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Individual Trauma & Relationship Therapy Services

Therapy that understands people and relationships in context

Patterns of thinking, emotions, and behaviors are influenced by far more than individual experience. Culture, race, gender, sexuality, disability, family history, immigration, religion, economic realities, and experiences of privilege or marginalization all affect what feels safe, what conflict means, and whose needs are heard.

 

As a second generation Taiwanese American psychologist, former educator, queer parent, and multilingual therapist, I bring both personal and professional awareness to these intersections. I strive to provide therapy in which BIPOC, queer, transgender, nonbinary, polyamorous, and otherwise marginalized clients do not have to spend their sessions educating their therapist or defending the validity of their identities and relationships.

 

I will remain curious rather than assuming that shared identities mean shared experiences.

 

Therapy can help you:

  • Recognize the cycle underneath recurring conflicts

  • Communicate needs without attacking, disappearing, or abandoning yourself

  • Repair injuries and rebuild trust

  • Understand how trauma and attachment shape present-day reactions

  • Navigate cultural, racial, gender, and relationship differences with greater awareness

  • Create boundaries and agreements that reflect your actual values

  • Experience more closeness without sacrificing autonomy

  • Develop practical ways to reconnect after conflict

  • Finally feel safe and confident navigating the world

  • Move past intellectualization and insight to real, sustainable change

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Evidence-based approaches we may use include: Gottman Method, attachment theory, NVC (Nonviolent Communication), SE (Somatic Experiencing), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), SFBC (Solution Focused Brief Counseling), parts and inner child work, and strengths-based interventions from the field of Positive Psychology. 

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Start your healing journey today.

FAQs

Getting started

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1. Schedule a complimentary consultation

 

Choose a complimentary 15-minute consultation so we can briefly discuss what brings you to therapy and whether my services may be a good fit.

 

2. Clarify the pattern and your goals

 

Our first sessions will help us understand your history, the cycles creating distress, and the changes you hope to create. My intention is that you leave with a takeaway or a feasible action step within the very first session – because every moment in therapy should have the potential to be healing.

 

3. Begin practicing a different way of relating

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We will combine scientifically validated experiential, emotional, and trauma-informed work with practical tools you can use during moments of distress to begin to rewire your nervous system and body so you can move toward healing yourself and your relationships.

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What are your session lengths?

  • Most sessions last 50 minutes, but sessions can also range from 25 minutes to 80 minutes. We can decide together what works best for you.

 

What are your fees?

  • I am an “out-of-network provider,” which means I don’t go through insurance. If you do have insurance, you may be able to get partial reimbursement. See here for more information.

  • My out-of-pocket base fees are $275 per individual 50-minute session and $350 per couples or relational 50-minute session. Some people contribute more than the base fee. Any amount contributed above the base fee goes toward subsidizing low-fee sessions for historically marginalized community members.

 

Do you take insurance? Offer superbills?

  • I am not under any insurance companies, but I can provide you with paperwork to be reimbursed by your insurance company, if that’s offered. Check with your insurance to see what their procedure is. Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to do that.

 

What's your cancellation policy?

  • Please cancel your session with at least 24 hours notice to avoid being charged the full session fee. This allows for other people who need services to schedule with me. Exceptions are made for emergencies.

 

What states do you serve?

  • Online psychotherapy is available for people in California, New York, Texas, or Washington states.

 

What information do I need for telehealth?

  • All sessions are done via telehealth. You don’t need any special apps or downloads – just a solid internet connection and a web browser, preferably Chrome. You can use a laptop, desktop computer, tablet or phone.

 

Meeting individually with members of a relationship

  • Sometimes, I may suggest that I meet with an individual member of a relationship or only some members of a relationship – perhaps to provide that person(s) a safer space to process feelings that are in the way of the relationship or perhaps to prepare someone to effectively repair a rupture.

 

Relationship-therapy confidentiality policy

  • I have a “no secrets policy” when meeting individually with a member of a relationship or with only some members of a relationship. That does not mean I share everything that is shared in session with the larger relationship. It means, if asked to hold a secret, especially one that may be relevant to the work of improving the relationship, I will decline and refer you to another therapist who may be a better fit for your goals. This is to protect the safety of the therapeutic safe so that the relational work can be done effectively.

 

Do you provide court letters or custody recommendations?

  • No. Look for a forensic psychologist if you are interested in involving courts or the legal system. This requires special expertise, which I do not have. Additionally, involving the criminal-legal system can severely damage the therapeutic process.

 

When relationship therapy may not be clinically appropriate

  • Relationship therapy may not be appropriate when there's ongoing violence, coercive control, or safety concerns, or when participation isn't voluntary, or when legal matters conflict with the work. In those cases, I may recommend individual therapy or a different specialized service. And you can always start with a complimentary consultation to talk through whether my approach fits your situation.

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Are you ready?

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We may be a good fit if you are ready to:

  • Look beneath the surface to understand what is actually happening

  • Consider both your own experience and the impact you have on others

  • Practice new responses between sessions

  • Discuss identity, culture, power, and context when they affect the relationship

  • Approach change with honesty, curiosity, and compassion

  • Work toward greater connection without requiring anyone to abandon themselves

 

You do not need to arrive with perfect communication or complete agreement. You do need a willingness to participate honestly and consider what change might require from you.

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