You don't have to earn
the right to exist.

Understanding Identity & Self-Worth

Identity questions - who am I, do I belong, am I enough - are deeply human. But when they become persistent sources of distress, shame, or paralysis, they deserve clinical attention. Struggles with self-worth are often rooted in early experiences: families that were critical or withholding, systems that marginalized you, or messages you received about your worth based on your performance, appearance, or background.

For many people navigating immigration, bicultural identity, or the space between two cultures, identity questions carry an added layer. You may have felt too American for your family and too foreign for everyone else. You may have spent years code-switching, shrinking yourself, or proving your worth in spaces that weren't designed for you.

These experiences are real, and they have real effects on mental health - including depression, anxiety, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and difficulty setting limits with others.

Signs & Symptoms

• Persistent feeling of not being "enough" - not smart, successful, or worthy enough
• Chronic self-criticism or inner harshness
• Difficulty believing in your own accomplishments (imposter syndrome)
• Intense fear of judgment, rejection, or not fitting in
• People-pleasing at the expense of your own needs
• Feeling lost or unclear about what you want and who you are
• Anxiety or depression connected to identity questions
• Shame about your background, culture, body, or choices

How I can help

Identity work requires a clinician who can hold complexity - the interplay of culture, family, history, and individual psychology. I bring both professional training and personal understanding of what it means to navigate multiple cultural worlds and the weight of expectation that often comes with that.

Our work together might include medication to address depression or anxiety that's developed alongside these struggles, as well as supportive therapy focused on building a clearer, kinder relationship with yourself. All sessions are via telehealth across Virginia, available in English and Tiếng Việt.