The more tattoos, the better.

How I Got Here

I’ve always been the quiet one. As someone who leans more introverted, listening has always been a skill that has come naturally to me. I grew up being that one friend who people would go to process their issues, vent, or ask for advice. Then in high school, I took an Introduction to Psychology class at my local community college and it was one of the few classes that piqued my interest so much that I even read the textbook. I’ve been on the track to being a therapist ever since.

I bring my own lived experiences into my work. As a transracial adoptee from Cambodia who grew up in a predominantly white community, I often felt different from those around me. I understand what it feels like to be the only person of color in a room and to navigate questions of identity, belonging, and connection while growing up in a family that looks different from you. My experiences as an adoptee allow me to connect deeply with other adoptees and individuals also exploring identity, culture, and belonging, and the unique challenges that can come with those experiences.

During my transition into young adulthood, experienced my own mental health challenges. I didn’t fully understand who I was, what I was going through, or how to get over these mental hurdles. I felt really alone, although logically I knew I wasn’t. This was when I sought out therapy for the first time. Through therapy, I realized I was trying to solo quest life, which made things unnecessarily difficult. Like Frodo trying to take the journey through Mordor to destroy the One Ring without any support from Gandalf or Sam. I realized that I could learn about myself through connecting with others, and that seeking help was empowering rather than a sign of weakness. Even now as a licensed therapist, I still participate in my own therapy. My journey of getting into therapy is what has allowed me to understand other young adults in similar positions today because I’ve been there myself.

As I experienced and learned more about the stigmas surrounding male mental health and masculinity, I realized how important it is for boys and men to have the support of other males, who they can feel safe with and be emotionally vulnerable. I’m proud to be a male therapist in this predominantly female field working towards breaking down those stigmas and ideologies that prevent men from prioritizing their mental health.

Throughout my career, I’ve worked in a teen male substance use treatment center, and a community based mental health agency providing therapy to children, teens, and young adults from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. I have experience working with children, teens, young adults, and adults struggling with things like anger, anxiety, adjustment issues, neurodivergence, depression, grief, challenging behaviors, relationships, family issues and trauma.