A note from Nora:

“Where are you from?” “What are you?” “ Who are you?” These questions have surrounded me my entire life.  Almost like a puzzle, everyone was always trying to fit together the pieces of my identity.  For a long time I felt pressured to force those pieces together, cutting off edges and smiling as I super glued them together.  For years I thought it was the right thing to do and I kept putting those pieces together until I finally ran out of glue.  I realized I didn’t like the picture that was forming, I was losing parts of myself and I needed to take control.  People’s assumptions were dictating how I saw and presented myself and while it seemed easier at times, it always felt wrong.  

Being adopted left a lot of room for questions and for a long time I struggled to find answers.  After a lot of trial and error, I began to learn how to express myself and gained new language and tools to begin to feel comfortable not having all of the pieces of the puzzle.  My identity began to take shape and grow, and I learned how to proudly share all of the pieces of me on my terms.  I also learned that I will continue to figure out who I am, my identity and how I want to exist in the world throughout my life and it’s okay to take my time and it’s okay for me to change my mind.

I am a queer woman of color, a transracial international adoptee, an Asian American.  I am all of these alone and together. 

Through my own therapeutic journey, I struggled to find a provider who could honor all of me and help me through that process of accepting my identity.  After a career in tech and behavior health, witnessing first hand the ways we still lacked competent providers, I became inspired to become that provider I struggled to find. 

As a therapist, I focus on meeting clients where they are.  It’s important to allow them to set the pace and decide what they are ready to focus on. I believe that all parts of someone's story are important and there’s no right or wrong way to engage in therapy.  

I specialize in working with those who hold intersectional identities, adoptees, folks impacted by the foster care system and multi-racial/multi-cultural families or relationships.  My work is anti-racist, LGBTQIA+ affirming, person centered and culturally sensitive. 

As we work together, I may utilize a variety of methods including but not limited to; strengths based, narrative, trauma informed care, Internal Family Systems, emotionally focused therapy, psychodynamic and attachment theory.  

Therapy is a collaborative experience and together we will understand your goals, whether they be specific or undefined and work towards them together.