Family Therapy in Laurelhurst, Portland, OR

“Are you suffering with the symptoms of PTSD? Does this impact your relationships? I believe everyone can reach an optimum state of well-being as long as we have the right tools and supports. To help my clients reach this goal, I employ a comprehensive approach with a strong reliance on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, and EMDR. It is with this combination of approaches that I can give each client individualized and tailored sessions to meet their needs. My hope is that I can be another supportive tool in each client's therapeutic journey.”

Are you seeking a POC clinician, someone with lived experience as a first-generational immigrant, or as an international student? Do you need support with family issues or a partner, cultural support, or support for mental health in a culture where stigma exists? I can help you with depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, trauma, issues related to cultural adaptation, relationship issues, boundary setting, procrastination, life transitions and self worth. I also speak fluent Cantonese and Mandarin. Its never easy to walk alone in distress, feeling lost and helpless. Together, lets create a safe space for you to heal.

Here you are, browsing for therapists, making a choice not only to find a therapist that is the right fit for you but also making the choice to prioritize something that maybe you have neglected. I am here to hold that space for you to bring as much of your humanness as you are willing to bring into the room with me, no matter how dark it gets, and to be a witness without judgment or expectations so that you can heal wounds. All of my approaches in therapy are inspired by attachment theory, trauma-informed care, Internal Family Systems theory (IFS), Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), and narrative therapies.

***Currently available for in-person and Teletherapy appointments*** I am passionate about people leading empowered, connected, and purposeful lives. I provide counseling services to diverse clients as they learn, change, grow, and function in increasingly inspired, creative, healthy, and adaptive ways. I work collaboratively with clients in identifying needs, making changes, and practicing new skills in a safe and supportive setting. I am experienced in working with adults, couples, families, as well as adolescent clients, on issues including depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, anger, identity, and unwanted thoughts or emotions.

"...Psychotherapy...is as varied as human individuals. Treat every patient as individual as possible...the solution of the problem is always an individual one," wrote CG Jung. While living our lives we all go through periods of struggle and difficulty. From time to time help is needed in the form of counseling to assimilate and integrate the problems, and/or otherwise painful emotions. My approach to therapy is humanistic and client centered. I value each person as an individual. I will work collaboratively with you to nurture and support the healing and changes you envision for yourself.

I specialize in issues important to teenagers and young adults/families, including issues related to family dynamics, depression, anxiety, bipolar/schizophrenia, substance abuse concerns, transracial adoptions, grief, LGBTQ dynamics, racial identity, gender transitioning process, and abandonment trauma. My relational approach to therapy can help you gain awareness of your road blocks and provide you with the tools (skills/coping strategies) you have for your own growth.

If you are looking for an experienced, warm and inviting therapist to support you, I welcome people of all backgrounds with all sorts of issues. In the early years of my 26-year career as an LCSW, I founded, developed, and operated a camp for grieving children. I've also worked extensively with terminal illness and end of life issues and everything in between. I also have expertise with and welcome the LBGTQ+ community, parenting, family issues, and am ready to support you with an open, non-judgmental space for healing.

I work with folks who want help understanding themselves, finding compassion and acceptance for themselves and figuring out more fulfilling ways to live. My clients often have trauma in their backgrounds and a big part of my work is giving them the tools and information they need to operate trauma-affected brains with less strife, more delight. I also work with folks around identity, sexuality and gender, helping them reject shame and grasp hold of the life they want to live authentically.

Finding a therapist you can identify with can be difficult. I offer lived experience as a BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ identifying person, a parent, and serve a diverse, and often marginalized, population of beautifully resilient humans. Addressing holistic health is my passion. Whether you are working through identity, trauma, family of origin issues, LGBTQIA concerns, parenting, grief and loss, suicidal thoughts, anxiety or self care, come join me in this safe space as we use a variety of tools to help you live a more full and fulfilled life.

Grief and trauma. When experienced, these can define us. But it doesn’t have to be that way. People are also shaped by their families and culture, their experiences, and the stories they create about themselves. I too have experienced grief and trauma and through our work together, I will help you find your voice and create a new narrative – one of empowerment and self-acceptance.

Are anxiety and low self-worth regulars in your life? The process of recognizing old stories, beliefs, and patterns can be overwhelming. It can bring up confusion, fear and grief. Changing old ways, that once kept you safe, can feel ungrounding and chaotic. Shifting what you've been familiar and comfortable with is deeply challenging and takes a great deal of strength and vulnerability. I believe healing, growth and change are lifelong practices, and transformation requires time, space, patience and self-compassion. Therapy can offer a safe and caring relationship that supports you in doing this life changing work.

Do you identify as a BIPOC woman who is feeling depleted from dealing with effects of systemic racism or ongoing micro-aggressions, and it's been affecting how you feel about yourself? Have you recently lost a loved one to suicide or homicide and feel alone in your pain?

Therapy can be a central part of restoring balance in your life, no matter what brings you to it. Sometimes, people seek out therapy to make a change in their lives, to fix what hasn’t been working, or because their coping skills are no longer helpful. Other times people are struggling with anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, health issues, or other struggles influenced by traumatic childhoods or difficult life situations. Whatever the case, I am glad you are here to learn more.

Are you ready to begin taking off the masks that you are afraid of living without but know you cannot live within? Together, we will gently remove old and new masks, allowing for the opportunity to get to know your inner Self. The Self is our inner being, our truth, our soul, our anchor, who often gets hidden away due to traumatic experiences, fears, and others’ expectations. Through witnessing how personal challenges - past and present - can impact individuals in distinct ways, I have grown increasingly passionate about helping others reconnect with life through Self-discovery.

Have you been scrolling through psychology today, trying to find a good fit? If you want a safe space to discuss trauma, grief & loss, major life transitions or would like help managing your anxiety/depression, I am here to help. Most people have experienced some form of trauma in their lives. It may have been an extremely stressful event. Or, it could be the cumulative experience of long term neglect, abuse or violence. Being in this survival mode may come with persistent feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, feeling trapped, disconnected & detached. Current patterns are a result of strategies to survive & no longer serve us

Are you struggling to understand a relationship that may be abusive, trying to heal from trauma, or need support with gender, identity, or LGBTQ2SIA+ issues? Health Allies specializes in healing from narcissistic abuse, domestic violence, PTSD, and trauma. We also have many therapist who specialize and identify with the LGBTQ2SIA+ community. If you have struggled with any of the above, we can help you sort out your goals for healing and help you get to a better place.

Are you looking to make changes in your life but are unsure of where to start? It can be especially challenging to navigate life right now with the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and the unveiling of the multitude of intertwined systems of oppression we find ourselves in at this time. You are not alone in experiencing concerns, outrage, and fear. I am here to accompany you in navigating these challenges and also acknowledging the joy in life. You are deserving of support and a space to talk openly. I am someone you can trust to process your fears and anxieties with as well as cultivate hope for your future.

When I first became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist 19 years ago, our understanding of how past traumas and attachment wounds affected us in the present, and how to effectively treat trauma and attachment wounds was very minimal. Since that time, extensive research, studies, theories and practices have broadened our knowledge of trauma's impact on the mind and body and expanded the variety of tools and resources available to support therapists. I can honestly say I have never loved my work as a trauma/attachment-focused therapist more than I do right now.

My style is warm and creative from a strength-based perspective. Creative in the sense that I provide tailored support to help individuals, families and groups identify and manage psychological, emotional and behavioral change. In life we experience challenges such as trauma, family conflict, crisis, physical illness, unemployment grief/loss and/or social challenges that can affect our quality of life. Together we will work to overcome barriers, to maximize your life experience and not allow the past to paralyze you from enjoying today and having a healthier and happier tomorrow.