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Michelle Yang, Writer & Activist for Mental Health Wellness
Michelle Yang is an advocate whose writings on the intersection of Asian American identity, body image, and mental health have been featured in NBC News, CNN, InStyle, Shondaland, and more. When not writing, she loves exploring new areas with her family and smoking up the kitchen with spicy recipes. Other projects: To learn more of my story, please see my writing here or see press features here. Please see here to listen to my story at upcoming conferences, classes, nonprofits and podcasts. For writing inquiries, podcast interviews, or other collaboration opportunities, please contact: michellehyang@gmail.com
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Michelle Yang, Speaker
View this post on Instagram OPAWL showing up for the Ohio Asian Mental Health Conference! @michelleyangwriter was the best part! #OPAWL #cincyOPAWL #asiancommunityalliance #ohioasianamericanhhealthcoalition #michelleyang #mentalhealth #AAPI A post shared by OPAWL (@teamopawl) on Oct 19, 2019 at 5:32pm PDT I cannot begin to express how it felt to tell my story in front of a large audience, especially one of predominantly Asian Americans. Though I had done many podcasts and online interviews as a mental health advocate by now and done some smaller speaking engagements, this Ohio Asian American Mental Health Conference was the first one for which I was being flown halfway across the country as a plenary.…
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flipping the statistic
"Everything is still possible. You can have any kind of life you strive for. Bipolar disorder is a health condition that can be managed with medication and treatment. This is not the end. It is still the beginning of your story."
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Courage is not the absence of fear
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt Over four months have passed since I began writing and talking about my mental health condition opening. Still, fear creeps in every day, haunting me. Mostly, I’m fearful about how my…
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memoir in progress
Not too long ago, I went to a book store and put my hand where my future book will be. It was a powerful feeling to put my energy there. It took me a while to admit that I’m writing a memoir. I wrote a mission statement for my book first. I had to overcome knowing how arrogant (and douchey) it sounded to be in my late thirties writing a memoir. But I’m doing it. I needed this story when I was first starting out in my mental health recovery journey and almost twenty years later and there’s still a void where a book like this should be – an…
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Dear Potential Employers
Unfortunately, I soon found myself mysteriously passed over for jobs for which I was well-qualified. Repeatedly ghosted on opportunities where the recruiter initially sought me out, for which my skills and experience seemed perfectly aligned. Hiring managers were suddenly silent after successful rounds of interviews and much momentum.
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12 things I do for everyday wellness
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years living with bipolar disorder, it’s that everyone’s different in how we struggle and cope. Every person responds to medications differently and can have greatly varied symptoms. As a peer living with bipolar disorder (I’m not a professional), here are some things that have helped me find everyday wellness: Seek treatment. See medical providers. Is it a psychiatrist for medication, therapist, or just a primary healthcare doctor? Often a team is needed, but however you feel supported, it is so important to seek ongoing care. I’ve learned this the hard way. If I neglect making appointments when I’m well and busy,…
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Before Me
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Parenthood
Parenthood saved me. Maybe not in the way you think. I was such a good Chinese daughter. I was “drinking the kool-aid” as my brother called it until I was about 30 years old. All growing up, my parents would scold me and say, “You will understand when you become a parent yourself.” The irony is, when I was finally ready to become a parent, that’s when I stopped drinking the kool-aid. Stopped being a “good daughter.” I finally drew the boundaries I needed to stop the patterns of abuse. Preparing for parenthood made me reflect deeply on the type of parent I wanted to be and it was…
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A friendship lost
A few years ago, I lost one of my best friends. C* and I met in grad school and we were inseparable. When my ex cheated on me and I broke it off with him, she picked me up off the floor. When she and her boyfriend ended things, she was inconsolable. She moved in with me until she found her own place. I made sure she ate and was there for her the same way she was for me during my heartbreak. C was by my side as a bridesmaid when I got married. She was the gracious host of my baby shower. Then my pregnancy, though closely monitored…
