Ellen Kim
Therapy begins with curiosity—with slowing down, asking meaningful questions, and creating space to understand what you are experiencing and what has shaped you. I believe you already possess the strengths and inner resources, even when stress, grief, or major life changes make them difficult to access. My role is not to tell you how to live your life, but to ask thoughtful questions, offer new perspectives, and help you better understand yourself and what you need. As someone who grew up navigating two distinct cultures and having worked overseas as a NGO worker as a Third Culture Adult, I became comfortable in the in-between spaces—moving between cultures, perspectives, expectations, and identities. These experiences shaped my cultural humility and deep appreciation for the many ways people experience the world. Fluent in three languages (English, Korean and Japanese), I bring a multicultural and inclusive perspective to my work and approach each client with genuine curiosity, openness, and respect for their unique story.
Hi, I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and I help clients understand how stress affects the mind and body, so they can build resilience and a more grounded, sustainable way of living.
First session
Starting therapy can feel intimidating and vulnerable, especially if you’ve never been before. Our first session is simply an opportunity to slow down and begin getting to know one another. We’ll talk about what brings you to therapy and what you hope might feel different. I’ll learn about your history, relationships, and current circumstances so I can better understand what you’re experiencing and what may be contributing to it. Together, we’ll begin identifying what you’d like to change or work toward. You don’t need to arrive with a diagnosis, clearly defined goals, or even a perfectly articulated problem. Sometimes you simply know that something doesn’t feel right. That’s enough to begin. You’ll also have an opportunity to ask questions and get a sense of how I work. Finding the right therapist matters, so our first session is a chance for both of us to determine whether we feel like a good fit. There is no pressure to have all the answers. We’ll start where you are and take it from there.
Strengths
Throughout my life and career, I’ve felt called to be a bridge: connecting people to resources, fresh perspectives, practical solutions, and ultimately to their own capacity to move through difficult seasons. I bring deep empathy, curiosity, and real-world experience to our work together. I take time to understand your experiences, values, relationships, cultural background, and the stories that have shaped you. Whether you’re navigating cultural identity, grief, burnout, caregiving, or a major life transition, my goal is to help you make sense of what you’re experiencing and find meaningful, sustainable ways forward. I’m a certified 200-Hour yoga teacher and currently training to become a yoga therapist, and I think of my work as holistic. Alongside traditional talk therapy, I incorporate body-based and somatic approaches, which can be especially helpful when trauma is held in the body and words alone don’t reach it. You may be functioning well on the outside while feeling overwhelmed, depleted, or unlike yourself on the inside. You may be the person everyone relies on, while quietly wondering how long you can keep going this way. Therapy can be a place to pause, understand what’s happening beneath the surface, and begin building a life that feels more aligned with who you are and what matters to you.
Ideal clients
I work with the high-functioning, overwhelmed adult who doesn't necessarily think of themselves as “someone who needs therapy.” You may be: - Caring for a loved one while trying to keep up with work, family, and everyday responsibilities - Experiencing grief, loss, or the uncertainty that comes with a serious health diagnosis - Feeling exhausted from constantly being the person others depend on - Navigating a major personal, professional, relational, or cultural transition - Struggling with chronic stress or burnout despite appearing to have everything together - Adjusting to a new chapter of life and wondering what you want for yourself - Wanting to understand yourself more deeply and develop healthier ways of coping You don't have to wait until you are completely burned out or in crisis to seek support. I believe in an upstream approach to mental and emotional well-being: addressing stress, patterns, and unmet needs before they become overwhelming and begin to significantly affect your quality of life. My hope is that therapy becomes a space where you can slow down, reconnect with yourself, and develop a deeper understanding of what you need—not simply to get through the next difficult season, but to create a way of living that feels meaningful, balanced, and sustainable.
Treatment methods
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Therapy is a grounded, evidence-based approach that helps you change your relationship with difficult thoughts, heavy emotions, and physical stress. Rather than trying to force negative thoughts away or get caught in endless cycles of worrying about the future or reliving the past, Mindfulness-Based Therapy teaches you how to meet the present moment with curious, non-judgmental awareness.
Solution-Focused Brief Treatment
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a goal-oriented, strength-based approach that focuses on your present resources and future hopes, rather than dwelling on past problems or diagnosing origin stories. Instead of spending weeks analyzing how a challenge started, SFBT shifts the spotlight to what works, what is already going well, and what small, actionable steps you can take today to build the quality of life you desire.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a practical, structured, and goal-oriented approach that explores the deep connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT operates on a simple yet powerful principle: while we cannot always control the difficult circumstances life throws at us— such as a serious illness diagnosis, the loss of a loved one, or major life changes—we can learn to change how we perceive, process, and respond to those situations.
Somatic
As a 200-Hour Certified Yoga Teacher, I incorporate Somatic/Mind-Body Therapy, an integrative, body-centered approach that recognizes the powerful, dynamic connection between your mind and body. While talk therapy focuses primarily on thoughts and emotions from the top down, Somatic Therapy works from the bottom up—helping you quickly access the mind-body connection and tune into how stress, trauma, grief, and burnout are physically stored in your nervous system and body.
Narrative
Narrative Therapy is a respectful, empowering approach that views you as the expert of your own life and separates you from your problems. The core premise of Narrative Therapy is simple yet profound: you are not your problem; the problem is the problem. By exploring the stories you hold about your life, values, and identity, Narrative Therapy helps you rewrite negative or limiting narratives into stories of resilience, agency, and hope.
Location
Virtual sessions