Hi, I’m Dana!

I’m a NYC-based therapist, social worker, Asian American, queer lesbian and transracial adoptee. I am also extremely privileged to have become a mother through IVF. My areas of practice are often informed by my own identities and experiences.

I’ve worked in various fields for the last 15 years including education, adoption, social welfare, and community programming. I decided to become a clinician at this time, because of my own experiences
navigating a life that was nothing like what I had planned or expected. Adjusting expectations, finding chosen family, and embracing self-love along the way were not easy, and I can appreciate delicate, difficult, and humbling experiences of what it means to be human.

I enjoy working with introspective, open, and thoughtful, individuals who are ready to commit to their own healing. I welcome “ready to launch” adolescents and adults to connect with me.

Outside of my therapy practice, I work full-time in higher education, supporting first generation, BIPOC, and immigrant students with access to essential needs such as food, housing, and financial assistance. As a trained social worker, I have always been a strong advocate and understand how connecting people to resources, whether it is finding a psychiatrist or a safe place to spend the night, can sometimes be
lifesaving.

Working With Me

When you decide to go to therapy, you bring your entire self, including intersectional identities, life history, and poignant relationships, to each session. I have the privilege to meet you, human to human, and witness just a small part of who you are in our time together. I will offer genuine curiosity, engaged dialog, and gentle questioning. You are the expert of your own life, and I am here to provide a compassionate and judgement- free space where we can partner together to support your growth, healing, and self-awareness.

I utilize a relational, trauma-informed, and strengths-based approach in my work. As a feminist and social and racial justice advocate, I recognize the world we navigate is inherently patriarchal and that social and legal constructions of race further advances the interests of white people at the expense of people of color. I bring a deep understanding of privilege, oppression, and equity to my work. I also utilize evidence-based interventions such as CBT, DBT, MI, and person-in-environment perspectives.

Therapy for Transracial Adoptee Identity Issues

In addition to my own identity as a transracial adoptee, I worked in the field of adoption for several years, supporting adoptees through counseling, advocacy, and mentorship. Topics we might explore include search and reunion, transracial identity, and cultural connections. Adoption grief and loss is not always understood by those who are not in the community, including family members. It may even be dismissed or invalidated and you may feel pressure to be the “grateful adoptee.” I can hold space for this and will honor wherever you are on your adoptee journey. If welcomes, l also offer practical insight and resources that might support your exploration and understanding of self.

Therapy for Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents

Emotionally Immature Parents (EIPs) struggle to regulate emotions, lack self-awareness and empathy, or be held accountable for their actions. This makes it almost impossible to be attuned to their children’s emotional needs and experiences. The child then feels constantly anxious or ashamed. Without emotional safety, children often develop a profound sense of emotional loneliness and as adults, the pressure to manage all emotions on their own. You might have experienced invalidation in other spaces for the grief you feel because from the outside, all your physical needs were met as a child. Together we can figure out how to heal your inner child, all while offering deep empathy for what you’ve experienced.

Therapy for Burnout, Self-Worth, and Perfectionism

If you often find yourself physically and emotionally exhausted, crying suddenly and not really knowing why, or questioning your purpose and what you are doing with your life, you may be experiencing burnout. Burnout can manifest because of a lack of appropriate boundaries, unrealistic perfectionist tendencies, or the unwillingness to depend on others for help. We will partner together to help you learn how to set reasonable boundaries and untangle the notion that your self-worth is tied to your productivity or financial compensation.

Therapy for Grief and Loss

Certain life experiences such as miscarriage, divorce, or the death of a loved one, can leave us feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and hopeless. Having a safe space to process these feelings can provide us with the breathing room we need to begin moving through the loss, which is necessary for us to start the healing journey. I offer a caring presence and genuine curiosity to understand how your experience of loss has affected you and can help you discover the resilience you likely already possess.

Certain life experiences such as miscarriage, divorce, or the death of a loved one, can leave us feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and hopeless. Having a safe space to process these feelings can provide us with the breathing room we need to begin moving through the loss, which is necessary for us to start the healing journey. I offer a caring presence and genuine curiosity to understand how your experience of loss has affected you and can help you discover the resilience you likely already possess.

Certain life experiences such as miscarriage, divorce, or the death of a loved one, can leave us feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and hopeless. Having a safe space to process these feelings can provide us with the breathing room we need to begin moving through the loss, which is necessary for us to start the healing journey. I offer a caring presence and genuine curiosity to understand how your experience of loss has affected you and can help you discover the resilience you likely already possess.

The challenge is not to be perfect – it is to be whole.

– Jane Fonda

Registered New York State Education Department License Number: Dana LePage, ACSW 084027

Supervised by Ji-Ae Joanna Chang, LCSW 44SC06147600