LP, 9 years of experience
Hello, and welcome! I am a licensed clinical psychologist with years of experience working in various settings with diverse client populations. Navigating life isn’t always straightforward—it’s messy, unpredictable, and full of challenges that can leave you feeling confused, overwhelmed, stuck, pressured, and dissatisfied. Everyone’s story that led them to become curious and ready for therapy is different, and their path to making meaningful connections and creating positive change in their lives is unique. When things feel heavy or unclear, it helps to have a space and time allotted to talk openly and sort through what’s on your mind and to understand what is happening in your body, in turn. I’m here to create that space for you and to help you explore your story and next steps in your path towards making lasting positive changes—with insight, compassion, and support, all from the comfort of your own space. It will be a true honor to walk alongside you in your journey as we work as a team to make sense of the complexities in your life at a pace that feels right for you.
In our first session, we will get the opportunity to get to know each other. The goal is to begin to build a safe, trusting relationship. The first meeting typically lasts 50 to 60 minutes. We will do brief introductions and delve into parts of your personal history, specific challenges, expectations, and collaboratively discuss your goals and aspirations. We will make sure to discuss what has helped or not helped so far so that I can create a tailored treatment plan for us to work through in follow-up sessions. For many, starting therapy comes with mixed emotions--that of awkwardness, nervousness, hope, and/or fear. It’s normal to feel apprehensive about opening up to someone new, especially about sensitive or complex topics. You are taking a big step forward just by exploring this page, and I commend you for that. You do not need to prepare anything or say/describe things perfectly—therapy is a judgment-free space. Please feel free to ask any questions or share any preferences or concerns that might help you feel more comfortable as we work together.
My goal is to make you feel seen, heard, and supported so that the weight of carrying too much alone is less. I’m here to help you move toward clarity, connection, and progress. Clients and colleagues alike have described me as easy to talk to/disarming, warm, authentic, empowering, caring, and compassionate.
Generally, I enjoy working with people who are struggling with but are open to change. Those who are curious and motivated to listen, learn, gain insight into their challenges and habits, and seek practical tools to effect change and rediscover your own strength. In addition to traditional therapy, I provide education and recommendations on healthy aging/brain health. I can teach you cognitive coping strategies to improve your thinking skills and overall functional abilities. Mental skills are an essential part of everyday life and can change with age, particularly if you have experienced an injury that has impacted your thinking skills or have been diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder, such as ADHD. I also provide therapy and resources for caregivers, particularly those with a loved one with dementia, to help manage the challenges of caregiving, improve communication, and enhance well-being. I am particularly passionate about working with older adults dealing with stage of life concerns, adjustment to a medical condition, aging and ageism, cognitive decline, grief, anxiety, social isolation, and depression.
Ann T. Nguyen, Ph.D. offers therapy covered by Gold Coast Health Plan (Medi-Cal), L.A. Care Health Plan (Medi-Cal), Partnership HealthPlan of California (Medi-Cal) and San Francisco Health Plan (Medi-Cal) in California.
I provide therapy using a collaborative, integrative, and client-centered approach. This means that I actively listen to your challenges and goals and blend techniques from cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, humanistic, solution-focused brief therapy, behavioral techniques, and mindfulness-based modalities to tailor an individual treatment plan that meets your unique experiences, strengths, and needs. Whether you’re navigating grief and loss, life transitions, aging, relationship dynamics, adjusting to a medical condition, needing caregiver support or are curious on how to improve your thinking skills (e.g., memory, attention, organization, time), manage your anger or rediscovering yourself, I’ll meet you where you are, with warmth, care, and curiosity to foster insight and build resilience to help you make progress towards your goals.