Clinical Psychologist in Ho Chi Minh City

Background & Qualifications

• Hieu holds a Cand.Psychol. (Norwegian Clinical Psychologist Certification) from the University of Bergen (2016–2021), a programme grounded in the Scientist-Practitioner model.
• Hieu completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy at the University of Oslo.

Treatment methods

• Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) is an accelerated form of psychodynamic therapy. It focuses on identifying unconscious “defenses” and “resistance” that block deep, avoided emotions. By experiencing these suppressed feelings in real-time with the therapist, patients can rapidly resolve psychosomatic symptoms (like anxiety or tension) and long-standing emotional blocks that traditional talk therapy might take years to reach.
• Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) focuses on developing the capacity to “mentalize”—the ability to understand the thoughts, feelings, and intentions behind one’s own behavior and that of others. Originally designed to treat Borderline Personality Disorder, it is now widely used to help individuals regulate intense emotions and improve relationship stability by making sense of complex internal experiences.
• Group Analytic therapy is a form of talk therapy rooted in the belief that human beings are fundamentally social creatures—or as pioneer S.H. Foulkes put it, “nodes in a social network.” Unlike therapies that focus solely on the isolated individual, Group Analysis treats the group itself as a “matrix” where participants’ internal worlds and interpersonal patterns are brought to life through free-flowing conversation. By examining the unconscious dynamics and “here-and-now” interactions within the room, members gain deep insights into how they relate to others and themselves. It’s essentially a collaborative laboratory for the soul, where the collective wisdom of the group is used to untangle individual psychological knots, proving that while our wounds often happen in relationships, our healing can happen there, too.

Clinical Experience

• 2021 to 2022 – worked as a psychologist at Modum Bad’s Inpatient Division for Treatment-Resistant Depression, where he treated patients with complex, comorbid presentations — including depression alongside trauma, personality disorders, and anxiety — using Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Therapy (ISTDP) as the primary treatment model.
• 2022 to 2025 – worked at Akershus University Hospital’s Outpatient Clinic for Personality Disorders, conducting diagnostic evaluations for patients with severe personality disorders. There, he co-led Mentalisation-Based Group Therapy (MBT) for patients with borderline personality disorder and led relational group therapy grounded in Group Analytic principles for patients across a range of diagnoses including depression, anxiety, and personality disorders.
• Since September 2025, Hieu has been working as a psychologist and group therapist at the Vietnam Institute of Psychology in Ho Chi Minh City, providing individual, couples and group therapy. He currently conducts one group for adults.

Technology & Innovation

In May 2025, Hieu co-founded Humean, a company developing AI systems to enhance the work of therapists. Humean focuses on two strands: building efficient clinical documentation systems, and developing expert-verified clinical feedback systems for therapists. Humean is currently collaborating with the Psychotherapy Quality Lab and Oslo University Hospital to implement AI-based feedback tools for therapists.

Licences & Memberships

Hieu holds a Norwegian Certified Clinical Psychologist licence (Health Personnel Number: 10136421) and is a member of the Norwegian Psychological Association, the European Federation of Psychologists Associations, and the Group Analytic Society.