4221 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 290-1
Los Angeles, California 90010
213.537.3567
progressive and compassionate psychotherapy
Areas of Specialization
Intersectionality
Many people identify with various racial, cultural, religious, spiritual, gender, and sexual identities. More often than not, these identities come into conflict due to their ideologies, and attempts to reconcile them can cause distress.
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Together, we can examine and deconstruct the effects and meanings that each layer of identity contributes to your life, and determine ways that you can achieve reconciliation, on your own terms.
Minority Stress
Minority stress refers to the stress that oppressed and stigmatized groups experience due to interpersonal, systemic, and historical prejudice and discrimination, as well as low socioeconomic status, and lack of healthy social support.
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As a first generation Korean American and son of immigrant parents, I understand the experience that racial and cultural minorities face in our country. I have been privileged to work with a diverse group of former clients, and have the cultural competency to assist clients in navigating the often complex nuances of their backgrounds.
LGBTQ Identities
Being LGBTQ means you have received an overwhelming amount of overt and covert messages about the values of heteronormativity, as well as internalizing erroneous beliefs that being LGBTQ is inherently "wrong" or "sinful."
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Many LGBTQ have internalized lots of homo/bi/trans-phobia which manifests in the form of conscious and unconscious toxic shame. Together, we can navigate the traumas of living in an oppressingly heteronormative world in order to form a healthy and affirming Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and/or Queer identity.
Depression and Anxiety
Depression and anxiety are usually symptoms of unprocessed and unresolved distress that can either be situational or more chronic in nature as a result of the accrual of stress over time.
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During my associate training, I have been certified in relevant empirically-based interventions such as Managing and Adapting Practices, and Seeking Safety. By utilizing a repertoire of clinical skills, as well as our own therapeutic relationship, I can assist in unpacking the various stressors in your life along with providing some pragmatic methods on how to minimize anxiety and depression.
Trauma
Many people will experience a form of trauma in their lives, and sometimes we aren't even conscious that we may have been exposed.
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Understanding and processing your past traumas can be incredibly healing and transformative. I have been trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapy, which is groundbreaking psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. In addition, I am certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which can also be utilized to help facilitate the healing process.
Adolescent Therapy
Adolescents growing up in today's world face enormous stressors and pressure, especially with the advent of social media.
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I spent years working with adolescents and their families at Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, a respected community mental health organization that offers quality services to families as well as providing comprehensive training to therapists during their internships.