Personal Background

I became a first generation Vietnamese-American when my family immigrated to New Orleans, LA, in 1977. Fortunately, I had a vast and loving support system of parents, siblings, grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Family has always been a cornerstone of my life that further developed my passion for food, both to cook and to eat. This also allowed me the opportunity to nurture those around me. Observing my father organizing our community and later becoming a church leader planted a seed within me to serve others. It inspired me to follow in his footsteps.

I’ve been blessed to marry an amazing man who is devoted to caring for me and our two daughters. Humor is a part of my family’s daily life and can spontaneously appear in my clinical practice, when appropriate. I have been known to share a belly laugh or five with my clients because I believe it can provide relief from difficult moments, and it’s also fun!

Away from my practice, you can find me on a yoga mat four times a week where I can be seen sweating up a storm. I do this not because I enjoy exercise. Far from it! I would much prefer curling up with a good book or watching a favorite show than to do anything remotely physical. I really, really hate exercise. I do it because something greater motivates me. Yoga centers me for my mental health. It strengthens my body. Best of all, it gives me patience for how I handle relationships.

Asian parents traditionally want their children to choose a “practical” profession of a doctor, engineer, or business field. So, my choice to become a psychologist was initially met with resistance. In my last year of college, from his deathbed, my father continued to plead with me to choose a different career path.

Ultimately, I stayed the course because I knew this was my calling. Knowing that I can be a part of changing someone’s life from the inside out is meaningful. It is the most challenging and rewarding work (second to parenting) that I’ve done in my life. The passion to understand and help others has only grown over the last 18 years of practicing. I am happy to say my family is fully supportive of me as a psychologist today. Even though my father has passed away, I feel confident he would have been proud of me and how I followed in his footsteps to serve others.