Hi, I'm Esther. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Daring Way Facilitator. I've been providing counseling to individuals for almost 6 years. Prior to that, I worked in the education sector for almost 10 years, which deeply sparked my interest in pursuing mental health work. To me, counseling sessions are like writing a story. It is a process that involves brainstorming, creating drafts, and making revisions until your story feels whole and complete. Imagine you are the writer. You have all the pieces of your story within you already. Think of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as those pieces. Sometimes, they don’t make any sense, it’s overwhelming, and you don’t know where to begin. I view my role as someone who is with you to guide you through the process and help organize those very thoughts, feelings, and behaviors with you. During our time together, it is my hope that you develop the skills to ultimately write your story on your own. Your story may include experiencing cycles of depression, anxiety, grief, past trauma, struggles of worthiness and belonging, the complexities of being a part of an immigrant family, generational trauma, a combination of these things, or perhaps something entirely different. Everyone's mental health journey is different. I’m here to meet you where you are. I also want to acknowledge how scary it can be when taking a leap of faith into a new therapeutic journey. It takes a lot of courage. More than anything, it’s important to me that you feel safe and the stories you share are handled with utmost care.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
The first session will be an opportunity for me to get-to-know you, better understand why you are seeking therapy, and what you hope to get out of our time together. I am also here to answer any questions or concerns you may have about the therapeutic process. We can then determine together what would be the best treatment plan for you.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
I like to use a combination of evidence-based techniques to personalize the needs of the people I serve. Below are the different therapeutic modalities I most utilize: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Solutions-Focused Therapy The Daring Way Curriculum Psychoeducation Trauma and Grief Component Therapy for Adolescents
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I welcome all adolescents (ages 13-17) and adults. Before becoming an LCSW, I worked in education as a K-12 public school teacher, instructional coach for teachers, and administrative support for almost 10 years. As a result, I have a particular heart for teachers and school staff who are working through the challenges impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, school safety concerns, staff shortages/turn-overs, and the pressures of standardized testing. In addition, as someone who identifies as a second-generation Asian-American and a daughter of South Korean immigrants, I recognize the challenges of juggling differing cultural values and the potential significance religion and religious communities have on the lives of immigrant families. While no two stories are ever the same, I believe there are uniquely similar challenges and celebrations immigrant families experience that deeply impact the quality of life of those living in the United States. I welcome individuals who identify as a person of color, first, second, and multigenerational immigrants, and/or those who have a faith-based background.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I love working with adolescents (age 13-17) who are navigating the complexities of their own thoughts and the world around them. I also particularly enjoy working with young adults (age 18-35) who are navigating their lives through career changes, personal and professional relationships, decision-making, life transitions, and much more.