I am Dr. Kao and I have my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and am a Licensed Professional Counselor. I have over 15 years of experience working with a wide range of patients: in-patient, residential, outpatient/community mental health, substance abuse/eating disorders, and more. Since I was a child, people have always felt safe to share their stories with me and I have honed that into a skill of providing the space for patients to be open and vulnerable in therapy. I love being a part of a patient's journey to healing, self-awareness, and growth. I am always grateful when patients do me the honor of permitting me to walk alongside them therapeutically. In my current practice, I use my passion for facilitating every patient's journey through life and emphasizing the need for an authentic connection between myself and the patient. I am a professor, mentor, coach, and clinician, and am keen to look at a person’s unique lived experience and how it intersects with the systematic nature of culture, systems, and historical factors. I have presented at conferences, conducted professional training events and community workshops, and have been interviewed for radio programs, podcasts, and publications.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

I will go over what you should expect from therapy and I will want to get to know you and what brings you to therapy. I will guide you through a brief background (biopsychosocial) while focusing on when your life began to become less manageable (onset of symptoms). This way. I can tailor your treatment and set goals with you for us to accomplish throughout therapy.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

Throughout my 15 years of experience what has taught me the most is that for therapy to work, a strong therapeutic relationship is paramount. Being authentic is the key to building a trusting therapeutic relationship. Which means I bring myself to the session, genuinely and authentically. And I hope you feel the safety to do the same.

About Cindy Kao