Addiction & Recovery
Asian Shame and Addiction: Suffering in Silence
Asians are collectivist people by nature and consequently the shame of disgracing their families and ancestors lead many to “suffer in silence” with their various addictions. Whether it’s gambling, sex, food, or booze, Sam traces the roots of Asians afflicted by addictions to the cultural values of shame and honor.
Spoken not Broken: Healing through Poetry
This performance-based presentation is a blend of Spoken Word poetry, story-telling, and therapeutic insights to give audiences a message of inspiration and connection in their recovery. Poems touch on themes of addictions, shame, and ultimately hope of a better tomorrow. This presentation can also be extended to allow participants to create their own poetry for healing.
My Passport to Pain: From Asian Immigrant to American Addict
Sam grew up caught between two cultures as a first generation Chinese immigrant to the United States. In addition, he grew up amidst 3 generations of addictions (gambling, eating issues, infidelity, workaholism, just to name a few).
In this presentation, he documents the challenges of immigrant experiences such as cultural shame, assimilation to a new country, and how maladaptive coping mechanisms in the form of addictions and compulsive behaviors can pass from one generation to another. Yet, Sam's own journey of resiliency can give audiences a new understanding of hope, perseverance, and the resources necessary to end the cycle of negative generational patterns.
