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Hi, I'm Naomi.

Have you followed a prescribed path all your life and find yourself now feeling unfulfilled? Do you wish you could connect to your inner voice more and follow what YOU want, instead of listening to everybody else? Are you starting to realize there is no one right answer, and maybe feeling a bit overwhelmed by how to move forward?

Figuring out what you want and then making it happen can be a long and complicated process.  It can be even more difficult to navigate if you often have the experience of being in-between. I support clients in developing a stronger relationship with themselves and learning how to build a meaningful life outside of traditional expectations. I meet you where you are and help you move where you want to go. My specialties include working with cultural issues (especially in Asian/Asian-American families), complex trauma, and life transitions.

Therapy is a collaborative process between real people. I offer a safe place for you to explore, express, and experiment so that you can be more effective in your own life. We will use creative approaches that address you as a whole person, draw on your strengths, and consider the larger influences in your life (family, systems, culture, trauma) and where you fit in.

I am LGBTQ+ and neurodiversity affirming. I am also sex-positive and kink-friendly. I practice through a Buddhist and liberation-oriented lens, meaning that I hope all beings can be free of suffering and oppression.

 

My Main Approaches

  • Art Therapy

  • Internal Family Systems

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy

  • Solution-Focused Thearpy

We might be a good fit if you…

  • Are new to therapy

  • Are a child of immigrants

  • Want to cultivate more creativity

  • Participate in polyamory or ethical non-monogamy (ENM)

  • Have or suspect you have ADHD

Publications

  • Co-Author: "Attitude of Art Therapists Working with Evidence-Based Practices", Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, Volume 34-2 (2017), p. 83-91

Education

  • Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles, CA): M.A. in Marital & Family Therapy with Specialization in Art Therapy

  • Boston College (Boston, MA): B.A. in Psychology, Minor in Studio Arts

Qualifications

  • Registered Art Therapist #17-229

  • Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #110092

Experience

  • Doorway Therapeutics, 2021-2023 (Oakland)

  • Fred Finch Youth Center, 2018-2019 (Oakland, CA)

  • First Place for Youth, 2017-2018 (Oakland, CA)

  • Union of Pan Asian Communities, 2015-2017 (San Diego, CA)

 

10 FUN FACTS ABOUT ME

  1. I love to travel and did so frequently (in pre-COVID times). Some of my favorite places to visit include Taipei, New York City, and Mexico City.

  2. A favorite travel memory was camping on the Oregon Coast in a forest that felt like Jurassic Park.

  3. I’m an avid reader - feel free to share recommendations!

  4. I enjoy attending concerts and other forms of live music.

  5. My preferred mediums for art include illustration, papercutting, and watercolor.

  6. I stay active by practicing yoga, hiking, and trailrunning. I recently also got into backcountry snowshoeing.

  7. In addition to speaking English and Mandarin, I have also studied Japanese and Spanish (but don’t test me please).

  8. When I was young, I wanted to be a veterinarian.

  9. My comfort foods include spaghetti, curly fries, and a large variety of noodle soups.

  10. I don’t drink coffee, but do consume a lot of tea.

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 Ready for us to meet?

Contact me to schedule an appointment or set up a 20-minute phone consultation to see if we’d be a good fit.