Hi I’m Megan, and I want to let you know that you are not alone.

Emotional pain is an isolating experience. We live in a world that struggles to be with others in their pain. If we admit that we are struggling, we might receive awkward looks or invalidating comments, like “look at the bright side.” or “everything happens for a reason.” As a result, we can feel shame for our pain. We wonder, “What’s wrong with me?”, “Why is everyone else doing so much better than me?”, “Does my pain matter?”, and “Do I even matter?”

Pain can take a myriad of forms. You might feel crushed under the weight of self-loathing, wishing you could be anyone but yourself. Or perhaps you are stuck in a dark pit of sadness and loneliness, wondering when you will see the light. Maybe you are tired of being ruled by your anxiety or trauma. Or you are tormented by a fear of gaining weight and inhabiting a body you cannot stand.

You don’t have to be in the pain alone. I will join you in your struggles, bearing witness to what you have experienced with empathy and compassion, and ultimately helping you move through it. Together we will journey through the pain towards greater flourishing and the life you want to live.

Therapy for Self-Confidence and Self-Worth

It is easy to develop a low view of yourself while immersed in a world with a myriad of social hierarchies. Our society privileges certain races, ethnicities, genders, sexualities, socioeconomic status, religions, personality types, ability etc. People who don’t fit the societal norm and ideal are made to feel that they matter less, or don’t matter at all.

Having internalized these messages, you believe that you are not enough. In a world that renders you invisible, you struggle to take up a space. You wrestle with embracing your particularities when others perceive them as inferior or inadequate. You feel out of place and long for a sense of belonging.

For me, one of the greatest joys in therapy is helping others cultivate greater self-confidence. I once heard the role of a therapist described as holding up a “kind mirror” to the client. I hope to help you to see yourself in a new way—a way marked by curiosity, compassion, and gentleness. And through this new light, you can become the truest, fullest version of yourself.

Therapy for Body Image Issues and Disordered Eating for Asian Americans and BIPOC

Do you spend a lot of time and mental energy worrying about your weight and body shape? Are you fearful of gaining weight? Do you ever feel out of control of your eating? Do you structure your life around losing weight?

People often have a narrow conception of disordered eating, confining this issue to rich, white, women with small bodies. However, disordered eating affects people across all socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, gender, sexuality, body size, etc. Furthermore, disordered eating is not an “either/or” condition where someone either has an eating disorder or does not. Issues with food and the body occur on a continuum, ranging from excessive dieting and body dissatisfaction to more severe cases of anorexia and bulimia.

As a therapist who specializes in disordered eating and body image issues, I can help you break free from the exhausting, destructive nature of these issues. We will explore what function disordered eating serves in your life and find healthy alternatives. You can learn how to challenge distorted thinking about food and your body and move towards greater body acceptance, and even body love. You can uncover greater freedom and joy surrounding food and your body and start living a life where a number or shape does not define you.

Therapy for Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression can get in the way of the life you want to live. You may feel heavy with sadness and loneliness. You may struggle to find the motivation or hope to pursue your goals and dreams. Your worries may lead you to live a life that feels small and scary.

I understand how painful it can be when these issues loom large. And I also know the joys of a life where these issues are no longer in the driver’s seat. Through self-exploration and skill acquisition, you can break free from being held back and inhibited by anxiety and depression.

My Approach:

Therapy with me is never a one-size-fits-all experience. I believe it is essential to recognize and honor the uniqueness of each person I encounter. I seek to build a strong therapeutic relationship with every client through empathy, warmth, an active presence, and a little bit of humor.

Then depending on each person’s wants and needs, I also may incorporate the following modalities and skills:

• Psychodynamic therapy helps develop greater emotional and personal insight. Clients learn how to better understand their emotions and discover connections between their past and present, including helpful and unhelpful patterns.
• Internal Family Systems (IFS) recognizes that there are different and often conflicting parts of ourselves. IFS helps us learn how to effectively engage and honor these different aspects of ourselves so that we can become integrated and whole.
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) approaches trauma or impactful life events from a neurological perspective. EMDR helps unlock the brain’s natural healing processes by reducing emotional distress and reprocessing the past in an adaptive way.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) invites us to live value-driven lives through strategies, such as accepting our emotions, practicing awareness of the present, and developing psychological flexibility.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) emphasizes the connection between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT teaches skills that can help us challenge and restructure harmful or untrue thoughts.

Sometimes clients ask me if therapy is a difficult process. While it can be challenging, there is power when we share our vulnerabilities in a safe and healing space. Through this process, we discover insights, unique strengths, and new ways of being that move us closer towards healing and peace. It is an absolute honor and gift for me to do this work, and I hope to join you on your journey towards the life you want to live.

Registered California Board of Behavioral Sciences Number: ACSW 109787

Supervised by Nadia Islam, PhD, LCSW 24725