Bridget Duncan, DMFT ’26 didn’t expect to be a published author before she even graduated with her doctoral degree. But the licensed marriage and family therapist, who manages a private practice, also doesn’t believe in letting a good idea gather dust.
That’s how a conversation with a doctoral program advisor at Chaminade turned into a book, published in January on Amazon. Duncan’s book’s title says it all: “Stop Dyeing Red Flags Pink: Your Roadmap to Healthy, Balanced Relationships.”
“I talk about relationships and attachment theory. What are the red flags? And why do we ignore them?” Duncan said, adding the book was written for everyone—from people struggling in relationships to professionals looking for ways to help clients.
Duncan said the snappy title of the book came first.
She recalls chatting with Dr. Emily Kahumoku-Fessler, LMFTS, associate director of Chaminade’s Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy program, and mentioning just how frustrated she was about clients “dyeing those red flags pink” in their relationships.
Duncan recalls Kahumoku-Fessler telling her that would make a great book title.
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“She planted that seed,” Duncan said, adding the professors in the DMFT program followed up by encouraging her to take the leap into writing. “The idea really resonated with me and I thought, ‘Why not?’” Duncan recalled, speaking from her home office.
After the book was published, Duncan got another exciting opportunity.
She was invited to deliver a presentation on red flags in inter-partner violence at the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma Hawai’i conference in April. Duncan said she’ll have copies of her book on-hand and looks forward to underscoring her message.
Duncan said she was able to complete her book, even with her rigorous doctoral studies, by setting a goal of writing at least 30 minutes a day. She found that once she got started, she often wrote more than that—and also made important connections to her doctoral studies.
Her dissertation, which she also hopes to publish as a book, is focused on the “potent” impacts of social media on symptoms of anxiety and depression among middle-aged adults. She said studies have previously focused on younger social media followers.
Duncan enrolled in Chaminade’s DMFT after researching programs across the country.
She said the degree at Chaminade had the supportive atmosphere she was looking for—and the flexibility she needed as a full-time therapist. “The entire faculty has been amazing and they’re the best in the field. We’re learning from the cream of the crop,” she said. “If you’re looking for a program that is going to support and challenge you, this is the one for you.”
And as for being an author, Duncan says it’s a milestone she never imagined she’d achieve.
“But everybody can do what I did,” she said. “You’ve just got to reach for it.”