Hello, my name is Cindy (she/her). I am a second-generation Taiwanese American born and raised on the East Coast. I have lived in Taiwan as well as Oregon, where I’m now based. Growing up in an immigrant, bicultural household taught me early on that there are multiple perspectives and ways of being and moving in this world.
I believe the source of our problems is from a lack of connection, whether to ourselves, our histories, our cultures, and/or to each other. My goal is to help bring awareness to all of these parts and move you toward a whole sense of self, right here in the present moment, in context of the systems we live in. With this awareness, my hope is you’ll be able to advocate for and make decisions that are aligned with your needs, as well as identify and develop mutually satisfying relationships with others and with yourself. My role as a counselor is to create and set the space for this work to happen.
I think of counseling like we’re sitting under the table. We’ve hit pause on the outside world, or we’ve turned down the volume so it’s a quiet hum. We’re stepping into this bubble to figure out why you’re feeling the way you are, how it’s showing up, and what you need. There may be tears and laughter, and sometimes both at once.
Counseling is a collaborative effort and involves active participation, honesty, and willingness to dive deep. Sometimes change is fast, but oftentimes it’ll move slow and sometimes nonlinearly. My role is to provide a warm, accepting, nonjudgmental relationship and to also push you when I believe you are ready to be pushed. My theoretical approach involves psychodynamic, systems-thinking, relational, and existential lens. I am also guided by liberation psychology. In our sessions, we may explore your upbringing and think about what you’re navigating in the context of your relationships, community, and larger environment. This often includes the broader social and historical contexts we live in, and how we find belonging, meaning, and liberation throughout it all. But these are just frameworks; what matters most is that we find a language and approach that resonates with you.
While I specialize in working with individuals that belong to Asian American, BIPOC, multicultural, immigrant, and disabled populations, I welcome individuals of all identities. Some topics we may explore include navigating identity, anxiety, depression, life transitions, and relationship issues. If anything you’ve read here resonates, I hope you’ll reach out.