press
I’m available for interviews as a source on Asian American identity, mental health, and more.
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TRIPADVISOR, “Travels share their favorite trips (and tips) to Europe” by Lara Grant
Quote: “My first time in Europe was in 2001 after my freshman year of college. We started in Hungary and Romania, studying post-Soviet development and then a group of us backpacked through Western Europe on the Eurail.” — Michelle Yang, writer and mental health advocate
Michelle’s tips:
Splurge and save when needed. “We’d go from eating a gourmet meal in Eastern Europe for a dollar to skipping lunches in Paris because everything was so expensive—but we loved every minute. Italy was my favorite. The gelato changed my life! And I made so many friends, who I’m still in touch with today. It was a pivotal point in my coming-of-age experience that I’ve never taken for granted.”
ROMPER, “25 Moms Share What They Like Better About Themselves After Having Kids”
Quote: “An unexpected gift of motherhood has been that it has allowed me to love my body for the first time. I’ve struggled with a negative body image my whole life. The most beautiful I ever felt was when I was pregnant. My biggest ‘problem area’ was always my stomach and for once I didn’t have to try to hide it. It was the first time I felt proud of my body and it was incredibly liberating. This set me on the path to body positivity and loving my body the way I am — not for the way I’m supposed to look, but the way I feel and what my body can do.”
INSTYLE, “I’m Asian American, and I Don’t Know When I’ll Feel Safe in Public Again” by Connie Chang
PLANET CHINA feature, by Dominique Musorrafiti
Excerpt: Don’t be afraid to seek help. Whether this is in the form of support from friends and loved ones or seeking therapy from a mental health provider, there is no shame in asking for help. It’s a sign of strength, not weakness. Everyone can benefit from therapy. So many of us live with intergenerational trauma as well. Processing this with a professional mental health provider, processing racist experiences can help us heal and be better equipped to deal with current events.
WASHINGTON POST, “Formula feeding is not failure” by Rachel Tepper Paley
Excerpt: For many women, the decision to stop nursing is deeply tied to mental health. It’s often a difficult one: Michelle Yang, a mental health advocate and writer living in Seattle, experienced serious guilt when she stopped breastfeeding her 1-month-old son. In the course of two decades living with bipolar disorder, Yang has achieved success and stability with help from medication. She stopped taking it while pregnant, however, a decision supported by her doctor. Things were going swimmingly until the final stages of her pregnancy, when she started to suspect that something was off. After experimenting with an alternative, nursing-friendly medication, Yang went back on her original prescription, which she did not feel comfortable taking while breastfeeding. “Of course, I wanted to give my child the best of everything that I could offer, and so it was really heartbreaking,” Yang recalled. “But I also knew that I needed to be present for my child.”
CONTENTLY, “3 Ways You Can Be A Good Freelance Ally Right Now” by Ruth Terry
Excerpt: “I wanted to do everything in my power to build onto the momentum for change, for a social revolution,” Michelle Yang, a writer and mental health advocate in Seattle, wrote in an email. “Pitching any stories at this moment in history did not feel right. I wanted to help extend the news cycle on the protests as much as possible, so any short-term unrelated pitches felt like distractions. This is a time for Black writers to shine, to begin to make up for lost time.”
THE TEMPER, “15 Sober Women to Follow on Instagram for Women’s History Month” by Irina Gonzalez
Excerpt: “Michelle Yang, If you’re looking to learn more about what it’s like to have a mental illness and still be a badass, then go ahead and follow @michelleyangwriter. She’s on a personal mission to show the world how one can live well with bipolar disorder. And yes, she’s sober too. She’s also an incredible advocate for the Asian American community and definitely someone whose writing you’ll want to keep up with.
THE STABILITY NETWORK, Our Stories – Michelle Yang
Excerpt: ” When her own mental health journey led her to recognize the lack of stories told by women of color struggling with a bipolar diagnosis, Michelle was inspired to write a memoir of her own. Her passion to comfort those experiencing challenges similar to her own eventually led Michelle to leave her career of nearly a decade in corporate America. Her story is one of triumph and resilience, in which she explores the intersections of race, age, gender, and mental health while providing a much-needed assurance that everything can work out. Moreover, she is a living example that you can still strive for your wildest dreams, even after receiving a mental health diagnosis. “
PROJECT T.E.A., “Interview with Michelle the Writer“
Excerpt: “So many people bundle trauma and culture. All my life I’ve been told I have to accept corporal punishment because it’s part of my culture. That’s bullshit. Abuse is not part of the culture. It certainly was not the secret to my success. I can love my parents and still call out parts of my upbringing that I don’t agree with, that I wish had been different. I can love them and disagree with them. I can love them and still seek help for my mental health.”
Subconscious, “From Corporate America to Mental Health Advocate” by Savannah Kuang
Excerpt: “Yang also stresses the importance of separating trauma from culture. This means rejecting abuse, pain, and suffering as an accepted part of identity or culture. “We need to separate trauma from culture so that we can embrace our heritage, celebrate who we are, and heal from our past trauma at the same time. This is key to progress.””
Seattle Times, “Seattleites offer tips to manage severe anxiety at work” by Laura Zera
Excerpt: “Outside of work, Yang and Switz name preventive tools such as exercise (including yoga and walks), meditation, quality time with family and friends, regular therapy sessions and medication. “Prioritizing some time each day where I can just relax, and preferably have a good laugh, is extremely important,” Yang says.”
The Temper, “12 Sober Women Of Color You Should Be Following on Instagram” by Laura Cathcart Robbins
Excerpt: “Michelle Yang writes powerful, to-the-point pieces advocating for mental health and wellness. When her immigrant parents feared that a mental illness diagnosis would ruin her chance at college or marriage, they tried their best to minimize her symptoms and/or keep them a secret. Yang’s journey to get the mental health help that she needed is a tender and important journey that everyone should follow.”
For writing inquiries, podcast interviews, or other collaboration opportunities, please contact: michellehyang@gmail.com