Meet Kaila!

My Background & Approach:

Human connection is an essential part of life. From the time we’re born until we die, we require that connection to survive and flourish, but it doesn’t always come easily. In the age of technology, we’re engaging more with social media and less with actual people, and we can find ourselves feeling increasingly alone, hopeless, and disconnected. Additionally, Western ideals tend to champion the individual as opposed to the collective, leading to more feelings of isolation. But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can feel understood, supported, and connected.

I specialize in issues related to attachment, relationships, perfectionism, culture, and identity. By utilizing psychodynamic frameworks that highlight the importance of insight into one’s inner and outer worlds, I help my clients uncover and understand the sources of their suffering. Therapy is a collaborative process built on mutual trust, honesty, and respect. It is essential that my clients take an active part in our work together as we explore the potentials and limits of the psyche.

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Theoretical & Clinical Orientation:

• Psychoanalytic:  As a psychoanalytic psychotherapist, I believe that knowing yourself intimately is central to mental and emotional wellbeing. Our work together will focus on exploring areas including, but not limited to, your past experiences and how they shape you; patterns in the way you relate, think, act, and experience; how you attempt to cope with events that are frustrating and/or painful; and your conscious and unconscious desires.

• Relational: As social beings, we not only learn about ourselves in relation to others, we also strive to feed relationships that meet our ever-evolving needs and desires. While we often crave the love of those around us, connecting to people, let alone ourselves, isn’t easy. Patterns of relating to others are learned early in life and are often carried over into adulthood. In our work together, I pay close attention to the many ways you connect with me, yourself, and others in your life so that you can learn how to form and maintain healthy relationships.

• ​Culturally Sensitive: The lack of BIPOC representation within the mental health field poses a challenge for individuals looking to connect with providers who share an understanding of minority experiences. It is important for one’s therapist to respect the similarities and differences shared in your therapeutic relationship. Without cultural sensitivity, you may be left feeling unheard and misunderstood which is counterproductive to therapy. As a second-generation Asian American woman, I’m especially passionate about working with BIPOC and Asian-identified individuals seeking support and guidance. 

• Trauma-Informed: Ask not “what’s wrong with you?” but “what happened to you?” It’s important to know that your experiences, symptoms, and/or illness(es) do not define you. There is an origin to every story including the one you tell yourself and those around you. While trauma can be defined in many ways--from losing a loved one to growing up without a nurturing environment--we often attempt to push these painful experiences out of our conscious awareness. When we suppress or ignore these traumas, however, they can come back to haunt us in numerous ways. I will work with you to address these difficult-to-process moments to alleviate your need to defend against them.   

• Rooted in Social Justice and Feminism: From my years working in social work and community mental health, I have witnessed the many injustices of modern day society. I believe healthcare is a human right, and that people should be treated equally regardless of their sex, gender, race/ethnicity, culture, religion, socioeconomic status, etc. In my practice, I attempt to recognize and respect people’s unique experiences including the challenges they are forced to face every day as a citizen of the world we live in.