Counseling Services in Ho Chi Minh City
I offer therapy for adults who are ready to look more honestly at themselves: their patterns, their relationships, and the ways the past continues to shape the present. My approach is eclectic: psychodynamic and relational at its core, in the belief that real change happens through genuine connection. When something more concrete is useful, I draw on practical tools from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). How we work stays flexible: some people want practical help with something specific and relatively quick, others want to go deeper and take their time. Where we place the emphasis is up to you, and it can change as we go.
All services are available in English, in person at Vietnam Institute of Psychology, Ho Chi Minh City or online. You don’t need a diagnosis or a crisis to begin. Many people come simply because something feels off and they want it to be different.
Ways to work together
Three ways into the work
Individual therapy
In individual therapy, we meet one-on-one to explore what has brought you here, and what keeps you where you are. How we work depends on what you need. Some sessions stay practical: concrete tools for a difficult stretch. Others go deeper, towards understanding the patterns you carry, the ways you relate to others, and what gets in the way of living as you want to. You set the depth, and it can change over time.
Process group
You can’t practice relationships alone. A process group works on the thing most therapy can only talk about: what actually happens between you and other people. Relationships that keep taking the same shape, loneliness that does not lift with more social contact, and the feedback you have heard from different people and never understood. Some people find it looking for a support group or a therapy circle in Ho Chi Minh City.
Couples therapy
Relationships are where our deepest needs and our oldest wounds tend to surface most clearly. In couples therapy, we create a space where both partners can be seen and heard, not to determine who is right or wrong, but to understand what is actually happening between you: the cycles you get caught in, the things that go unspoken, and what each person is really reaching for beneath the conflict.
Not sure where to start?
Which service is right for me?
Many people are unsure where to start, and that’s completely normal. Individual therapy tends to suit those wanting focused, private work on their own patterns and history. Couples therapy is for partners wanting to understand and shift what happens between them. A process group is often the most powerful choice for difficulties that live in how you relate to others (loneliness, social anxiety, self-esteem), because it lets you practice, in real time, the very things that feel hard. Some people combine formats. If you’re not sure which fits, the simplest step is to schedule a consultation, and we can think it through together.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to speak fluent English?
No. Sessions are available in English, and even in English you don’t need to be perfectly fluent. What matters is that you can express what you’re going through.
Are sessions confidential?
Yes. Confidentiality is a cornerstone of the work, and it matters especially within HCMC’s close-knit expat community.
Can I do sessions online?
Yes. Online sessions are available throughout Vietnam and are just as effective as in-person work for most concerns.
How do I get started?
The first step is simply to schedule a consultation. There’s no preparation required. We’ll begin by understanding what you’re hoping for and what’s been getting in the way.
Key facts
- Individual therapy: 50 minutes per session
- Couples therapy: 90 minutes per session
- Process group: six hours a month, in person (three hours Saturday, three hours Sunday), one-month minimum commitment
- Format: in person in Ho Chi Minh City, or online across Vietnam and internationally
- Languages: English and Norwegian
- Main methods: Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Therapy (ISTDP), Mentalisation-Based Therapy (MBT) and group analysis
- Therapist: Hieu Tran, clinical psychologist licensed in Norway (HPR 10136421), Cand. Psychol (equivalent Psy. D), trained at the University of Bergen
- Booking: email info@hieutrangoc.vn or WhatsApp