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So, what's the story?
So, what's the story?
You know, no one really talks about what it’s like to become a therapist. I’ve spent the last decade of my life working in mental health, and you get to do a lot more things than you’d expect.
I remember the days of polishing my Vietnamese to interview bilingual survivors of domestic violence for my university’s research lab. I’ve given educational workshops everywhere during my nonprofit days — from drug rehabilitation centers, to schools for children with special needs, to juvenile detention centers. I remember driving all over Orange and Los Angeles County with baby formula, Uno cards, flyers, and anything else you can think of in my car. Sometimes it’s for outreach, and sometimes it was to bring supplies directly to clients in their homes.
And I remember my clients.
I remember their pets who would peek up from under the keyboard during video calls. I remember trying out their favorite anime and food recommendations. I remember the industries they worked in and what day-to-day life was like. I’ve worked with everyone from emergency room nurses, to welders, to FAANG software engineers, to music theory students, to physics professors.
And you know what? I wouldn’t trade these experiences for anything.
I liked getting to listen as people remembered things for the first time in years. I liked getting to make connections that didn’t seem related at first. I liked getting to question the past, and maybe grieve, and maybe come up with answers before we ended session for the day. My roommates have told me that (despite soundproofing) they would hear me laugh every other hour during COVID when I was working from home.
Healing doesn’t have to look heavy. Trauma work, couples work, and therapy in general can look and feel like that.
It matters to me that you get the best care possible. And the best care usually comes from working with someone who is devoted to their clients and enjoys being a therapist. I’ve given the same quality of work back when I wasn’t being paid as I do at my current full fee.
And I started this private practice so I can continue to do so.
If you’re reading this right now, you’re doing more for yourself than you think you are.
If you’re reading this right now, you’re doing more for yourself than you think you are.
In case you were curious, here's some more info about me.
In case you were curious, here's some more info about me.
So what are my qualifications?
So what are my qualifications?
I graduated from a COAMFTE accredited program (Cal State Northridge for a M.S in Counseling, to be exact).
What is COAMFTE?
The national gold standard for LMFT’s. Put into perspective, all LMFTs have a 3000 hour requirement before becoming a therapist. COAMFTE goes a step further, because even before becoming a therapist — just to graduate — I had to have 500+ client hours directly with couples, families, and/or children. It means I also had to have over 100 hours of high quality supervision, which other programs don't typically require.
I have evidence-based training in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) to treat C-PTSD, PTSD, and I was primarily trained in culturally-informed, highly specialized trauma settings.
What kinds of settings?
I worked in the Family Preservation Program at Strength United alongside the Department of Children and Family Services. This means I'm very familiar working with issues such as domestic violence, abuse, sexual assault, incest, and probation cases.
I also have evidence-based training in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) to treat OCD and body-focused repetitive behaviors, like skin-picking or trichotillomania.
No, really, what are my qualifications?
No, really, what are my qualifications?
I’ve successfully navigated and continue to hold boundaries with loved ones who have personality disorders (i.e NPD, BPD, ASPD, HPD, PPD, OCPD)
I have broken intergenerational trauma. And by that, I mean I got both of my Vietnamese immigrant parents in their 60s to go into therapy. Very proud of them both.
I have personally been in couple’s counseling, taken psychiatric medications, am neurodivergent (or Neuro-Spicy as I lovingly like to call it, as opposed to Neuro-Vanilla) and am regularly in therapy to continue growing.
I am happy to appropriately disclose if it’ll help give you a better idea of what to expect in your own treatment and life.
What clinical issues have I worked with?
What clinical issues have I worked with?
Here are all the mental health conditions I’ve worked with:
PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
C-PTSD - Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Phobias (elevators, so far)
ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder*
ASD - Autism Spectrum Disorder (Level 1)*
AuDHD - comorbidity of both ADHD and ASD
MDD - Major Depression
BP-I and BP-II - Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2*
PMDD - Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder*
GAD - Generalized Anxiety Disorder
ED - Eating disorders**
DID - Dissociative Identity Disorder* (formerly Multiple Personality Disorder)
* I'm not specialized in this issue, but I am experienced in working with it on the condition that we involve additional support (i.e medication management, PCP, OBGYN, sobriety group or sponsor, support group, etc.)
** I'm not specialized in this issue. I have experience working with it when it's in-remission, when it was part of their history, or it was a secondary concern. If this is your only primary issue, I would recommend someone who does specialize in it.
What life issues have I worked with?
What life issues have I worked with?
Here are all the real-life issues I have experienced working with:
Abuse and Neglect - physical, emotional, psychological, financial, sexual
Addiction** - gaming, gambling, shopping, substances, alcohol
Adjustment - break ups/ending a relationship, recent moves or relocation, career changes, retirement
Burn-out
Caregiver Issues/Stress* - Alzheimer's, cancer
Chronic Illness and Pain*
Codependency
Communication Problems
Divorce**
Domestic Violence
Gender or Sexual Identity Exploration - asexual, nonbinary, aromantic, transgender, bisexual
Grief and Loss - miscarriages, unexpected deaths, Alzheimer's, cancer
High Stress Careers - Google, SpaceX, Amazon, CEO, researchers, professors, engineers, programmers, marketing
Health Care Workers - nurses, doctors, EMTs, paramedics, firefighters
Identity Issues
Life Transitions - getting married, having kids, changing jobs, graduating from school or a program, moving in with partner, moving out for the first time
Migrant/Immigrant/International Concerns - DACA, ICE-related impact, H-1B Visas, International Students, etc
Mental Health Workers - ABA Therapists, Pre-licensed Trainees, Associates (AMFT, ACSW), Licensed Clinicians (LCSWs, other LMFTs)
Racial Stress and Trauma
Racial/Cultural Identity - multiracial, biracial, first generation, second generation, sansei, yonsei
Relationship and Interpersonal Issues - dating problems, friendship/friend group problems, families of choice
Religious Trauma - Catholicism, Jehovah's Witnesses
Self Esteem
Sexual Assault/Abuse/Harassment (Stalking)
Sleep Issues and Insomnia*
* I'm not specialized in this issue, but I am experienced in working with it on the condition that we involve additional support (i.e medication management, PCP, OBGYN, sobriety group or sponsor, support group, etc.)
** I'm not specialized in this issue. I have experience working with it when it's in-remission, when it was part of their history, or it was a secondary concern. If this is your only primary issue, I would recommend someone who does specialize in it.
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