The term “Asian American” comes from a historical precedent of lumping in different immigration stories of our families and ancestors. Oftentimes, part of the healing process in therapy is to discover and unpack our own story, and to discover where our roots have been planted.

The goal of therapy is for you to experience the benefits of planting your psychological roots into a more fertile and rich soil that acknowledges the gifts, power, and wisdom of who you are from the lens of culture.

Overcoming perfectionism, attachment and emotional wounds, and racialized trauma.

Perfectionism is an unconscious process whereby you find your worth, identity, and values based on what you produce and/or achieve. More than just experiencing stress or burnout, you may also feel like you are falling behind. Nothing feels “good enough” and you have a hard time being gentle with yourself. Anxiety, obsessive thoughts, panic, and other somatic and emotional upheaval symptoms surface. You may experience hair loss, migraines, gastrointenstinal issues and hopelessness and lack of motivation.

Attachment wounds occur when you grow up in an emotionally minimalist family, where “I love you”s are hardly or never spoken. Talking about emotions is not the focus of everyday life, and you may have a difficult time expressing and/or communicating how you feel, especially in romantic relationships. Anger, despondency, detachment, numbness, and stress are emotions that popup, sometimes inexplicably. Identifying how Asian American culture and values show up and working through the parts that feel more like “you” and “not you” is part of the work we will do in this area.

Addressing a history of racial-trauma is a growing experience in our communities. Sometimes we aren’t even aware of how we are rejecting parts of ourselves as protection and as tools of assimilation. We will use mindfulness-based therapies, and other grounding skills (DBT, CBT, Somatic and Guided Imagery) to move past traumatic memories while improving your regulation of your mood. We will also acknowledge and help assess and navigate the structural issues that may also be impeding your mental health wellness, especially in this turbulent political season. Mental health wellness lives at the intersection of the micro-psychological support you need and the macro impacts of local and global news.

Intersections of Faith and AAPI Identity in Therapy-California and Illinois based therapist:

If you are interested in the integration of Christian faith in understanding intersections of race/ethnicity and religion, I can support that work as well. My research as a professor who trains other therapists is on Christian mindfulness, drawing from my AAPI heritage and identity as well as faith.

Hit the Back to Home Page button on the bottom of this page for my on my approach. You can also visit the About Regina page to learn more about my expertise and credentials. And, see Rates/Pricing. These are a few important issues for our community to address in therapy: