Welcome! I’m Nicole.

Hello! I am a licensed therapist dedicated to providing a warm, collaborative, and culturally responsive space where clients can feel truly seen, safe, and understood. My journey into clinical social work is deeply personal. Growing up in Hong Kong and navigating life as the eldest daughter in an immigrant family, I experienced firsthand the unique, complex dynamics of balancing multicultural identities and the weight of intergenerational expectations. This lived experience, combined with a foundational background in public health, fueled my passion for mental health equity and inspired me to become a therapist. I understand that we cannot separate our mental struggles from our cultural contexts, and I am deeply committed to helping clients honor their whole selves.

Drawing from my clinical training at Columbia University and specialized experience in acute psychiatric care, I blend evidence-based modalities like Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, with a trauma-informed, culturally responsive lens. I specialize in working with adolescents, young adults, and families navigating the heavy waves of anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, and major life transitions.Whether helping a teen build practical coping tools or supporting a young adult unpacking intergenerational patterns, I view therapy as a partnership. I am honored to guide individuals on their journey toward the center of who they are, helping them find balance, reclaim their narrative, and step back into the world with lasting resilience.

Working With Me

In our sessions together, you can expect a space that feels collaborative and free of judgment. I practice relational therapy, which means I view our therapeutic relationship as a partnership of equals and the very foundation of your healing journey. My style is warm, compassionate, and active; while I am here to listen with deep empathy and validate your lived experiences, I am also here to gently challenge you and keep you moving forward. Clients often describe me as grounded, insightful, and approachable, someone who brings a sense of calm and authenticity into the room, making it safe to explore the heavier, more complex parts of their lives.

Our process together balances emotional support with practical, real-world tools. Because I blend relational therapy with evidence-based modalities like CBT and DBT, our work will give you tangible strategies you can use the moment you step outside the door. We will collaborate to set goals that matter to you, unpacking the intergenerational patterns and daily stressors that hold you back, while actively practicing the skills needed to navigate anxiety, life transitions, and relationships.

Therapy for Anxiety

Living with anxiety can feel like your brain is constantly trapped in a maze of “what-ifs.” It can show up as a racing heart, a knot in your stomach, or a repetitive loop of self-doubt that keeps you up at night. When navigating major life transitions or relationship challenges, anxiety can make you feel incredibly isolated, as if you are the only one struggling to keep your head above water.

I treat anxiety by creating a safe, non-judgmental container where we can unpack these heavy feelings together, balancing deep emotional validation with concrete, real-world tools. Together, we will map out what triggers your worry, practice actionable skills to calm your mind in the moments you need it most, and gently challenge the patterns that hold you back so you can step confidently into your future.

Therapy for Depression

Depression can feel like a heavy, invisible fog that numbs your motivation, turns your favorite things into chores, and leaves you feeling completely disconnected from yourself and the people you love. You might find yourself trapped in cycles of self-criticism, chronic fatigue, or a sense of loneliness, even when you’re surrounded by others. It can make you feel stuck, as if you’re just going through the motions of life without actually living it.

I meet depression with a warm, active, and collaborative approach. Drawing from my clinical background and training, I help you gently break through the behavioral loops that keep you feeling stuck. We will work to identify the root of these heavy feelings, restructure the harsh self-critical thoughts holding you down, and build realistic, manageable daily steps to help you reconnect with your energy, your body, and your sense of purpose.

Therapy for Trauma

Trauma is not just about what happened to you in the past, it’s about how those experiences continue to live in your body, your nervous system, and your relationships today. It can show up as constant hypervigilance, a deep difficulty trusting others, intense emotional waves, or a tendency to completely shut down when stress hits. For many multicultural individuals, trauma also includes the quiet, heavy weight of intergenerational pain, carrying ancestral hardships, familial guilt, or the systemic stress of trying to fit into spaces that weren’t built for you.

My approach to trauma is deeply safe, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive. I can help you process these painful experiences without letting them define who you are. We will work as a team to understand your body’s natural survival responses, unlearn the protective patterns that no longer serve you, and build a solid foundation of safety and resilience.

Therapy for Life Transitions and Relationships in Young Adults

Stepping into young adulthood can feel like navigating a storm of shifting identities, career pressures, and changing relationship dynamics. Whether you are navigating the pressure of dating, managing conflicts with friends or partners, or trying to figure out who you are outside of everyone else’s expectations, this transition can easily trigger waves of anxiety and self- doubt. It is a time filled with a lot of unknowns, and it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed as you try to build a life that feels authentic to you.

I love working with young adults because this stage of life is incredibly ripe for growth. Utilizing a relational approach combined with DBT and CBT skills, I provide a grounded, collaborative space to help you untangle complex relationship patterns, establish healthy boundaries, and build robust communication skills. Our work together will focus on giving you the practical tools and clarity you need to navigate these major life shifts with confidence.

Being a teenager is already tough, but navigating it as a multicultural youth or the child of an immigrant family adds an entirely separate layer of complexity. Teens in these environments often find themselves caught between two completely different worlds, trying to fit in with their peers while carrying the intense weight of family expectations, academic pressure, and cultural guilt. This can lead to a painful disconnect, causing teens to feel misunderstood both at school and at home, while families struggle to bridge the communication gap.

In our sessions, I help teens build practical emotional regulation tools, safely explore their unique cultural identities, and learn how to communicate their needs effectively. I can also work to support families in bridging cultural divides, encouraging mutual empathy, and healing intergenerational patterns so that both the individual teen and the family system can thrive together.

Your identity, family history, and individual story matter. Let’s embark on this journey of healing and growth together today, so you can confidently step back into the world as your whole self.

Registered New York State Education Department License Number: Nicole Lai, LMSW 131807

Supervised by Ji-Ae Joanna Chang, LCSW 092142