ABOUT — AU Therapy

About Me

I am a forty-something Asian-American female therapist person with Chinese and Pilipino roots.

Born overseas and raised in Los Angeles, growing up an immigrant and person of color set the stage for a narrative requiring much balance. A dance between East and West, I grew up practicing cultural traditions while assimilating new ones. With a deep affinity for science and magic, I have cultivated a life reliant on thoroughly researched information while embracing faith and spirituality.

A naturally curious person, I got into the business of collecting life experiences and learning from them. Travel fed my soul and kept me culturally aware, open-minded, and accepting of different belief systems. Participating in organized sports and training as an athlete and Olympic Weightlifter taught me a lot about challenging false beliefs, mindfulness, and the importance of nurturing a resilient mindset. Living a lower-waste, sustainable, and minimalist lifestyle helped me understand the impacts of social constructs and how truly enriching living an alternative lifestyle can be.

On my days offs, you’ll find me training at an Olympic Weightlifting gym, spending time with loved ones, supporting local artists and establishments, exploring the great outdoors, and befriending as many animals as possible.

My Outlook & Approach

Passion motivated me to pursue an education as a Psychotherapist and a Certified Life Coach. Curiosity led me down a path of being trained to use Energy Psychology modalities.

During the first two years of my career in the mental health field, I became concerned with how traditional psychotherapy viewed mental and behavioral health. The strong emphasis on pathology appeared to strip a person of their humanity, thus contributing to the belief in broken humans and the stigma of those needing therapy as “crazy.”

Although I succeeded in using evidence-based practices, I disagreed with placing the diagnosis before and above the person.

With the desire to call in more uplifting interventions within my work, I began to immerse myself in the world of Positive Psychology and to understand the influence of our brains on our behaviors. Additionally, I began to seek out other modalities to incorporate into sessions.

As a private practice, I am a part of a growing number of therapists who hope to modernize how we view and treat mental health. I combine Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), positive psychology, neuroscience/neuropsychology, energy psychology/somatic work, and "parts work" in my practice. My mission is to help people transition from an "illness-focused mindset" into a lifestyle fully supported by mental wellness