011: "A feeling is not a solid." Normalizing conversations around mental health with Elaine Dolalas

Outside of her full-time job as an advisor at UCLA, Elaine Dolalas shares her commitment to always work toward the betterment of Filipino American communities. She shares the origin story of This Filipino American Life podcast, the advantages of living in a heavily Filipino-populated community, and destigmatizing mental health.For anyone that wants to understand how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust, we recommend reading, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.Connect with Elaine Dolalas on Instagram & Twitter @tfalpodcast, Facebook @ThisFilipinoAmericanLife, https://thisfilipinoamericanlife.com/ [email protected] or leave a message on our voicemail 805-394-TFAL (8325). You can also visit Elaine's blog at http://www.obliviousnerdgirl.com/--For our latest updates and FINAL community events, check out our newsletter, published Friday, May 23rd, 2025: https://mailchi.mp/e9ab60aa7aeb/tfaw-project--NEWSLETTER: Receive the latest stories, updates, and media coverage by subscribing to our FREE newsletter: TFAWPROJECT.COMABOUT US: From 2019 to 2024, The Filipino American Woman (TFAW) Project was a podcast that strengthened Filipino voices one conversation at a time through all things life, culture, and personal development. Learn about the latest happenings of the show, which'll be announced SUMMER 2025: TFAWPROJECT.COMACADEMIC PAPER: Special thanks to the Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies at UC Davis for the opportunity to present our academic paper, Pinay Podcasters: Building a Self-Sustaining Community Through Storytelling, Collective Healing & Learning, and Collaboration. The initial draft is now available! Read more at http://pinaypodcasters.com/RECOGNITION: In December 2020 and December 2021, we received an Honorable Mention at the Asian American Podcaster's Golden Crane Podcast Awards. August 2020, Jen Amos participated as a speaker on behalf of TFAW Project for PodFest Global, which now holds the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for Largest Attendance for a Virtual Podcasting Conference in One Week. May 2020, we were recognized as “Amplifying Asian Women Voices” on Spotify during AAPI Heritage Month.We've also been featured in Realtime Community Oakland, Mochi Magazine, Ossa Collective, SUPERBANDS, Chopsticks Alley, FoundHer by Entrepinayship, Spotify, PodFest Expo, Philippine American Foundation for Charities, When In Manila, You Are Collect;ve, San Diego Union Tribune, NBC 7 San Diego, and much more! Read more at: https://linktr.ee/tfawproject.featured CONNECT WITH US: Instagram @thefilipinoamericanwoman, Facebook @thefilipinoamericanwoman, Twitter @thefilamwoman, YouTube @thefilipinoamericanwoman, LinkedIn @tfawproject, Pinterest @tfawproject, or TikTok @tfawprojectLearn more about your host, Jen Amos, at https://linktr.ee/thejenamosContact Us at This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.tfawletters.com/subscribe