Background & training
- Graduate training in Mental Health Counseling, Columbia University
- Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in California
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in New York
About
Hello, I’m Michelle. Reaching out for support isn’t always easy, and I’m glad you’re here. I see clients by video in California and New York, in English, Cantonese, or Mandarin.
I work with teens and adults facing anxiety, depression, perfectionism, relationship difficulties, and life transitions. Many have spent much of their lives adapting to family or cultural expectations, and now feel disconnected from themselves or caught in patterns they no longer want to repeat. Some come from diverse cultural backgrounds, including immigrants, international students, and people navigating life across cultures. Having gone through cultural adaptation myself, I understand the particular challenges of building a life between cultures.
How I work
Therapy offers a space to slow down, approach yourself with curiosity, and gain insight into the experiences and patterns that have shaped who you are. My hope is that therapy brings relief during difficult times and also helps you understand yourself more deeply, so you can make choices that feel more intentional and aligned with your values.
- Psychodynamic therapy
- Mindfulness
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
My approach is grounded in psychodynamic principles: understanding how early relationships and past experiences shaped the patterns that still influence your life today. I believe every symptom exists within a broader context, because our inner world, body, relationships, culture, and sense of meaning are deeply connected. When we approach symptoms with curiosity rather than judgment, we can begin to understand what lies beneath them.
What we can work on
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Perfectionism
- Relationship difficulties
- Life transitions
- Family and cultural expectations
- Life as an immigrant or international student
