It seemed like Toni had done all the right things. She was the salutatorian of her high school. Graduated from an Ivy League school and two prestigious residency programs. She was working as a doctor and had delivered over 350 babies into the world. So why, at age 30, did she quit her career and begin backpacking the world? In the second episode of Strange & Marvelous, Ari C.R. chats with Toni—aka Dr. Tooni—about rebirthing your inner child, sparking your creativity, and how to become a digital nomad at any age. You will also hear excerpts from Dr. Tooni’s first time doing standup comedy. Updated and Corrected, Includes Timestamps Dr. Tooni is a Chinese-American neurodivergent ex-physician turned cartoonist, author, sex educator, mental health & LGBT+ advocate, and nomad for 7 years. After hitting rock bottom trying to please her immigrant “Tiger Parents,” as an Ivy League gynecologist, she realized conditional love wasn’t true love, and started letting her authentic self show, even if the consequence was becoming cast out. Now, as a Dreams Doula, helping birth dreams instead of babies, she guides other Achievers, Pleasers, and Divergents to unconditional self love & re-birthing their Authentic Selves through art, writing, and teaching. Her courses include “Strip Off Shame,” “Transcend The Tiger,” and “Nomads’ Nest,” helping cure adult loneliness and build nourishing communities around the world. She also hosts the “Accept THEN Achieve” podcast and has published a memoir & healing guide “WHY YOU NO DOCTOR ANYMORE?! Honoring Your Family AND Yourself Too.” Her most popular comics include “The 5 Asian Love Languages” and “Lessons with Penelope C. Lit.” Find her art and courses at DrTooni.com. Ari Chase-Ramos is a storyteller, comedian, and the author of over two dozen erotic novellas, including Domination Diaries and The Thai Mistresses. His performances have been featured on stages in Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and Itaewon, and in dungeons in Tokyo and Seoul. Every Friday, he hosts the Ari C.R. Podcast and Open Mic at Creativitea in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Jump to Topic 07:43 - Quitting Her Career as a Doctor 15:34 - Third-Culture Kid 18:10 - Should Unconditional Love Be the Norm? 19:27 - Who Is Your True Self? 22:29 - Drawing Cartoons, A Creative's Self-Doubt 25:11 - Are A Child's Dream's Valid? 30:17 - Lonelineness, Concerns That Prevent One From Becoming Nomad 34:08 - Timothy Ferriss's Language Learning Hack 35:13 - Nomading Before and After Pandemic 37:05 - Discovering New Versions of Yourself 39:55 - Nomading & Meeting People as an Introvert 42:09 - Dr. Tooni's Upcoming Events 43:49 - Ari Tells a Joke 46:44 - Follow Dr. Tooni Online The song playing during the introduction of the podcast is “Scars of January” by Alana Jordan. Strange & Marvelous (the S&M podcast) is published every Saturday and features interviews with artists, travelers, musicians, comedians, lifestylists, kinksters, and more. Subscribe to receive podcast episodes by email. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arichaseramos.substack.com/subscribe