From Pain to Purpose: A Season of Healing, Community & Tech Wisdom
Through keynotes, celebrations, and personal health revelations, I’m once again reminded of the beauty in both challenge and growth.
Dear Readers,
This spring has been a powerful season of reflection, resilience, and renewed purpose. Through keynotes, celebrations, and personal health revelations, I’m once again reminded of the beauty in both challenge and growth. I’m excited to share a few stories and insights that I hope will resonate with you as well.
🔥 Speaking on Tech at the Port of Montreal: Fire or Fuel?
One of the joys of keynote speaking is stepping into curated experiences in vibrant settings. Recently, I had the honour of speaking at Cooper Vision's national launch for a new contact lens designed to ease digital eye strain, held at the stunning Port of Montreal Tower.
My talk, “Technology: The Fire of Our Time”, explored how our devices can be tools for progress or sources of burnout. Technology is like fire, it can warm, illuminate, and build… or consume, exhaust, and destroy. I shared practical ways to engage with tech intentionally so it fuels our lives without burning us or our communities down.
🌾 A Weekend of Faith, Seva, and Gratitude
During Vaisakhi weekend, over 600,000 people gathered in Surrey to celebrate harvest, community, and the formation of the Khalsa. I was deeply moved by the seva (selfless service) of organizations like South Asian Mental Health and Souda, who uplift others with such dedication.
That same weekend, I celebrated Easter with dear friends, bridging cultures, traditions, and meaning. These moments reminded me how faith and connection nourish the soul.
🧬 Ehlers-Danlos Awareness Month: My Journey
May marks awareness for Hypermobility Syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos Disorders, conditions close to my heart, quite literally and figuratively.
My journey with Ehlers-Danlos has been long and often hidden. I spent years denying my body’s limits, pushing through 3 AM work sessions after parenting and clinical duties. When I finally applied for partial disability, I encountered shame, suspicion, even surveillance.
I’ve endured hundreds of injections and experimental treatments. I reached a turning point with inpatient ketamine therapy at St. Paul’s and, later, a life-changing neuromodulation surgery in Denver under Dr. Giancarlo Barolat. That implant helped me move from survival to joy.
This path hasn’t been linear. I’ve battled judgment, infections, panic attacks, and pain, but I’ve also gained awe, spiritual clarity, and deep respect for my body’s wisdom.
I now love my quirky, hypermobile, ADHD self. I believe in the healing power of mind-body-spirit alignment, and I share this story not for sympathy, but to remind anyone struggling: keep going, stay curious, and never give up on healing.
💤 New Blog: SleepMaxxing for Teens
Parents often ask me about helping their teens sleep better. My newest guide, SleepMaxxing for Teens, offers a neuroscience-backed, compassionate roadmap to improve teen sleep, one small change at a time.
Topics include:
The biology behind teen sleep patterns
Creating screen-free, calming bedtime rituals
How to spot when sleep struggles point to deeper mental health needs
💭 Final Thoughts: Embracing Paradox
This month, I’ve stood on keynote stages and hospital floors. I’ve felt both exhausted and exhilarated. Life continues to show me that growth lives in paradox: joy beside pain, rest within effort, connection in solitude.
Thank you for walking this journey with me.
With awe and gratitude,
Dr. Shimi Kang
(Harvard-trained psychiatrist, bestselling author, and resilient believer in healing)