouse Relational Wellness * Moderated by Tingyi Chen from Puzzle Exchange Podcasthttps://www.puzzlesf.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa0VJMUM2cWJiZDVZdTE3RWlsUDFVRGJfX1BKQXxBQ3Jtc0ttTTJna2RyV2ZmODVYbVF5Vk1pYkk4NkVLVEhTdW1zN1EwWGdTS1lhWDJBQl9DMjdKb0xnWlpLNVRMXzRaS1hLSEg2cWwtdm9sZnIwUkFyU05qTmd2dEI3SUFuTWFhbGh2VnNYVndaWXh6MHBTak5KRQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.puzzlesf.com%2F&v=LuIS5tWH188] https://rousetherapy.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjJrTWZBMU52azdOenFJeEZXQUNCb2JRdHZDUXxBQ3Jtc0trZ1NrNXJlTU9zcFBmaTg5YlJYajlHOFhQMkdTYVFOZzZOLUo5OTdwMVFHN2xxUk9objBvMXBSTWVtcUdTVVlaTjgxMDJUU3UzdVp3TFUtWlZIeU9qMHNOakZMdjNnYlQwMmZ5Mjd4YUROS1l1QkJ4VQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Frousetherapy.com%2F&v=LuIS5tWH188] https://www.bernalhomeopathy.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUNlTl9PSTYyRU9fRUNFZnozYl9rVlRjaHI4d3xBQ3Jtc0tranNFNC1ITWd1QTk3OG42SExrNERsZW9hTkY4Snl5Y0NFSmVqWVUtVUVuU0dnWC1QR2VRVHE0N0JidWJrbHpQMms1bGl5ejV0YTlUSHl6ZFIwQnNLLUlHUVNiX1NwX2RsMHhyeURUVW9uSlJoOXUxcw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bernalhomeopathy.com%2F&v=LuIS5tWH188] https://www.drkimsf.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa0RzamJTVFExSGhSV3JEczQ5MkpHWGJoN3VId3xBQ3Jtc0trYnRMVVdLM2c0SS1hYmJKU3ctUWQ3a1lxM1VKNW5NRVN3NWxVLWd2Ukk3STc1aC10b2l2VlFOaUsxeXh0OGVhZ1Q4ZjBLZ0o1aFFDUEtvcTM3VjNpTTRnNm1XLVlLckpCaUlWVTUyWjA2UDdHdkNJWQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.drkimsf.com%2F&v=LuIS5tWH188]

11. feb. 202646 min
episode Sciatica Relief That Actually Works: “Test-Retest” PT Method + Acupuncture Perspective cover

Sciatica Relief That Actually Works: “Test-Retest” PT Method + Acupuncture Perspective

What if the reason your sciatica isn’t improving is simply that you’re doing the wrong exercises: too many, too soon, without knowing what helps? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Ashley Mak, a physical therapist who specializes in sciatica pain.Dr Ashley breaks down his simple “test–retest” approach: try one movement, observe what changes, and double down on what reduces symptoms.Dr Ashley also shares how he built iFixer Sciatica to make education and recovery more accessible, including a library of 200–250 exercise videos. In this conversation, we cover: * Why “more exercises” can make sciatica worse (and what to do instead) * The test–retest framework for finding what your body responds to * PT vs. acupuncture: different lenses, same goal—and how to integrate both * How to return to activity without falling into the post-rehab “danger zone” Dr Ashley: https://ifixyoursciatica.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbW1la2N3WVIyUk5pb0FXbG5yQnlXWFF3cUtEZ3xBQ3Jtc0tuYWtVR1FFX0RyTUJjSkhCdXVkQ05lMk1VVk5aNmpxRl9KRVZSRzladldvNzZjSlZyTVU2RlVVY0xVS2pGbE5SY3Q3QjV3VjUtQVFyZkQ5V1plMFY2ckNKTkRaYTlxX01ROTI5QkVKaE51ZmFaWEpyNA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fifixyoursciatica.com%2F&v=CsaMVzn4s9A]Dr Deb: https://www.puzzlesf.com/ [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbkp1T1lMY0YyMjR5RWxScXpjS3pteEt2ZllBZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsTHFkbXNDUjMtNktMc1ZVWEJ0Vll5OWtpLUtKbWl0Qnlya2pzT29mSEt4eEY2UjJIOTdaTDBkbUNoa1pvNndoVUNiN3V3cWV1RE05cEFDY2ZtU21IYUhNOGVVbW5zWFgxZlRLcExUdFo5UmNOSzR2WQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.puzzlesf.com%2F&v=CsaMVzn4s9A]

7. jan. 202621 min