I offer individual therapy to children, teens, and adults of various backgrounds and ages. Please refer to the "Children and Adolescents" section for more information about my work with young folks.
I have a particular interest in the following populations, as I have found them to be underrepresented when seeking services to become more mentally, emotionally healthy.
I have a particular interest in the following populations, as I have found them to be underrepresented when seeking services to become more mentally, emotionally healthy.
Gay/Bi/Queer Men and Transgender Men of Color
Men and transgender men who are navigating the intersectionality of race/culture/ethnicity and sexual orientation may encounter issues that could benefit from exploration and support in therapy. These include:
- fear of experiencing homophobia, transphobia, and rejection if considering coming out to friends, family members - feelings of shame, disappointment, being perceived as not 'man enough/masculine enough' within one's culture - comparing oneself to a White standard of beauty that can oftentimes be present within the LGBTQ+ community and encountering insecurities and self-consciousness - experiencing ignorance, racism, discrimination in the LGBTQ+ community - the other swing of the aforementioned pendulum: being 'exoticized' or 'fetishized' for one's racial and ethnic background I invite you to meet to see how I can support you towards living an authentic life. |
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Asian/Pacific Islander Americans and their bicultural identity
"Model minority," "perpetual foreigner," and the mantra of "you need to study hard and work hard" -- these images and stereotypes of Asian/Pacific Islander Americans limit and do not capture the array of experiences of APIA folks.
This group is at increased risk for mental health symptoms (e.g. depression, anxiety, suicidality) due to the stigma about reaching out for help. We can explore issues such as: - being born in the U.S. or growing up primarily in a Western environment and encountering feelings of not being "Asian/Pacific Islander" enough, e.g. not proficiently knowing your country of origin language - or the other side of the coin: feeling like a "perpetual foreigner," not feeling "American" enough in the U.S., even if you were born and raised here. You may have encountered racism and discrimination based on your race/ethnicity - for folks who have been born/raised abroad in Asian countries, issues of adapting to and acculturating to the U.S. - facing pressures from family who are more traditional regarding issues related to: work/career, relationships, spiritual/religious denomination practice and customs. Perhaps you do not align fully with your parents' and older generations' views, but feel internal conflict as a result This feeling of being caught "between two worlds" is typical -- I would like to support you through this process of cultural identity and all it entails: integrating, grappling, reconciling. I have mild proficiency in speaking and understanding Tagalog. |
People struggling with excessive social media/technology use
We live in an increasingly plugged in, disconnected world, where likes, retweets, and the buzz of notifications grab us like a 21st century siren. Have you been affected in any of the following ways?
- are your social media pages a frequent source of validation, e.g. a place to which you turn to seek out compliments and feel joy? - do you feel deflated or let down when your posts don't get enough 'likes'? - how often does your phone pull you away from enjoying being in the moment with friends, family, or the environment around you? - do you find the hours of video games, binge-watching fly by and find that you have not spoken to anyone or left the house in quite some time? - do you become restless, irritable, or even hostile if you do not have access to your smartphone, tablet, or video game console for a prolonged period of time? I don't look at the Internet and technology as good or bad; rather they have their pros and cons. My approach with clients is: how do we find a balance, such that we can enjoy our technology, but not let it get in the way of our social relationships and our daily responsibilities? I strive to make sessions a time to put our phones down, screens away, and unplug. Let's connect: person-to-person and face-to-face. |
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