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Asian Americans hold a unique place in society.
We are lucky that we’re able to enjoy all the benefits of living in America while still enjoying our Asian culture to the fullest. Asian Americans, in general, are really good at fitting in, assimilating, and becoming adaptable to the circumstances. And yet there is a keen awareness of differences in culture, communication styles hand outlook from our other-ethnic counterparts.
Many Asian Americans struggle with their self-image. They don’t feel that they’re fitting in a certain group. Some might feel that are not American enough, while others might feel that are not Asian enough. I get the feeling of sadness and loneliness you might feel because of all this.
Maybe you are looking for someone who can understand these differences.
Maybe it’s understanding the complex and complicated relationships we have with our parents. Maybe it’s understanding the intense pressure we have to achieve. Maybe it’s understanding the more indirect ways we communicate, and the differences in our culture.
If you’re looking for someone who can understand your unique ethnic perspective as an Asian American, while guiding you towards healing, I am the right person for you!
My counseling office is a safe space for you to process your thoughts and feelings. It is also a place where you will get guidance and learn tools to manage and overcome the depression or anxiety symptoms, to become yourself (or a better version of yourself) again.
I’ll listen to what you have to say carefully and will take a personal approach when it comes to dealing with your situation.
Many Years in the Field
When I did my program back in the 1990s, I was the only Asian person in my MFT program. I went to SF State which is very diverse, and yet there were very few of us studying counseling. This is no longer the case. However, I am proud to say that I have many years of counseling under my belt, that I started before many other Asian Americans came into the field, and that I continue to grow as a professional.
Passion
I am passionate about my work. I continue to study it, be engaged, and am excited to practice. I attend conferences and seminars and constantly research psychological papers, techniques, and methods. As a result, I feel this makes me effective. I was lucky enough to have found my passion at an early age.
Even though my family always encouraged me to take the “safe” route by studying business, I followed my dreams to study psychology, which I discovered in high school. I have never regretted this decision.
I am excited every day to see my clients and feel that my work is an adventure and a wonderful challenge. This will benefit you as a client. Who doesn’t want a therapist (or doctor, or teacher, etc.) who is genuinely passionate about what they do and excited to serve you?
I struggled with panic disorders and anxiety in the past. I also had two severe cases of postpartum anxiety and depression after giving birth to my daughters. I’ve been in your shoes! I understand the feelings that come with anxiety, the stigmas, and the isolation. I know what are you feeling which I believe is a great advantage when dealing with clients.
I can help you with your mental health calmly at your own pace.
Education
I attended two wonderful schools for psychology (undergrad) and Marriage Family Therapy (graduate school). UCLA and SF State prepared me for the diverse populations that I would be working with through the years.
Both of those schools were fortunate to house some of the forerunners in Asian American psychology. I was lucky enough to work under some of them at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
I am worried about the stigma of psychotherapy.
Mental health treatment holds a stigma in American culture. It’s safe to say that in general, this stigma is exacerbated in Asian culture. Many of my Asian American clients have hidden the fact that they are going to counseling from their parents. Sometimes that stigma comes not from the parents but from our own views of counseling. Many feel weak or ashamed that of the fact that they cannot “deal” with their problems on their own. Some may feel like something is “wrong” with those who need counseling.
Nothing is further from the truth. Seeking treatment takes courage and maturity. Facing your problems and talking about them takes bravery. And for that, you have my eternal respect.
Changing long-held habits takes resilience and discipline. I don’t believe in “gritting one’s teeth” and keeping things inside. Research has shown time and time again, that reaching out and sharing issues in a safe space is the healthiest thing a person can do. Trying to hide your problems and pretend that they don’t exist, won’t actually make them disappear. In almost all of the cases, they might even get way worse.
I am afraid that you will judge me or make me feel ashamed.
I provide a safe space for you to process your problems. My goal for my clients is to leave feeling empowered. Every client has a story, a journey that they are going through and I am not in a place to judge. I see my role as a path-clearer to cut through the confusion you might be feeling. I also see my role as a guide to help you in the areas where you feel stuck.
Therapy is expensive and time-consuming
Like all things of value, we need to invest time and money into them. Your mental health and your relationships are no different.
Therapy won’t change my bad circumstances
One of my favorite quotes is “it’s not what happens to you but how you react that matters.” A negative situation is often an opportunity for growth. It might sound cheesy, but if you look for it you might be able to find something positive in almost any bad situation. However, oftentimes, in the midst of a crisis, we make reactive decisions and do more damage to ourselves. That is completely understandable, most of us don’t know how to cope with pain or grief.
This is why some people spiral out of control with drugs and alcohol, get into a toxic rebound relationship after a breakup, or spend hours and hours binge-watching on Netflix.
A lot of us may not have the life experience to know how to cope in healthy ways or a safe and wise person to process our feelings with.
Having a therapist can help ground you and help set a good path for how to move forward. You can turn your negative situation into something that helps grow you into a more mature, resilient and deeper person. Therapy can also help you build some healthy habits and behaviors when it comes to dealing with negative situations in the future.
You may be still debating whether or not to seek treatment. Give me a call, email, or text with any questions you have. I provide a free 20-minute consultation for you to ask any questions you’d like, or to just chat with me about what you’re going through. I’m here to help. Contact me today!
Learn about my Asian American Marriage Therapy services.
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Learn about my Christian Asian American Counseling services.
This was the best experience I’ve had with therapy. Lia gave me great advice on how to handle my panic attacks. It was helpful to get information that other doctors never gave me. I liked being able to work on overcoming the anxiety without being medicated. She was always very kind and listened to what I needed to talk about.”
— Client
I suffered from emotional hardship after my breakup. I lost my self confidence, and was doubtful of my self-value. That’s the time when I sought out Lia’s help. Lia helped me through giving me support and positive encouragement when I needed them the most. I am very thankful that God has given me help through Lia so that I can find my joy and peace again!
— Client
I was struggling with a long period of anxiety and depression as a result the break-up. Lia was able to help me understand my part in the cycle of behavior and showed me how to extract myself from the situation and move on with my life. She gave me tools to help focus on my wellbeing and stop events from the past influencing my future. Lia seemed to listen actively and carefully to what I was saying and was able to understand what I was expressing sometimes even before I fully understood it myself. I appreciated that her office was comfortable, clean and quiet. I found it very easy to relax and say what needed to be said.
— Client
Lia’s calm demeanor was nice–nothing felt forced or hurried. Also for every story I’d share there was always a comment–felt listened to and had engagement. I also enjoyed the good laughs that would come up during conversations. Lia helped me by helping me deal with my fears and feelings and initially overcoming the hardship of struggling with a mental illness. Lia is a great listener with comments that are reflective and engaging.
— Client
Lia let me know if was okay to have my feelings and where they were coming from. It makes more sense now. I have grown as a person. Thank you, Lia.
— Client
I was dealing with depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Lia listened to the issues that I was facing. She would provide support through feedback as well as help me come up with coping strategies to deal with things. She was always very positive and friendly and made me feel like I was not crazy, that I am simply a human being going through a lot.
— Client
It was helpful for me to be able to talk through issues. I learned that a willingness to compromise on issues with your significant other is important. I also got to work through my feelings about work/career.
— Client
My boyfriend was dealing with a form of depression and it was putting a strain on our relationship. Lia helped me realize that depression doesn’t have to be a deal breaker for someone you really love. You can work through differences and make things work if you want to put the effort in. I had a lot of insightful sessions with her.
— Client
I felt like Lia really cared and was willing to help. Counseling felt like a safe place where I didn’t feel judged and I could talk honestly about my feelings without worrying what the other person thinks of me. My goal for therapy was to get out of feeling stuck especially with my career and also to gain self confidence. I became more open to new experiences, people, and adventures as a result of therapy. Lia helped me step by step through the interview process and I was able to get a new job. She kept pushing me every week and encouraging me to keep trying.
— Client
“Lia is good at finding out what the situation is, in a gentle and non-intrusive way. Within the first session, she is able to build a strong rapport, and able to pinpoint the problems my family is having. Her ideas and suggestions towards the problems are innovative and give me insight about my relationship. I can’t thank her enough and appreciate all her efforts!”
— Client
“I had an excellent experience with Lia. She is very caring, kind and sensitive to what ever your problem you have. I learned about myself that being considerate and kind is not a form of weakness. I also learned to just be myself. She did an excellent job tending to my problems, and for that I would like to extend my gratitude. Thank you, Lia! “
— Client
“Lia is professional without being intimidating, kind, incisive, and very complimentary. I find her very helpful, and not at all someone to be afraid of. Her service is caring, professional, not overly concerned with the dogma of any school of thought.”
— Client
“With Lia, I felt the openness to speak whatever I was feeling and she helped me to cope with the grieving process and work through it. She is very professional and polite. I was impressed by her website as well as prompt responses to my emails and calls.”
— Client
Lia Huynh, MS, LMFT