Author: aryask@gmail.com

Comedy is where the mind goes to tickle itself. When I first started doing stand-up comedy, no one in the audience was tickled. Instead, there was a lot of awkward silence and my mind spinning, anxiety bursting in my heart and stomach. I was drawn to comedy for the simple reason that the whole thing scared me and made me feel small. The thought of going on stage to tell jokes was terrifying and I was going to slay this dragon. The voice of judgment in my head was thick, “I’m not funny” or “who am I to do comedy?” There was another voice too and it whispered, “this is scary, difficult, awkward, and it feels alive.” I listened to that voice and I kept showing up and made the…

BeeNow podcast, Episode 60 In this episode, Kitty, known as being happy and outgoing, shares her mental health journey and evolution in China. Her battles with panic attacks started as drowning in deep waters to then building a ship and helping others build theirs (metaphorically). At first, reacting to bodily symptoms then responding to the root cause. Arya Salehi has a mission is to help people lower barriers to trust and belonging. He's a mental health counselor, consultant, and author of Panic in the Soup. He has a Master’s in  Organizational Psychology and Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy. He hosts the BeeNow podcast and his stand-up comedy shines a light on the absurdities within us all. Born in Iran, raised in California, living in Chengdu since 2015.