I am a Chinese adoptee and I grew up in a small town in the Midwest. As someone who was raised in a place where most people didn’t look like me, I can understand what it feels like to lack a sense of true belonging among peers and in the community. Feeling untethered to my identities yet deeply tethered to the idea of wanting to somehow embrace my identities created a lot of internal negotiating. For anyone who feels this way, just know that I know. I show up in therapy with both the knowledge and experience of feeling lost, but now I have my own personal map. It would be an honor to meet you along your path.

Some of my values include kindness, collaboration, and humility. These values guide not only how I interact with therapy participants, but how I interact with the world and myself. To be kind to oneself and to others can be really difficult, but by seeking belonging and help among others and appreciating diverse perspectives, kindness flourishes. I have deep gratitude for those who have shaped who I am and who continuously push me to live by these values.

I aim to have a multicultural framework which embraces the wide range of human experiences. I acknowledge that my perspective is specific to me and practice cultural humility by listening to different perspectives, questioning my own beliefs, and challenging systems that create barriers for marginalized communities. I am interested in adapting therapy to each individual therapy participant by using a collaborative approach where they are encouraged to be active participants in this process.

I am interested in working with adoptees, BIPOC individuals, and the LGBTQ+ community who are navigating their identities and life transitions. As someone who holds identities in all these areas, I feel compelled to work with people who also share some (or all) of these identities as well who are navigating life transitions, identities, and anxiety.

I know that everyone has had their own unique lived experiences and approach stressors related to identity and systems with this understanding. With so many external pressures and barriers that quickly turn into internalized beliefs, I believe that it’s important to listen and act with compassion, curiosity, and humility. Additionally, the increase in social media has led to even more sources of negativity and harmful voices that tell people who they should and should not be. I validate and affirm individual experiences and know that it is a privilege to bear witness to them.

I typically help therapy participants manage their anxiety, setting and maintaining boundaries in everyday life, and navigate life transitions. I assist them in learning more about the underlying concerns and help them practice using skills and being the author of their story.

I enjoy incorporating narrative therapy elements into my counseling because I believe that the stories we tell ourselves as well as the stories that society tells us shape who we are and who we become. Empowering therapy participants to rewrite and reclaim their stories facilitates growth and confidence. I also use some CBT and DBT techniques to build on specific skills and tools that people can use in their everyday lives.

I use some grounding and mindfulness techniques, such as deep-breathing exercises and using mental imagery, and am interested in developing creative interventions that attend to individual cultures, resources, and needs.

I hope that people feel relief, safety, and welcomed when they read my bio. I want to be a therapist that therapy participants feel comfortable and relaxed around while also being vulnerable and exploratory.

Therapy participants often say that they appreciate my comforting presence, the ease and trust they feel when talking to me, and my dry sense of humor. I strive to foster an environment where they can feel safe to be seen authentically while also knowing that therapy can be light-hearted at times too.

Therapy is a deeply personal experience built on trust, genuine connection, compassion, and honesty. This is a big ask for anyone, but especially for those who have had a negative experience in therapy and are entering this space again. I warmly encourage those who have had negative therapy experiences and those who are unsure about starting therapy to reach out. Therapy is collaborative and we can move at a pace that is comfortable for you. It is a privilege to build authentic connections and I would be honored to get to know you.

I will be providing care through Open Path Collective, Pause & Connect, and will be co-facilitating some workshops. The workshops will be on stress management and executive functioning geared towards Gen Z, but anyone who is interested in learning more about these topics or would like some support in these areas is encouraged to join!

I know that it can be difficult to care for yourself while trying to navigate the stress of life. Finding a community that you feel a sense of belonging in and leaning on others for support is so important and something that I do when I feel overwhelmed. I am here to be someone to lean on in these times and welcome you to this space.

I enjoy baking, painting, drawing, running, writing cards/letters to my friends, and catching up with friends. Some of the activities help me feel calm and in the flow state and some help me feel connected to my support system, both of which bring me a sense of purpose and joy!