Asian American Therapist · Irvine, CA
Therapy that holds your whole story.
Now Accepting — Cigna · Aetna · Optum · Sliding Scale Available
We're Asian American therapists in Irvine who understand the weight of cultural expectations, generational silence, and the invisible pressure to be fine. You don't have to explain yourself here.
Why Cultural Context Matters
Therapy shouldn't require a cultural translation.
Many of us grew up learning to minimize our struggles, not show emotion, or put family needs before our own. That's not weakness — that's survival. But those patterns have costs. Our therapists have lived these experiences too, which means you can spend your sessions healing instead of explaining.
Generational & Family Trauma
We understand the specific pain of carrying wounds that aren't fully yours — immigrant family stress, parentification, and the grief of cultural displacement.
Identity & Belonging
Navigating bicultural identity, feeling "too Asian" or "not Asian enough," and finding who you are outside of what you were expected to be.
Model Minority Pressure
The exhaustion of high achievement expectations, academic pressure, and the silence around mental health in many AAPI communities.
Racial Stress & Anti-Asian Discrimination
Processing experiences of racism, microaggressions, and the psychological toll of anti-Asian violence and bias in daily life.
Our Specialties
Evidence-based care for what you're carrying
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) helps the brain process stuck traumatic memories — without requiring you to retell every detail. Learn more about EMDR
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Break free from the cycle of worry, perfectionism, and people-pleasing that keeps you hypervigilant and exhausted. Learn more about Anxiety Therapy
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Reconnect with meaning, motivation, and yourself — with culturally sensitive support that doesn't ask you to "just think positive." Learn more about Depression Therapy
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Heal patterns inherited from your family without losing your love for them. You can break cycles and stay connected.
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Support for AAPI teens navigating academic pressure, identity, social anxiety, and the space between two cultures. Learn more about Teen Counseling
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Therapy for bicultural stress, identity confusion, and building a sense of self that holds both your roots and your growth.
Meet Your Therapists
Asian American clinicians. Lived experience. Real understanding.
We are children of immigrants and people of color who have navigated many of the same cultural pressures you face — and have done the work ourselves. We bring our whole selves into this work.
Yuki Shida
Specializes in EMDR for complex trauma, AAPI identity, and generational healing. Offers sessions in English and Japanese. Virtual and In-person. Currently not accepting new clients. Learn more about Yuki
LMFT, Founder
Angela Nguyen
Specializes in EMDR, depression, and grief. Helps individuals embrace their unique identity. Accepting new individual clients. Virtual and in-person. Learn more about Angela
LMFT, APCC
AMFT
Catherine Kaila Manantan
Focuses on culturally-informed care for teens and adults. Specializes in life transitions including adolescence, peripartum, and premarital issues. Accepting new couples and individuals. Virtual only. Learn more about Kaila
Yu Markowitz
Works with Japanese speaking clients on issues ranging from acculturation stress to depression/anxiety. Virtual only. Accepting new individual clients. Learn more about Yu
APCCSharenne Gozal
Specializes in LGBTQIA+ issues and couples work. Provides sex therapy, kink/BDSM aware. Virtual only. Accepting new individual and couple clients. Learn more about Sharenne
AMFTSujata Singhal
Brings personal understanding of South Asian American experiences and working in the tech industry. Experienced with working with teens. Learn more about Sujata
ASW