Hi, my name’s Sarah. I’m glad you’re here.

Mental health awareness has been steadily on the rise and shows no signs of stopping… but when we’re confronted with our own mental health, it can be confusing, daunting, or scary. With all of life’s responsibilities and the various roles that you play in others’ lives, it’s all too easy to prioritize those aspects of your life before your mental health.

But there’s no time like the present.

Whether you’re here to confront decades of intergenerational trauma head-on or just curious as to what therapy might have to offer you, you’ve come to the right place. Everyone deserves a space where they feel safe, accepted, empowered, and challenged to grow; a therapy session can provide all of those things. As a therapist, it is my honor and privilege to join each of my clients on their journey toward living happier, more fulfilling lives.

Therapy for Anxiety

Anxiety. You experience it, I experience it, everyone in the world experiences it at one point or another during their lives. But sometimes we find ourselves overwhelmed with anxiety – anticipating a situation that’s weeks away, in the middle of an event that usually brings great joy, ruminating about a social interaction that happened hours ago – it can feel like the walls are closing in, and life comes to a halt.

As intense as anxiety can be, you are not alone. While certain situations will inevitably cause discomfort or nervousness, together we can identify what factors are causing these negative feelings to grow to nearly unbearable levels. We can take a look at patterns, triggers, and solutions that are unique to you, your past, and your future.

Therapy for Asians and Asian Americans

As a 2nd generation Korean American, I’m no stranger to the challenges of being bicultural. Trying to reconcile values, opinions, and perspectives that seem to clash in every which way? Not an easy task, and that’s before you factor in gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity-specific differences.

Whether you’ve done extensive exploration on your own or wish to begin your journey now, I’m here to affirm your experiences and identities. There are challenges, issues, and experiences that are unique to being Asian in a Western world, and to find those that can empathize can be incredibly healing. Culture acts as one of the lenses through which we view the world, and the more we explore and develop an understanding of ourselves, the deeper we can examine our lives as a whole.

Therapy for the LGBTQIA+ Community

The world around us claims to have all of the answers: what gender we are, what pronouns to use, how we should look, and what kinds of relationships to foster. Specific sets of beliefs and expectations are placed on us from the moment we are born, but there is no place for that in therapy. Here, you can come to sessions incredibly secure in your identities or perhaps curious and questioning – you will be met with validation and acceptance all the same.

Looking back at my own journey of self-reflection and acceptance, I can recall moments when I was subconsciously looking for those who could relate to my experiences; now, as a proud queer woman, I intentionally seek out and strive to create spaces that not only support but also celebrate the LGBTQIA+ identity. In my work as a therapist, I recognized how working with a queer clinician that sympathizes with your experiences can deepen the therapeutic relationship and add an extra layer of safety. While the queer identity and experience are different for every individual, we all deserve a space to explore, process, and heal.

I see you, I hear you, and I welcome you as you are.

Therapy for Highly Sensitive Persons/Empaths

Do you often feel emotionally overwhelmed or burnt out? Do you find yourself being the “therapist friend” to the majority of people in your life? Do you experience others’ emotions almost as if they are your own? Do you struggle to create and maintain emotional boundaries? If so, you just might be a Highly Sensitive Person.

Emotions, particularly empathy, are a beautiful thing; they connect us to the world and others around us and make for deeper, more fulfilling relationships. However, all emotions take up energy – which is a finite resource. Finding a balance between showing up for others and showing up for yourself and your responsibilities is tough, but not impossible. Together we can find patterns in how you navigate interpersonal relationships and situations, determine what is and is not conducive to your emotional well-being, and incorporate boundaries and coping skills so that you can continue to feel your emotions in a healthy, sustainable way.

My Approach to Therapy

While a therapist’s role in treatment can certainly include psychoeducation and guidance, my approach is “collaborative,” which means that you and I will work together rather than solely by my direction. An overarching goal of the therapeutic journey is to have a confident, empowered client that continues to make decisions best for them even after sessions end, and one way to accomplish that is to encourage the client to play an active role in their treatment. Here are some theories you can expect to see in action:

• Person-Centered: I am a firm believer in the concept of “the client is the expert on themselves” – after all, you have been with yourself ever since you developed consciousness while I am just now entering the picture. As a therapist, I can provide you a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore your unique experiences and identities.
• Cognitive Behavioral: Thoughts and actions are both separate and connected to each other. By using CBT skills and interventions, we can begin to change behaviors that don’t align with your values or goals.
• Feminist: Regardless of your gender identity and presentation, the patriarchy affects us all. Discrimination, oppression, and sexism take a toll on mental health and understanding the societal factors that contribute to the issue at hand can be integral to healing.
• Strengths-Based: It can get easy to focus on the voice that says “You could be doing this” or “You shouldn’t be doing that.” What if we diverted your attention to the work you’ve been doing this whole time? Expanding upon your inherent strengths and tendencies can be a great place to start.

Take a step toward finding healing by scheduling an appointment with me today!

Registered California Board of Behavioral Sciences Number: AMFT 136181

Supervised by Phuong Tang, LCSW 27966