About me
I am a Vietnamese-American licensed clinical social worker. I immigrated to America at a young age and was raised in the Bay Area. I started my clinical training in graduate school and expanded on it during my years at a community mental health agency. What’s special about that is that I was serving the very community I grew up in. During my years there, I served marginalized and low income AAPI communities. I developed a passion for serving my community and built on my ability to provide psychotherapy, clinical case management, and crisis management in Vietnamese and English. I had the honor of walking beside clients who overcame cultural stigma in receiving mental health support, had limited access to mental health services in their language, and lack of resources that other groups have readily at their hands.
I work with clients and families that were experiencing immense cultural stress and intergenerational trauma that led to conflicts and lack of positive relationships in their family. I held family sessions between my clients and their family, becoming an objective listener, with the goal of improving their communication and understanding of each other.
Through my lived experiences as a first generation Vietnamese-American and eldest daughter of an immigrant family, I find that I take a compassionate, empathetic, and empowering stance when working with my clients. I work with individuals who are experiencing life transitions, major life stressors, issues specific to being or coming from a family of immigrants or refugees and Asian American mental health.
Core Values
My foundation as a social worker has taught me the importance of advocating and empowering my clients through our work together. I practice from a strength-based and empowerment model. As an integrative therapist, I tailor therapy to each client’s unique concerns and specific needs. I am trained in CBT, TF-CBT, Narrative Therapy, Psychodynamic therapy, EMDR and mindfulness. I am culturally affirming, trauma informed and an LGBTQ+ ally.
Credentials
I received my B.A. and B.S. in Criminal Justice and Sociology from California State East Bay and my Master in Social Work with a clinical track from San Francisco State University. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker licensed in CA (LCSW #98401). In addition to my private practice, I am also a mental health clinician at an outpatient clinic in a hospital. I am an anxiety specialist serving the children and adolescent population at that position.