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 psychodynamic and relational: I believe that real change happens through genuine connection, and that the therapeutic relationship itself is one of the most powerful agents of that change.
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. Sessions are not about advice or quick fixes. They are about creating the conditions for you to understand yourself more deeply: the patterns you carry, the ways you relate to others, and what gets in the way of living as you want to.
I work with adults across a wide range of presentations, including anxiety, depression, and emotional dysregulation; burnout and chronic stress; relationship difficulties and attachment patterns; identity and self-esteem; trauma and complex PTSD; personality-related difficulties; and life transitions. Sessions run 50 minutes and draw primarily on two evidence-based methods — Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Therapy (ISTDP) and Mentalisation-Based Therapy (MBT).
Group therapy
You can’t practice relationships alone. Group therapy frequently outperforms individual therapy for the things that matter most: how you see yourself, loneliness and social anxiety, how you relate to others, and the identity shifts that come with major life transitions.
The group is a structured, confidential space for English-speaking young adults (20–40) living in Ho Chi Minh City. It brings together a small group — a maximum of 8 members — to work on the things that matter most in life: how you see yourself, loneliness and social anxiety, how you relate to others, work and career direction, and navigating major life transitions. The group is facilitated by a licensed clinical psychologist and meets in person in Saigon.
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.
My approach is psychodynamic and relational. I pay attention to the emotional undercurrents beneath surface arguments, and to the ways each person’s history shapes what they bring into the relationship. The couple as a system — as it appears live in the room — is what we work with.
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. Group therapy 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.