“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.”
- Christopher Robin
Hello, I'm Brian (he, him, his) and I am an LMFT and first-generation Korean American. I am passionate about helping people work through these challenges to come out even stronger, emotionally and mentally. Also, I am easily distracted by plants.
I love working with...
depression, anxiety, helping challenging systems, and trauma. From the unexpected challenges to finding fulfillment when overcoming a trial, every person deserves to be the hero of their own story. From trauma to mood disorders to relational issues, each challenge is not an isolated event, but a story that is connected to our past, present, and future.
Some of my favorite approaches include...
Emotionally Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Family Systems Therapy.
I believe that modalities of therapy should be based on the individual, couple, or family.
I am trained in Gottman Level 1, which are evidence-based therapy modality for couples at any stage of their relationship.
I utilize a holistic approach in helping clients identify the role of culture and society in their identity.
How I help...
I am collaborative and encourage my clients to have concrete goals that we can make progress on together. With life setting some mountains in our path, these goals will set us off an our own "hike" into the difficulties and problems you are facing. There will be moments where we lose sight of the path or it gets steep or we're hiking through mud; there will also be moments where there is rest or seeing the amazing progress you make along the way.
I believe...
...that change happens everyday and that small changes leads to the overall big dreams and goals that we have.
...that change is not linear.emotions are trying to communicate to us.
...that we go on autopilot to help but at times need to be mindful of our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
...in therapy that is evidence-based.
...therapy is collaborative and that the therapist is not the only "expert" in the room.
What it's like in session with me
Really that depends on you, the client. I like to start off with a quick check-in in identifying changes for the better and any difficulties/problems between sessions. Then, we dive into any practices and setting the agenda for the session. This is your hour and I want to make sure that we're covering the topics you want to!
I may provide different perspectives or ask clarifying questions, as well as, going over any therapeutic tools that may aid in navigating the difficulties/problems at hand. I like to also assess and utilize your strengths that you have developed over time.
We will end the session with identifying actionable steps for the time between this session and the next. I'll also be asking for feedback on the sessions and how we can change for the better.