Hello! What Should You Know About Me?
- I'm a Clinical Psychologist who is board certified in Couple and Family Psychology and I've worked for 20+ years in the field
- I am staunchly liberal, pro-diversity, and anti-hatred, and work best with clients who have similar inclinations
- I prioritize appointment slots for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals
- I have not watched/read the news since living on Capitol Hill on 9/11 and therefore, I almost never know about current events
- I identify as a neurodiverse, heterosexual, cis-woman
- I have a special interest in people suffering from chronic illness / injury because I have dealt with both for all of my adult life
- I work out almost every day and will prioritize it over basic needs
- My approach is affirming, ego-strengthening, healing, and de-pathologizing
Who Am I?
The "Who Am I" collage is one way to visually represent who you are, what you stand for, and what you consider to be your purpose and meaning in life.
My life has not traveled a straight line and all of those crags and crevices have led to who I am today and my gift of effectively assessing and impacting systems. This means that I think in stories and patterns - the big picture.
I am proud to share this with you today.
In Her Office
When I do Telehealth sessions, the other person can see me and my non-live living wall behind me. The greenery is not digital, but it is made of plastic. In front of me, I have a wall with a couple of windows that are covered in fake ivy (to break up the light on my face during videos) and my hanging artworks that are in-progress. On the window sill directly in front of me are the solar bobble heads that are seen in the intro sequence to my YouTube videos. To my immediate right is a small cat tree and window and my cat Dexie is often over there sleeping the day away. My sit-stand desk has 2 external monitors and my laptop and I have a lap pad to keep my keyboard on my lap. Finally, to my left is the art studio half of my room with a bunch of supplies, easels, and surfaces.
When I see clients in-person, I rent a beautiful space at Soul Wellness in Mooresville. I do not have full-time use of that office and only rent it as-needed. The entire suite is full of wellness and healing professionals and is just a lovely place to be.
Behind an Easel
If you are an observant type, you'll notice that I previously shared that I cannot remember any movies. I also don't remember the names of former teachers...except my first art teacher in elementary school who really turned me onto art. Miss Mooney. In my memories, which absolutely may be faulty, Miss Mooney had short red hair and an Irish accent, and made every student feel like a rock star.
At some point, I took an art-by-mail class (that I paid for C.O.D - do you remember those days?) and that furthered my love of art. I had the idea for a while that I wanted to be a full-time artist, but that went by the wayside due to my fears of being a starving artist.
I am extremely fortunate to have a small art studio in my office where I work in multiple media, including quilling paper, acrylic paint, oil pastels, and markers. My portfolio can be found at colorsofdug.art.
In Her Previous Work
When I was a junior in high school, I decided that I would not be going to college. A few weeks after I graduated from high school, I moved to Philadelphia and worked as a server. At some point I moved up to an office job as a receptionist/secretary at a university and realized I did not want that to be my future. I had a tuition waiver since I worked at the university, so went to night school and earned my bachelor's in business. My first career was in nonprofit management, specifically related to animal and child advocacy. My second career was as a chef and then personal chef, specializing in vegan cuisine. My third career was as a personal trainer. I worked with individuals and groups on their physical wellness and specialized in athletes as well as folks with medical-related limitations. Part of this career also involved writing freelance wellness articles - I even had my own monthly column in the local newspaper!
After years of this work, I decided that I wanted to be able to help people at a deeper level and went and earned my Master's degree to become a therapist and then my Doctorate degree to become a psychologist. You can look at my Work History to view how my psychologist career has unfolded.
And Her Personal Values
- I am most impressed by acts of courage.
- I am not impressed by needless acts of martyrdom.
- I believe companion animals are family members.
- I am saddened and angered by racist and biased behaviors.
- I am agnostic and believe there is some greater system at play in our world.
- I tend to vote Democratic in every election and believe it is the responsibility of the government and community to ensure the welfare of every community member.
- I believe leaders should be systemic thinkers and work toward a bigger picture.
- I feel a personal responsibility to contribute to a better tomorrow.
And Her Tattoos
- Ferret. OK. Truthfully this was my first tattoo. I was 17 years old and was tattooed by the bartender of the restaurant where I was working under the table. I chose a ferret because I had and loved ferrets.
- Plumeria in a wave. The wave is made of water and represents the value of acceptance. Waves cannot be stopped and they are temporary. This is similar to events that happen in life, some of which may be more or less desirable. For the sake of well-being, it is important to accept the reality of these events and to also understand that life is dynamic and with each change comes possibility. The plumeria represents the hope and optimism that are partnered with possibility.
- Eye of Horus. Horus was an Egyptian god of the sky and was the child of Osiris and Isis. Horus was often represented as falcon-like, crossing the sky with the rising and setting of the sun and moon, which is why his eyes have features similar to that of a falcon. His right eye is often called the Eye of Ra (sun) and his left eye, which is my tattoo, represents the moon. The left eye symbolizes protection, healing, and restoration.
- Fu Dog (or Shishi). Originating in Chinese tradition, Fu dogs are used as guardians in China, Korea, and Japan. Statues are often seen in yin-yang pairs. The one is a male whose presence is to ward off evil. He is depicted with an open mouth and one paw on a ball (representing power). The female's presence is to retain good spirits. She is depicted with a closed mouth and one paw on a cub (representing care). Shishis are distant relatives of current-day Shih Tzus. I received my tattoo of a male fu dog after the death of my male Shih Tzu, Oreo, who was a powerful force in my life.
- Lotus flowers. Lotus are very hardy flowering plants that can grow in a body of water without the need for soil. They close with the setting of the sun and open when dawn begins. They represent renewal, hope, purity, and optimism.
- Owl. Owls represent the ability to see the truth despite being surrounded by darkness and have the intelligence to understand what they observe. You could say that the owl should be a totem animal for all psychologists. I have had multiple strange run-ins with owls in the past and consider them to be my totem animal.
- Chinese Elements. In the Chinese philosophy of five elements, all of the elements are associated with different seasons, colors, and animals and symbolize various personal characteristics. All five elements must be operating in balanced harmony as they systemically contribute to your life. My tattoo features my primary element, earth, as the yellow dragon. It intersects with and is surrounded by representations of the other elements, namely, the vermillion bird (fire), azure dragon (wood), white tiger (metal), and black turtle (water).
And Her History
I was born in New Jersey and was raised by my mother and father, both of whom immigrated to the U.S. from Korea after college. I was the middle child between two sisters and grew up in a largely White Italian Catholic community. I participated in a ton of extracurriculars and started volunteering in social services at 12 years old. My early career dreams involved the Peace Corps and Doctors Without Borders.
Over the years, I have lived in various places.
- Philadelphia — to make my way into the world as an adult
- Knoxville, TN — due to my first husband's research
- Chicago, IL — due to my first husband's post-doctoral opportunity
- Washington, DC — I wanted to go to a smaller city
- Seattle, WA — after my divorce I chose Seattle due to my love of the west coast
- Phoenix, AZ — with my second husband for my doctoral internship
- Portland, OR — for a psychologist job after graduation
- Seattle, WA — back home after my second divorce
- Atlanta, GA — with my third husband, in the middle of the pandemic, in order to have easier access to family
- Charlotte, NC — current day
In the Classroom
My philosophy of teaching has been formed by several years of teaching diverse groups of students. My students have spanned healthcare professions, educational levels, learning styles, and experiences. As a result, my teaching philosophy honors and celebrates differences by focusing on five pillars: Priorities, Individualism, Safety, Applicability, and Citizenship.
Priorities
The Priorities pillar honors my values, students' values, and clients' values.
Individualism
I see my students as individuals but position them within their larger social systems.
Safety
I create a safe container so that the students can feel secure enough to take risks and explore.
Applicability
This pillar stresses the need for students to learn content that is applicable to the work.
Citizenship
The last pillar, Citizenship, pertains to my commitment to the wellness of not only students and the clients they will serve, but also to the greater university.
In conclusion, when I teach, I want students to learn how to act with intention, to honor their own and their clients' individualism, to feel secure enough in the classroom to take risks, to learn and apply theories, and to feel embraced by the larger university community. I work to achieve these goals by acting with my own intention and staying true to my values. With such a strategy, I can contribute to the health of our community.
At Home
I live in the Charlotte area with my husband and Dexie, our geriatric cat. When I'm not working, I am creating art, tending to plants, or exercising. I am an avid trail runner and swimmer, as well as a practitioner of hot yoga and barre.
I am a fairly restless person and often have multiple projects happening at the same time. However, as is the case with many folks with ADHD, I easily zone in and become hyper-focused on projects and will lose track of time, as well as things like thirst, hunger, sleep, etc.!
On the weekends, we can be found hiking, doing things around the house, eating out, or watching movies. Of note, I rarely remember movies that I've seen, much less whether or not I've seen them! This works great for my husband because he loves to rewatch movies.
