SPECIALTIES

"Resilience is not about bouncing back, but bouncing forward." - Dr. Daniel J. Siegel

BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER

BPD is theorized to be caused by a combination of invalidating parenting along with a biological predisposition towards elevated sensitivity towards stressors. BPD is often stigmatized and mischaracterized, even among mental health providers. You deserve a therapist who holds unconditional positive regard for you and believes in your capacity for healing. Using dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills can help manage unwanted behaviors and symptoms, such as 'splitting' and self-harming, while schema therapy addresses the attachment issues at the core of BPD. 

ATTACHMENT ISSUES & COMPLEX TRAUMA

Attachment disruptions occur in early childhood and are determined by a primary caregiver's level of attunement and responsiveness to their child. These disruptions can negatively impact a person's relationships with themselves and others.

Complex trauma arises from repeated and prolonged abuse within close, interpersonal relationships, typically in the immediate family, causing lasting harm. Attachment issues and complex trauma intersect, leading to unwanted behaviors, beliefs, thoughts, and feelings throughout a person's life.

These challenges are often evident in romantic relationships, where arguments and persistent problems frequently stem from behavioral and thinking patterns rooted in insecure or disrupted attachment. Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) addresses these patterns, fostering empathy, emotional acceptance, and effective communication skills. Schema therapy, viewed through an attachment lens, targets maladaptive internal working models (IWMs), helping individuals understand their internal processes that contribute to ineffective communication and unhealthy relationship patterns.

SUICIDAL IDEATION & SELF-HARM

Suicidal thoughts and self-harm are often observed in populations with BPD, attachment issues, and complex trauma, as well as among individuals with mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. These thoughts frequently arise from feelings of overwhelm in response to stressors that exceed a person's ability to cope, serving as attempts to regulate emotional states. Suicide and self-harm often thrive in environments of isolation and stigma.

Therapy employs safety planning and harm-reduction strategies while building DBT skills—such as mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation—to reduce symptoms and expand one’s tolerance for stress.

NEURODIVERGENCE

Do you have ADHD, ASD, AuDHD, or similar conditions? Do you often feel defeated by executive dysfunction—struggling with motivation, concentration, or social burnout from masking? When you seek guidance, do you find yourself receiving neurotypical coping skills that just don’t resonate?

You might find therapy more effective—and feel more validated, seen, and heard—when working with a neurodivergent therapist. A therapist who understands your experiences can provide coping strategies that work with your neurodivergence rather than against it. Therapy should meet each client's diverse needs. Incorporating stimming, optional eye contact, and free movement during sessions may be exactly what you need.

ASIAN RACIAL IDENTITY ISSUES

Are you a second-generation Asian American struggling with identity issues? Do you feel like you’re wearing different cultural masks at home versus outside? Ever feel like you’re not “Asian enough” to belong, yet too “Asian” to fit in with mainstream society? Have you experienced familial abuse but can't find a therapist who understands the nuances of culture and family piety? Are you having difficulty setting boundaries with family while remaining sensitive to cultural norms?

Working with a therapist who shares similar identities and experiences can provide the space, understanding, validation, and individualized guidance you need. You deserve support that truly resonates with your journey.