Most people at some point experience negative emotions like anxiety, depression, possessive thoughts, loneliness, stress, grief, disappointment, stress, uncontrollable anger, or sadness. Some people need to battle with these emotions for longer than others, but no matter your situation I am here to help you feel better.
Are you struggling with a recent breakup or are you feeling stuck in a current relationship that is not working? Are you hating your job or are you wanting to make a career change? Are you a hard-working mother, struggling with the endless demands of childrearing? Are you a perfectionist feeling the imposter syndrome who struggles to slow down or just be “good enough”? Do you often feel anxious, nervous, or deal with panic attacks? Do you recently feel down, depressed, or just apathetic about life?
Individual counseling gives you the opportunity to dig deep, to explore and understand your subconscious habits, negative emotions, and behaviors that have a negative impact on your mental health. Together with your counselor, you can work on a direction to establish a better understanding regarding your emotions and thoughts, and to create positive behaviors that will help you let go of all the negative thoughts.
The individual counseling service is tailored to fit the needs of any patient no matter the age, sex, social status, or race. I understand that you might feel lost and you might not know where to begin.
Contact me and I’ll be happy to talk with you and direct you to the best treatment for you.
The San Jose area is filled with exciting and diverse people. However, many of us are stressed by the outrageously high cost of living and the pressure to succeed before you become a certain age. Balancing self-care with work and family life is often difficult.
Basically, we are used to feeling pressured and stressed. This can make it difficult to recognize when occasional worrying turns into clinical anxiety or depression.
Some of us criticize ourselves for our “negative” emotions. And we hide our pain. We may feel we are burdening our loved ones if we share our problems. And yet we feel embarrassed about addressing our problems in a clinical setting.
Unfortunately, there is still a stigma around therapy and a lot of people feel that there is something wrong with them if they seek help. In many cases, poor past experiences with therapy pose barriers to seeking help.
It’s safe to say that most of us wish we never had to deal with stress and negativity. But life is defined by challenges.
Therapy will help you stop running away from your emotions and allow you to develop the coping skills you need to thrive. As your therapist, I offer a safe space for you to talk about your goals, feelings, and concerns. I have 17 years of experience helping clients in the San Jose area manage their depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
Whether you’re in therapy or hitting the gym, transformation never happens overnight. But with each session, making positive changes gets a little easier. It is my intention and only goal that you will leave my office feeling hopeful, relaxed, and ready to create the life you desire.
I take an active role in the therapy session.
Listening is the foundation of my practice. But that’s not all that I do. After nearly two decades in this work, I understand that clients need gentle guidance to reach their goals. I use a personal approach when talking to individual clients because I understand that we are all unique in our journeys through life. Clients want direction, clarity, and input from a professional. As soon as our time begins, I am actively engaged.
My office is a judgment-free zone
Many of us may believe that depression is an excuse for laziness. That anxiety is a sign of weakness. And addiction is a symptom of immorality. I keep away from these prejudices.
My office is a judgment-free zone. From murderers (no joke!) to millionaires, I’ve worked with a wide variety of clients. I am here to provide insight, support, and healing. Not judgment.
I have over 15 years of experience
I was lucky enough to know from a young age that therapy is my calling. For nearly two decades, I have worked with clients across diverse backgrounds, age groups, and ethnicities. I recall fondly seeing my first client at age 23 and feeling excited to make an impact in her life. After 17 years of fine-tuning my approach to conducting therapy, I consider myself an expert in my field – and my passion to help people change their lives only continues to grow.
I put myself in my clients’ shoes
I understand that opening up to a stranger isn’t easy. Empathy is what sets excellent therapists apart from the mediocre, and I pride myself on my amazing ability to put myself in my clients’ shoes.
Many of my first-time clients are nervous and self-conscious. However, clients will often say they leave their first session “refreshed” or “lighter.”
It’s so hard to open up to a stranger
Many of my prospective clients in the San Jose area are concerned about how therapy reflects on their character – they worry that talking to a therapist means they are damaged, awkward, “weak” or “lazy.” Nothing is further from the truth. I believe that recognizing that you need help and asking for it is a sign of a real strength.
Look, all of us need guidance from time to time. Whether it’s in your finances, your diet, or your plumbing. (And in my opinion, marriage and life issues are much more complicated than a clogged sink!) The most sensible, mature, and courageous thing to do when we need help is simple: ask for it, do the work inside you, and be better for it!
I already have friends and family I can talk to.
You may feel more comfortable discussing personal issues with a friend or a loved one. Besides, you might ask, how can talking to a therapist fix past trauma or heal broken relationships? If you have friends and family you feel you can talk with about anything you need to be grateful! However, no matter how refreshing and comforting sharing with your best friends is, you need to admit to yourself that in some cases they can’t help you solve your issues.
While it may be easier to talk to someone you know, a therapist is trained to help you understand your feelings and solve your problems. Having an unbiased source of support in your life allows you to make healthier, more informed decisions.
Talking to a therapist won’t change the situation I’m in.
You’re right–a therapist can’t wave a magic wand and make your problems and pain disappear. The bad news and the good news is: you are the only one who can change your life. And my goal with individual counseling therapy is that you will take charge of your life. And change it. My goal is for you to gain clarity about what you need to do. And how to change your life.
Many people come to my office feeling “stuck” and leave feeling “empowered.” As a result, they decide to make the changes they have been fearful to make for many years.
Individual Counseling: Are you ready to make a change in your life? Call (408) 599-1413 or click here to schedule an appointment.
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
Individual Counseling: Talking about your problems in a safe, constructive setting can help you now. But more importantly,
it can help set the course of your future on the right path.
Lia Huynh, MS, LMFT Individual Counseling