Meet The Hosts
ABOUT
Sharon Kwon
Sharon Kwon is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), psychotherapist, and founder of Bodhi Aware Therapy, who specializes in supporting immigrant and BIPOC individuals, couples, and families. With roots in Seoul and Los Angeles, Sharon brings a global perspective shaped by travel and cultural immersion. She’s also an acclaimed writer whose work has been featured in SELF, Slate, HuffPost, and Psychology Today.
ABOUT
Sharon Kwon
Sharon Kwon is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), psychotherapist, and founder of Bodhi Aware Therapy, who specializes in supporting immigrant and BIPOC individuals, couples, and families. With roots in Seoul and Los Angeles, Sharon brings a global perspective shaped by travel and cultural immersion. She’s also an acclaimed writer whose work has been featured in SELF, Slate, HuffPost, and Psychology Today.
ABOUT
GARY SEIDLER
Gary Seidler has been one of the foremost advocates in the addictions and mental health field for more than 40 years as a publisher, conference organizer, and quiet force behind some of the most transformative work in the space.
Born in Shanghai, raised in London, and immigrated to Canada as a teenager in the rock ‘n’ roll 60s, Gary’s own journey reflects the layered path many immigrants take, marked by movement, resilience, and reinvention.
He began his career in journalism as a reporter, editor, and political speechwriter in Toronto before joining the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario as its Press Officer. There, he launched a trade publication that became The US Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
In 1976, Gary immigrated once again, this time to the U.S., and co-founded Health Communications (HCI), a self-help publishing house, and US Journal Training (USJT), producing over 250 continuing education conferences across North America, Australia, and New Zealand for mental health and addiction professionals.
ABOUT
GARY SEIDLER
Gary Seidler has been one of the foremost advocates in the addictions and mental health field for more than 40 years as a publisher, conference organizer, and quiet force behind some of the most transformative work in the space.
Born in Shanghai, raised in London, and immigrated to Canada as a teenager in the rock ‘n’ roll 60s, Gary’s own journey reflects the layered path many immigrants take, marked by movement, resilience, and reinvention.
He began his career in journalism as a reporter, editor, and political speechwriter in Toronto before joining the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario as its Press Officer. There, he launched a trade publication that became The US Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
In 1976, Gary immigrated once again, this time to the U.S., and co-founded Health Communications (HCI), a self-help publishing house, and US Journal Training (USJT), producing over 250 continuing education conferences across North America, Australia, and New Zealand for mental health and addiction professionals.
Under Gary’s leadership, HCI published numerous landmark titles, including Adult Children of Alcoholics (Janet Woititz), Healing the Shame That Binds You (John Bradshaw), A Child Called It (Dave Pelzer), and What the Bleep. HCI also introduced the world to Chicken Soup for the Soul, launching a bestselling series that gave voice to everyday transformation.
Gary has co-authored several books himself, including Chicken Soup for the Recovery Soul, Chicken Soup for the Horse Lovers Soul, Success Stories from the Heart, and The Heart Reconnection Guidebook – A Guided Journey of Personal Discovery and Self-Awareness.
Today, Gary and his life partner Sheri Laine, an acupuncturist and wellness expert, co-lead Global Synergistic Living (GSL), a consulting practice rooted in education, healthy living, and the belief that meaningful connection begins with honest communication. He is also the host of Immigrant’s Road, a podcast that explores origin stories, generational impact, and the emotional mechanics of migration. With each episode, Gary invites guests, and listeners, to consider how far back they go and what it really took for their families to get here. Ask him “What’s your number?” and you’ll get a story that spans oceans, decades, and the quiet grit of starting over.
Gary is most proud of his three adult children and four extraordinary grandchildren.
Under Gary’s leadership, HCI published numerous landmark titles, including Adult Children of Alcoholics (Janet Woititz), Healing the Shame That Binds You (John Bradshaw), A Child Called It (Dave Pelzer), and What the Bleep. HCI also introduced the world to Chicken Soup for the Soul, launching a bestselling series that gave voice to everyday transformation.
Gary has co-authored several books himself, including Chicken Soup for the Recovery Soul, Chicken Soup for the Horse Lovers Soul, Success Stories from the Heart, and The Heart Reconnection Guidebook – A Guided Journey of Personal Discovery and Self-Awareness.
Today, Gary and his life partner Sheri Laine, an acupuncturist and wellness expert, co-lead Global Synergistic Living (GSL), a consulting practice rooted in education, healthy living, and the belief that meaningful connection begins with honest communication. He is also the host of Immigrant’s Road, a podcast that explores origin stories, generational impact, and the emotional mechanics of migration. With each episode, Gary invites guests, and listeners, to consider how far back they go and what it really took for their families to get here. Ask him “What’s your number?” and you’ll get a story that spans oceans, decades, and the quiet grit of starting over.
Gary is most proud of his three adult children and four extraordinary grandchildren.