Hey there! My name is Anthony, what’s yours? Let’s just start by getting comfortable and taking this moment for yourself.

Being lost once myself, I am passionate about holding space for those who are struggling with trying to find themselves. This is a space where you can be free. Free to be yourself, even if you don’t know quite who that is just yet. There may be so many feelings right now. Confusion, anxiousness, depression, hopelessness, curiosity, or feeling overwhelmed. And that is totally valid, we can take it slow. 

Therapy can often stew up sensitive, unresolved, and fearful topics, but through a bit of trust, we can begin to take the steps towards finding the sense of self we want to become. Together, we can discover the solutions and answers from within you. We will tap into the wisdom of your body. You are your own teacher and healer. I am here to be a listener, a friend, and a guide to help you reach your inner self.

Exploring Cultural & Racial Identities

Navigating family relationships is already complex, but layering that with being in a multicultural family can be overbearing. Your cultural roots can connect you deeply to the heritage and values in which you come from that have been maintained throughout the generations, but may also be contradicting to the soil you grow up in now which stem your current sense of being and sense of self. Both your home values and your sense of self then may become contrasting which makes it difficult to reconcile the line in which you find is appropriate for yourself and your family.

Being a person of color and a child of Vietnamese-Chinese immigrants, came with its own birthrights for me. I was responsible for being the translator of language, of emotions and cultural norms, the one to fix and teach about all things technology, and the one to advocate for my family’s health at each medical appointment. However, with my family’s traditional values, that meant that my own personal career passions and sexual orientation were seen as choices that made me go against my family. This also meant having to live in two different cultures and walking a fine line between prioritizing the duties I had for myself and for my family. 

Your cultural and racial identities are major cornerstones of what makes you who you are. As an Asian American myself, I understand the importance of how culture can be when wanting to feel understood and connected. This balancing act of wanting to keep your family proud and keeping yourself happy can be difficult. Through our work together, I hope to help you bring a sense of harmony and reconciliation as you find the appropriate boundaries for yourself and your family.

Therapy for Teen & Adult ADHD

You try really hard: To succeed, To be loved, To please people around you. You want to live your passion. And you know the person you can be. You often have a lot of great ideas but getting them started or completing them is a bit difficult. And you often find yourself feeling scattered and overwhelmed. Struggling to know which tasks to prioritize, and not to lose track of time or belongings,  important, often lose track of time or belongings. You find yourself taking big risks for not a lot of reward or bleeding your heart out about something you feel so passionate about to people who do not seem to care… and you regret later for thinking (or talking) out loud.

If these messages resonate with you… You may have ADHD. Many people associate ADHD with children. But it’s not only children who struggle with ADHD symptoms. Teen and Adult ADHD exist and struggles are real. Symptoms often look different because you had to live your life coping with your ADHD struggles because they were overlooked and you had to somehow still fit in. You learned to cope and “mask” your way through to seem “normal” “fit in” into the not-so-ADHD-friendly society. But you know you always struggled so much internally and sometimes externally.

ADHD looks different ways for different people. In fact, in women and non-binary teens and adults, it may look different because traditional gender expectations could influence behavior. But that doesn’t mean that you’re not struggling just as much as those who have more typical reactions and effects.

For anyone, ADHD can cause problems with work, school, relationships, depression, and anxiety. You may feel shame or intense pressure as you attempt to live a life by society’s rules that just don’t work for you. And you may feel as though you are the problem or that you are flawed in some way because you are struggling.

If you chose to work with me, we will work on understanding the extent of your symptoms and the way they are affecting your life. From there, we’ll work together to create an action plan to help you overcome those negative effects using a combination of medications as needed and therapy. With this process, you’ll be able to start building the life you’ve missed out on all this time.

Therapy with the LGBTQIA+/LGBTQIIA+ Community

We are often told to just be ourselves and be who we are, but it is hard to do just that, when society, the world, and sometimes even the people most close to you expect you to fit specific societal standards and norms. You then feel like you have to put a filter up and only a glimpse of who you “really” are can shine through. 

This filter may leave you feeling ashamed or feeling isolated from the rest of the world. It is not only difficult to accept your own sexual or gender identity, but it can be even more challenging to accept the responses of those around you. When your identity is marginalized, and considered abnormal or atypical, it makes it difficult to navigate your relationships with your family, the relationship you have with the cis-heteronormative world at large, and most importantly, the relationship you have with yourself. 

You are not alone. I see and hear you. As an individual who also inhabits the intersections of being both gay and Asian, I resonate with the silence we are expected to sit in. I provide space here in therapy, for you to be able to make the noise that comes directly from your soul and to be heard just the way you intend it to be. 

Together we will discuss and learn coping skills, tools, and new behavior patterns that help you live your life confidently as the person that you want to be. Being fully and wholly yourself is not something to hide, but instead, another reason for you to be celebrated. You deserve to love and be proud of the person you are with no filters, conditions, or limitations.

Seeking Therapy for Anxiety, Depression, & Trauma

Life’s pressures, familial pressures, and society’s standards continue to shape us every day. Our trauma can come in many shapes and forms. It may vary from person to person, nevertheless that trauma can affect how you think, how you feel, and how you encounter life. It can also make you feel overwhelmed, disconnected, anxious, or helpless. Constant feelings of loneliness, nervousness, and sadness can wear down the trust you have for yourself and others. 

These experiences may often make you feel as if you are “broken” or “damaged”, changing how you see yourself and how you approach your relationships. I am not here to “fix” you, because there is nothing wrong with you. Instead, I am here to support you in exploring these experiences that have shaped you and understanding how they impact your life. 

In this space, we can find the tools to help you manage your feelings of anxiety and depression. We can work together to rebuild your confidence and uproot the past trauma that negatively affects your life. This process is definitely not an easy one, but I am here to support you in making meaning of your past experiences and finding your own sense of healing. This safe space is for you to find the power to reclaim your future.

Therapy for Teens

Teenage years can be some of the most challenging times in our lives. Modern teens face tremendous stressors from many different aspects of life. They are constantly going through changes – whether that be in their bodies, friendships, schooling, family life, and more. Many of these changes are entirely out of their control. And sometimes teens need support to develop coping skills to handle their current stress and situations.

Developing a relationship with a trusted therapist can help your teen. Therapy gives teens an outlet. Sometimes teens do not feel as though they can talk to their parents about everything— a safe, understanding, non-biased, non-judgmental place to explore themselves and their world. Teen therapy with the right therapist gives a teen autonomy and authority to create an identity for themselves in a safe space. It allows them to shed the ideas of the outside world, and begin a journey of exploring their inner self. 

Sometimes teens cannot ask for help themselves. If you see your teen struggling, please reach out. I am here and ready to help. 

Therapy with Me

My philosophy revolves around holding a space that is affirmative and safe for all individuals. Often, we are met with judgment and fear in the world, and I strive to provide a warm and compassionate place that fosters a sense of safety to explore, grow, and heal.

Therapy with me is more than a place that focuses on serious and solemn topics, I love to incorporate laughter, positivity, and empowerment into each of my sessions. Together we will embark on a fun, eye-opening, and exciting journey to understand and find the right path for you. 

My therapy practice sets you, center-staged, as the main character in your life. And as the main character, I am curious to understand your background, the supporting characters, and the current setting you are in. This means, I am interested in understanding what makes you who you are; from your ethnic and cultural identity, immigration status, faith, to your gender and sexuality. As you teach me about yourself, I am here to help you find where your character wants to go next and how you want to evolve. I draw upon a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Narrative Therapy to create a therapeutic space that is warm enough for you to explore, learn, challenge, and discover yourself. Our work together will range from identifying your strengths, practicing coping skills, and developing healthy thought processes.

All I ask is that you come to therapy ready to give yourself a chance to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, be open to new experiences, and be excited to have fun along the way. It will be my absolute honor and privilege to go with you on this journey. 

So what do you think? Are you ready to take your next steps towards finding the self you want to become with me?

Registered California Board of Behavioral Sciences Number: AMFT 129392

Supervised by Phuong Tang, LCSW 27966