As an Asian American therapist of Japanese and Taiwanese descent, I bring a multicultural perspective to my work with young adults and adults navigating grief, identity, life transitions, and the question of where they belong. I work from an inclusive, somatic, and relational approach to help you reconnect with yourself and your sense of agency and empowerment. I'm a psychologist at Coastal Therapy Group, and I see clients at our Carlsbad office and online throughout California.
Seeking out therapy can feel like a big step, and I want you to know that whatever brings you here is welcome and I'm proud of your bravery to be here. Our view of ourselves, others, and the world is shaped by early relationships and the cultural contexts we grew up in. When those relationships and environments weren't safe or secure, we can internalize messages about being unworthy or unlovable, and those messages show up in ways we don't always recognize, such as uncomfortable emotions and tension within us.
As a licensed psychologist in Carlsbad, I work from a relational, humanistic, and somatic approach. I deeply care about creating a space where your experiences and stories are validated, your internal wisdom is honored, and all parts of you are welcomed. I draw from attachment-based, somatic, and culturally sensitive modalities because I believe healing happens not just in the mind but in the body and in relationship with ourselves, others, and the greater world. Somatic work helps us notice where we hold tension, grief, and emotion physically, and learning to listen to those signals is often where real change begins.
Life is full of paradoxes: hope and suffering, aliveness and grief, flourishing and fear. I believe something fuller opens up when we learn to hold those complexities rather than push them away. Building language for what we feel, deepening our capacity to be vulnerable, reconnecting mind and body: that's the foundation of healing, both with ourselves and with the people around us. You are worthy of experiencing life's vibrancy and abundance.
I offer free 15-minute phone consultations if you'd like to talk about whether we're a good fit, and discuss how I may best support you and your needs.
Cultivating a sense of self is a constant, ebbing and flowing process. It can be isolating when you straddle different cultures, trying to find where you belong but never feeling fully welcomed, understood, or at home. As an Asian American therapist of Japanese and Taiwanese descent, I know that experience personally. It shapes how I show up in the room and what I listen for.
Working from a multicultural perspective, I pay attention to how the intersection of your cultural background, social context, and personal history shapes who you are and how you move through the world. I especially enjoy working with young adults who are exploring identity, navigating life transitions, and working toward a more value-aligned life. I have particular experience working with women of colornavigating how their multiple identities shape their personal and relational lives.
If you've been looking for an in-person or online therapist in Carlsbad or North County San Diego who understands what it means to carry multiple cultural worlds at once, I'd be honored to connect with you.aspects of yourself and your story that may have been minimized or silenced, to help foster more compassion, wholeness, and healing.
Grief Therapy in Carlsbad
Grief doesn't follow a timeline, and it doesn't always look the way people expect. You might be mourning a person, a relationship, a version of yourself, or a future that didn't happen. Sometimes grief shows up as numbness, withdrawal, or a heaviness you can't quite name. It can be difficult living in a grief-adverse world that does not hold much tolerance for loss and death. However it's showing up for you, it deserves space.
As a grief therapist in Carlsbad, I work with people who are sitting with loss and trying to figure out what comes next. I don't rush the process or impose a framework for how grief is supposed to go. Instead, I help you build language for what you're feeling, reconnect with your body when grief lives there physically, and find your way toward integration and meaning without being told to "move on."
If you're carrying grief and looking for someone who will sit with you in it rather than try to fix it, I'd be happy to connect with you.
Credentials as a Psychologist
I'm a licensed clinical psychologist in California (PSY36209) with a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from George Fox University. I completed my pre-doctoral internship at California State University San Marcos and my postdoctoral fellowship at Coastal Therapy Group. My training has spanned university counseling centers and community settings, deepening my commitment to culturally attuned, identity-affirming care.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist (PSY36209)
Post-doctoral Fellowship, Coastal Therapy Group
Pre-doctoral Internship, California State University – San Marcos, Student Health and Counseling Center (APA Accredited)
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD), George Fox University (APA Accredited)
Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology (MA), George Fox University (APA Accredited)
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (BA), Biola University
Areas of Specialized Experience
Both in our Carlsbad office and online, I work with young adults and adults across a range of concerns:
Yes. I'm a psychologist of Japanese and Taiwanese descent. My cultural background is central to how I practice, and I bring that perspective to my work with all clients, not only those from Asian or Asian American backgrounds.
Do you work with grief?
Yes. Grief is one of my primary areas of focus. I work with people mourning a person, a relationship, a version of themselves, or a future that didn't happen. I take a relational and somatic approach, helping you build language for what you're feeling and reconnect with your body when grief shows up physically.
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy pays attention to how emotions and experiences live in the body, not just the mind. I incorporate somatic practices into my work because our bodies often hold what words can't yet express. This might look like noticing tension, learning to regulate your nervous system, or simply building more awareness of what your body is telling you.
Where is your office?
I see clients at Coastal Therapy Group's Carlsbad office (2564 State Street, Suite B). I also offer online therapy for anyone in California.
Do you take insurance?
Coastal Therapy Group is a private-pay practice. Many clients with PPO plans receive reimbursement for a significant portion of sessions. We provide the documentation you need to submit to your insurance.
